United Synagogue leaders have admitted making no progress on a key part of their manifesto - allowing women to assume leadership roles in the country's biggest synagogue body.
Women cannot serve as any of the seven officers of the US. They can serve as shul vice-chairs, but not as chairmen.
But US president Simon Hochhauser told its council of synagogue representatives on Monday: "We can't get rabbinic support as yet. At the moment we have two women observers who now sit with us at [trustee] meetings... I think it is unlikely it is going to change during the current Chief Rabbinate but we'll keep trying."
It was over three years ago that Dr Hochhauser announced his commitment to pushing for change. He reiterated this after his re-election for a second three-year term of office in 2008.
The Office of the Chief Rabbi was asked by the JC last week to give Lord Sacks's position, but has yet to respond.
Malvyn Benjamin, who has persistently raised the matter at the council, cannot understand "why it's not possible for women to be elected as honorary officers. I can't think of any halachic reason why that should be the case. They are basically dealing with administrative matters."
One well-known US woman personality is Flora Frank, who has served on Edgware Synagogue's board of management. She said: "We have to be patient and work within halachah. I can understand frustration but I know we will get there."
Last year, a report on Jewish women in the community found disquiet among mainstream Orthodox women at "what they see as archaic and inconsistent attitudes towards women's participation in synagogue leadership and spiritual life".
At one US congregation, Golders Green, the five-person executive is headed by its vice-chair, Jacqui Zinkin.
The Sephardi Beth Din last week declared that although women cannot serve on the executive of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation, it is exploring ways to allow them to do so in future.
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