>Are Jewish women no longer kept up on the balcony (or at least separate from the men) in the synagogue?

Only in Orthodox synagogues (where it'll never change). In Conservative (know as Masorti in your part of the world), Reform and Reconstructionist, there's mixed seating, female rabbis and egalitarian services. My synagogue has two rabbis--one male, one female. My aunt just finished three years as the president of her synagogue.

Tamar