Every Shabbat morning, as I arrive in shul and take my usual seat toward the back of the women’s section, I notice that the front row is still empty. Soon Grandma Anita arrives, carrying a tote bag bulging at the sides, and takes her seat in the front row. Shortly thereafter, Grandma Harriet, Anita’s machateiniste
Grandparenting Today Read More »
According to the 2011 census of England and Wales, the Jewish community of the United Kingdom numbers around 263,000 and has a staggering 2,200-plus Jewish organizations. The mainstream UK Jewish community has long devoted many resources to youth leadership development, through substantial investment in the Zionist youth movements, the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), and
Women in Communal Leadership—A View from the UK Read More »
“If I had known, I would have had more children.” “Why didn’t you know?” “Because I never asked.” “Why not?” “Because there was never anyone to have a conversation about it with.” This conversation took place between an Orthodox woman and a yoetzet halacha, a halakhic advisor trained in the laws of family purity. Sadly,
My Yoetzet Halacha: A Religious Resource for the Community Read More »
Eight years ago, I was privileged to become the marta d’atra (halakhic authority) of Kehilat Orach Eliezer (KOE) on the Upper West Side of New York City. The congregation refers to me as rosh kehillah—“head of the congregation.” In this role, I deliver drashot on Shabbat. Throughout the week, I am available to answer halakhic
On Being Marta d’Atra, the Spiritual Leader, of My Congregation Read More »
It’s not shtick. It’s an honest-to-Hashem all-girl Hasidic alt-rock band. And it works, because it’s real. The first time I saw Bulletproof Stockings in performance, they were playing in a crowded, small converted flower shop in Crown Heights, surrounded by a motley assortment of Lubavitch women and a few stragglers like myself. It was an
Bulletproof Stockings Rocks the Frum World Read More »
I have been dancing since I was a very young child. However, because I attended a Jewish day school, my dancing was an extracurricular pursuit at first. After graduating, I was accepted into the Joffrey Ballet Summer School. Following that summer, I went to a seminary in Israel. After a day of learning, I would
Dancing for Women: JeWTA Promotes Talent Within the Orthodox Community Read More »
Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov (1698–1760), the founder of the Chassidic movement, was once asked: “Why is it that Chassidim burst into song and dance at the slightest provocation? Is this the behavior of a healthy, sane individual?” The Baal Shem Tov responded with a story: Once, a musician came to town—a musician of great
Working on campus under the auspices of the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus was an awesome and empowering opportunity for me. I always felt very blessed that my husband, Eli, and I ended up at the University of Maryland, College Park, because it was exactly the kind of community in which I felt
On Being a JLIC Educator on Campus Read More »
Dear Editor, I read the article by Barbara Trainin Blank on “Women as Circumcisers” in the JOFA Journal Vol. XII, no. 2. I should like to point out that I discussed this issue in my Minhagei Yisrael, Vol. 4, Jerusalem, 1995, pp. 3–9, with additional evidence in ibid., Vol. 7, Jerusalem, 2003, p. 401, and,
Letter to the Editor Read More »
I was honored to be invited to spend a Shabbat as resident scholar at Kesher Israel in Washington, D.C., shortly after that community was catapulted into the Jewish media spotlight. Kesher’s rabbi, Barry Freundel, had been charged with serious allegations that besmirched his role as a spiritual leader and violated the trust of his congregants.
Rupture and Repair: Responding to Breaches of Trust in Rabbinic Authority Read More »
