Rabbi Shlomo Riskin in his autobiography related that he allowed the women in his shul to dance with the Sefer Torah on Simchas Torah. This is not surprising as he is known to have "progressive" views on various issues [permitting army service for girls, a very positive view of Yoshke etc. etc.]. What IS surprising is that after this occurred and he was attacked by a chashuv Rov on the West Side who pronounced him Conservative that he went to the Lubavitcher Rebbe who told him [after R' Riskin explained that otherwise, we will lose these women to Judaism forever] that not only MAY he allow it but MUST allow it.
Wow!! A Chasidic Rebbe who rules that one should eliminate an established custom of Jews [that only men dance with the Torah]! Very hard for a traditionalist like me to swallow. But I guessed that he felt that better this custom be set aside than the entire Torah and this is the way to save their souls.
In this link the FULL STORY is presented. The conclusion is that CHAS VI-SHALOM that the Rebbe concluded that it is permitted. Ahhhhhh! The slope is VERY steep and slippery. וד"ל. [I don't recall that R' Riskin mentioned in his book that the Rebbe retracted but maybe he did].
