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Women's Tefillah Groups consist exclusively of women who join together to pray. Women are exempt from the commandment of communal prayer under Jewish law, and therefore may not lead tefillot on behalf of men, who are commanded to pray in a minyan. By separating themselves from men, however, women are able to lead tefillah and read from the Torah in a communal setting.
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.
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Bleich, J. David
"Women's Minyanim," Bleich, J. David. Contemporary Halachic Problems, Vol III, 1995.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Krauss, Simcha
"The Rav: On Zionism, Universalism and Feminism," Krauss, Simcha. Tradition, 34:2, 2000, 24-39.
Synopsis: 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Synopsis: The International Directory of Women's Tefillah Groups lists Women Tefillah Groups by city and country.
wtgdirectory.helping.org.il
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Becher, Ronnie and Judith Sambol
"Creating a Women's Tefilla Group," Becher, Ronnie and Judith Sambol. JOFA 2nd International Conference, 1998. 1998.
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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.
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Haut, Rivka and Freda Rosenfeld
"Challenges Facing Women's Tefilla," Haut, Rivka and Freda Rosenfeld. JOFA 3rd International Conference, 2000. 2000.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Haut, Rivka and Grossman, Susan
Daughters of the King: Women and the Synagogue. Haut, Rivka and Grossman, Susan. 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.
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Henkin, Yehuda Herzl
Responsa On Contemporary Jewish Women's Issues. Henkin, Yehuda Herzl. Ktav, 2003.
Synopsis: Twenty-four modern responsa translated from the hebrew. Discussion of the separation of men & women in the synagogue and the prayer "who has not made me a woman", women's prayer groups, hair covering, more.
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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.
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