I have davened in tefillin before (http://booksandbeliefs.blogspot.com/2005/08/tefillin-ties-that-bind.html) and it was a profound experience. I understand the "separate but equal" perspective that underscores many gender issues in Orthodox-Egalitarian relations, but to prevent someone from pursuing a closer relationship to G-d simply because she's female? I only wish halacha could "exempt" men from becoming obstacles in women's pursuit of a spiritual life.

I find it helpful to differentiate between the old days when Chabad was still Jewish, and the recent era, when they have declared that the rebbe is either a) the messiah, or b)will be reincarnated as the messiah, or c)is now part of the Godhead. My understanding is that either all of them either a) believe it [i.e. one of these] and say it publically; b)believe it and say it don't publically, or c) want to believe it.
It's a shame the mainstream rabbis won't come out publically against Chabad. They are dependant on Chabadniks staffing their day schools and running outposts for them all with kosher food and davvening over the world, so they're willing to overlook Chabad's heresies.

I have had mixed feelings about women putting on tefilin for a long time. I grew up in a very Conservative shul where to this day women are still not counted in a minyan, and cannot read from the Torah-- let alone put on tefilin.
As a result of being raised in this religious environment, there is something about the leather straps winding around the muscular arms that I remember from watching men put on tefilin on the Sunday morning minyanim in my childhood shul that have left me with the notion that putting on tefilin was, well, a very masculine thing.

Now, a generation later, I am a mother of a daughter who will be a Bat Mitzvah this December. I am an active member at my egalitarian Conservative synagogue. I feel completely included and valid when the phone rings and there is a need for a tenth for a minyan. That phone call, that feeling of being needed, is very satisfying. I can fully participate in the life of my synagogue. I can be counted and help a congregant say kaddish.

Unlike the Judaism of my childhood, I have learned to read Torah through an adult learning class offered by my Chazzan. For my 37th birthday, my husband bought me my own talit, so I wouldn’t have to borrow his extra one when I went to synagogue. At first, I felt strange wearing a talit. But with each passing Shabbat, I grew to appreciate how this sheer cloth wrapped around my shoulders and the strings wound around my fingers increased my spirituality and kavana.

But as far as wrapping my arm with those leather straps, I was still, well, in a bind. It still screamed masculinity to me, something off limits. But, if I was to truly embrace egalitarianism, this was a mitzvah I would have to at least try out. Someday. Not yet.

Then, I read Rashi's Daughters: Yocheved. The beautiful passage that resounded with me the most was the chapter where Yocheved sneaks into her father’s room and feels the closeness to G-d as she puts on her father’s tefilin. First, I asked myself: is this factual? Then, I thought, if a girl in the middle ages could learn Torah, Talmud, and desire to put on tefilin, then why not girls and women of this modern generation.

I put on tefilin this year for the first time, together while teaching my congregations’ seventh grade Hebrew school class. Together, my students – both boys and girls -- and I carefully listened to our Chazan’s instructions as we practiced this mitzvah. We fitted ourselves first with the headpiece, said the bracha, and then helped each other wind the straps around seven times our arms, and then formed a shin on our hands. It was a very moving experience. Later, in class, I reminded the girls how special and privileged we should feel as Jewish women living in these times of inclusion.

Now, do I regularly put in tefilin? No, not yet. But, will I purchase a pair of tefilin for my daughter as she approaches Bat Mitzvah? Absolutely!

Ahuva Gamliel decided that she did not need to put on tefilin. Please reread the article and try to understand what she is saying rather than thinking 'oh boy, here is a chance to bash Chabad'.

Ms Anton -I think that I read that your father died. Do you feel saying Kaddish every day is meaningful to you? I know it helped me even though it meant going to shul twice a day. I do not want to be obligated to continue going to shul to daven with a minyan. I am glad that as a woman I am not obligated. If you feel like taking on all obligations be aware they are not taken on lightly but carry a responsibility.

I was not trying to 'bash' Chabad; plenty of others do that already. I was just sharing my feelings about Ahuva's blog post and encouraging a conversation on the topic of Women and Tefillin.

Yes, my father died almost 3 months ago and I do say Kaddish for him.