This year, for the first time in my life, I spent Passover in Israel. My eldest is there for her year between high school and college, and we thought it would be a meaningful experience for all of us to be in Jerusalem when we conclude our Seder with “l’shana haba’ah bi-Yerushalayim.” And so began
The Biggest Question: Whom to Ask? Read More »
What’s 93Queen? It’s the internal ambulance code that the Fire Department of the City of New York assigned to Ezras Nashim, the Big Apple’s first all-volunteer female ambulance service. It’s also the name of a documentary describing how that service came to be. 93Queen is the first feature film by director/cinematographer Paula Eiselt, who obtained
93Queen: Documenting Change within a Hasidic Community Read More »
It was one of those challenging situations that we religious Jewish professionals often face. During my aveilut, a client invited me to make a presentation in Lansing, Michigan. I was excited for the opportunity, but, as always during that year, made my acceptance conditional on having a place to say Kaddish. “Before I can agree
Bigger Isn’t Always Better Read More »
Since the early 2000s, employment of ultra-Orthodox women in Israel has continuously been on the rise and has now reached 80 percent—or 5 percent higher than the general rate of women’s employment. What caused such a radical female rush to the workforce? The motive was dire necessity. Since 2003, hareidi families have been confronted with
Hareidiyot in Israel: Ultra-Orthodox Women in the Workplace Read More »
“Brava, Brava Jewish Women,” exclaimed the Jewish Daily Forward headline on May 15, 1902, applauding the “[t]housands and thousands of balaboostas rebelling against the meat fraud” of 1902.1 Kosher meat wholesalers, decried as “robber barons” by the indignant housewives of the Lower East Side, had hiked up the prices of kosher meat from 12 to
The Kosher Meat Strike that Launched New York City’s Labor Movement Read More »
Dear friends, I am excited to take on the role of executive director of JOFA and to work with a dedicated board of directors, an incredible professional team, and passionate lay leaders to advance the work of this vital organization. One of the great blessings of my life is that I have always been surrounded
Message from the Executive Director Read More »
Transitions are both a blessing and a challenge. They present new opportunities and fresh chances. They are exciting and energizing and offer the opportunity for great accomplishments and meaningful change. They also challenge us to celebrate what has come before—to honor the past, to build upon our achievements, to recognize all the good and all
Transitions and New Promise Read More »
Lucy Dawidowicz was not a feminist, nor was she Orthodox, yet much in her life experience and in her intellectual contributions will resonate with JOFA readers. She was often the only woman in a room filled with opinion-shaping men. She was sometimes given lesser recognition for her work than her contributions to a project deserved.
We know that we can pray on our own nearly anywhere, anytime, but Judaism does emphasize communal prayer. And many of us appreciate the group atmosphere: We listen to one another sing, we feel camaraderie, we learn from each other. We can cheer each other on as well as offer solace as a group. COVID-19
The Joys (and Some Drawbacks) of Outdoor Davening Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic was devastating. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost, and millions experienced isolation and social recessions from which it will take years to recover. If there is a silver lining for the women of Sharsheret, it is that we are emerging with an even sharper mission, understanding how we can more effectively
Sharsheret’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
