The first WOMAN RABBI ever, Rabbi Sally Preisand (aka. Rabbi Sally), who became the first Reform women in 1972 to take the pulpit is retiring.  Ironically, her position is being taken over by a male rabbi. According to THIS article about Rabbi Sally’s retirement, “Orthdox Movement still does NOT allow female rabbis”.  Which is true, officially speaking – well…that is if you don’t consider the title “Rosh Kehillah” a rabbi gig…which is what the Manhattan Orthodox ”chilled” chesed-based serious-davening minyan KOE launched over Shavuos.  Dina Najman, a Michlalah, YU educated, Drisha scholar and Bioethics guru, became the biweekly “Rosh Kehillah“, taking over for the well-known JTS Illui, R Emiritus David Weiss HaLivni.  Rosh Kehillah Najman will give the weekly Dvar Torah, but will not be the shul’s official posek, according to synagogue hockers.   While this may be seen as a huge progressive step taken by KOE, the ortho shul that originally spawned more progressive egal-ish minyans like Darchei Noam and the like, the shul sees it as a simple way to allow for religious women to have a highly knowledgeable and spiritual role model to turn to to as religious guide.  I guess we’ll see if R.K. Najman’s arrival to the West Side has as big effect on NYC Orthodoxy as Rabbi Sally’s induction had on the Reform and Conservative and Reconstructionist movements back in 1972