 |
|
                 
|
Women's Tefillah Groups consist exclusively of women who join together to pray. In accordance with the traditional view that women are not included in a minyan for prayer services, women's prayer services typically do not include any of those elements, such as kedusha, the repetition of the amida, or kaddish, that require a minyan. In addition to being forums where women join together in prayer, women's tefillah groups have become places to celebrate life-cycle events such as b'not mitzvah, aufrufs for brides, and baby naming ceremonies.
Click here for a listing of Women's Tefillah Groups by country and city.
|
| |
Sort results by:
|
|
|
Frimer, Aryeh A.
"Women's Prayer Services - Theory and Practice," Frimer, Aryeh A.. Tradition, 32:2, 1998, 5-118.
Synopsis: Frimer explores the halakhic permissibility of women's tefillah groups as well as the practical and sociological issues that arise with conducting these services in the Orthodox community.
Click here to view this item.
|
| |
ADDITIONAL READING
|
|
|
Bleich, J. David
"Women's Minyanim," Bleich, J. David. Contemporary Halakhic Problems, Vol III, 1995.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Cohen Nusbacher, Ailene
"Orthodox Jewish Women's Prayer Groups: Seeking a More Meaningful Religious Experience," Cohen Nusbacher, Ailene. Le'ela, 49, 2000, 41-46.
Synopsis: This article provides a sociological analysis of the rising phenomenon of women's prayer groups within an Orthodox framework.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Frank, Laura Shaw
"Women's Tefillah Groups Grow and Face New Challenges," Frank, Laura Shaw. JOFA Journal, 1998.
Synopsis: This article discusses the state of women's tefillah groups in late 1998, following the rabbinic decision by the Va'ad Harabonim of Queens, New York that women's tefillah groups are against Jewish law.
|
|
Krauss, Simcha
"The Rav: On Zionism, Universalism and Feminism," Krauss, Simcha. Tradition, 34:2, 2000, 24-39.
Synopsis: R. Krauss argues against the position that Rav Soleveitchik was anti-feminsim. He addresses the Rav's explicit and implicit positions on women's issues such as tefillah groups.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Langer, Sidney
"Women's Prayer Groups: A Case Study in Feminism and Modern Orthodoxy," Langer, Sidney. Ten Da`at, 11, 1998, 43-48.
Synopsis: Langer writes about the controversy over women's tefillah groups and presents data from studies about Orthodox women and their religiousity.
|
|
Marcus, Bat Sheva
"Walk Humbly With Your God," Marcus, Bat Sheva. Sh'ma, 27:531, April 1997, 5-7.
Synopsis: Marcus details several possible concerns regarding women's Tefillah groups and explains why none of them are valid objections halakhically. She explains the reasons these groups are so meaningful for Orthodox women and tries to describe what sociological objections the Orthodox community has toward them.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Mieselman, Moshe
"The Rav, Feminism and Public Policy: An Insider's Overview," Mieselman, Moshe. Tradition, 33:1, 1998, 5-30.
Synopsis: This article explores Rav Solveitchik's approach to women's prayer groups, women's hakafot, aliyot and other topics that have emerged from the feminist movement.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Nusbacher, Ailene Cohen
"Efforts at Change in a Traditional Denomination: The Case of Orthodox Women's Prayer Groups," Nusbacher, Ailene Cohen. Nashim, Spring 1999(2) 95-113, 2, 1999, 95-113.
Synopsis: Cohen Nusbacher examines trends within Orthodox women's participation in prayer groups.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Penkower Kaplan, Dr. Sharon
"Bat Mitzvah and Women's Tefila," Penkower Kaplan, Dr. Sharon. Bat Mitzvah, The Orthodox Jewish Woman and Ritual: Options and Opportunities, 2000, 3-4.
Synopsis: Sharon Penkower Kaplan reflects on her daughters? B?not Mitzvah held years apart in a women?s tefila group. She explains how the service changed and grew over the years and how women?s roles in the service will continue to change in the years to come.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Scheininger, Pam
"Women's Involvement In Tefilla: Access and Voice," Scheininger, Pam. Shabbat, The Orthodox Jewish Woman and Ritual: Options and Opportunities, 2000, 4-5.
Synopsis: Pam Scheininger outlines the ways in which synagogues can provide women with equal access to meaningful prayer. Her suggestions include a women?s section next to (not behind or above) the men?s, a centrally located bimah, and allowing women access to the bimah to give a d?var Torah or to lead the congregation in prayer.
Click here to download this item in PDF format.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Twersky, Mayer
"Halakhic Values and Halakhic Decisions: Rav Soloveitchik's Pesak Regarding Women's Prayer Groups," Twersky, Mayer. Tradition, 32:3, 1998, 5-18.
Synopsis: Through a discussion of women's tefillah groups, this article discusses the notion of equality of genders from a Torah perspective.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
|
"International Online Directory of Women's Tefilla Groups".
Synopsis: The International Directory of Women's Tefillah Groups lists Women Tefillah Groups by city and country.
wtgdirectory.helping.org.il
|
|
|
Becher, Ronnie and Judith Sambol
"Creating a Women's Tefilla Group," Becher, Ronnie and Judith Sambol. JOFA 2nd International Conference, 1998. 1998.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Halbertal, Tova Hartman
"Rabbinic Backlash Against Women's Prayer Groups: The Use and Abuse of Meta-Halakha," Halbertal, Tova Hartman. JOFA 3rd International Conference, 2000. 2000.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Haut, Rivka and Freda Rosenfeld
"Challenges Facing Women's Tefilla," Haut, Rivka and Freda Rosenfeld. JOFA 3rd International Conference, 2000. 2000.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Haut, Rivka and Susan Hornstein
"Beginning the Process: Defining a Liturgy for Women's Tefilla," Haut, Rivka and Susan Hornstein. JOFA 2nd International Conference, 1998. 1998.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
Sperber, Daniel
"Women Pray on Their Own: The Spiritual and Cultural World of Women Reflected in Jewish Art," Sperber, Daniel. JOFA 4th International Conference, 2002. 2002.
Synopsis: Sperber discusses women's prayer as it is reflected in pictures painted by 19th century European realist painters.
Click here to download a PDF order form for this item.
If you are having trouble opening this document,
click here to download Adobe Reader.
|
|
|
Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.
Daughters of the King: Women and the Synagogue. Grossman, Susan and Haut, Rivka, eds.. JPS, 1992.
Synopsis: Daughters of the King explains women's involvement in and around the synagogue from its antecedents in the biblical period to contemporary times. Susan Grossman and Rivka Haut have added their experiences and studies to those of other scholars and religious thinkers to demonstrate the historical diversity of women's roles in Judaism, to record first-person accounts of the innovative practices now being introduced for and by women throughout the Jewish community, and to ponder these new realities in order to glimpse the religious life of Jewish women in the future.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Harlow, Jules; Cohen, Tamara; Furstenberg, Rochelle; Gordis, Daniel; and Tanenbaum, Leora
Pray Tell: A Hadassah Guide to Jewish Prayer. Harlow, Jules; Cohen, Tamara; Furstenberg, Rochelle; Gordis, Daniel; and Tanenbaum, Leora. Women's Zionist Organization of America Hadassah, 2003.
Synopsis: This book contains two parts. The first part includes R. Harlow's translations and explanations of the traditional prayer service. The second part addresses contemporary issues with Tamara Cohen presenting women's spiritual alternatives, including non-Orthodox, feminist approaches, and Leora Tanenbaum discussing Orthodox women's private prayers. Women's prayer groups are also discussed in the second part.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Haut, Rivka and Chesler, Phyllis Ed
Women of the Wall: Claiming Sacred Ground at Judaism's Holy Site. Haut, Rivka and Chesler, Phyllis Ed. Jewish Lights, 2002.
Synopsis: In Israel today, the historic Western Wall, known as the Kotel, a holy site for Jewish people, is under the religious authority of the Orthodox rabbinate. Women have only limited rights to practice Jewish ritual in its precincts. This passionate book documents the legendary grassroots and legal struggle of a determined group of Jewish women from Israel, the United States, and other parts of the world?known as the Women of the Wall?to win the right to pray out loud together as a group, according to Jewish law; wear ritual objects; and read from Torah scrolls at the Western Wall.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Henkin, Yehuda Herzl
Responsa On Contemporary Jewish Women's Issues. Henkin, Yehuda Herzl. Ktav, 2003.
Synopsis: This book contains twenty-four modern responsa translated from Hebrew. The chapter on , Women's Megillah Readings and Prayer Groups is relevant to this category in the JOFA online library.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
Weiss, Avraham
Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women's Prayer Groups. Weiss, Avraham. Ktav, 1990.
Synopsis: This book looks at the halakha surrounding women's prayer groups. In this expanded edition, a new introduction as well as a chapter on on Women and the reading of the Megillah have been added.
Click here to purchase this item.
|
|
|
New sources are continually being added to JOFA.org. Check back often!
If you have a submission you would like us to consider, send it to
website@jofa.org.
|
|
|
|
|
