This President’s Day, we ask you to join JOFA in celebrating women who have served and currently serve as presidents of Orthodox synagogues. 

Two women who were elected in 2010 to serve as the first woman president of their Orthodox synagogues included:

• Virginia Bayer Hirt, The Jewish Center, New York, NY (read more here)
• Phyllis Shapiro, Bais Abraham Congregation, St. Louis, MO (read more here)

Both of these women have long histories of service to their congregations and communities. May they go m’chayil el chayil -  from strength to strength!

Call to Action: Help us create a “presidential wall (webpage) of honor” on the JOFA website by sharing information about women who currently serve or have served as synagogue presidents here

(Visit the Wall of Honor that has been developed to-date here)

We are confident that in the future we will see this list grow in length and look forward to many more opportunities to celebrate these women’s achievements.

Why aren’t more women Orthodox synagogue presidents? 

Call to Action: Tell us about the current state of your synagogue’s policies on this topic by filling out a brief survey here

To learn more about some of the halakhic discussions regarding women serving as communal leaders, read “A King… and Not a Queen”  (from JOFA Journal, Winter 2004) here