Harassment: An Assault of Human Dignity Following the headlines of the #MeToo movement, one might think that the horrors of sexual harassment had just been discovered. Remarkably, though, already in the second century ce, Rabbi Akiva taught some of the basic lessons of the movement. A close reading of a single mishnah can help us […]
#MeToo and Sexual Harrassment: A Familiar Mishnah through a New Lens Read More »
For those privileged to grow up with Bible study as a steady companion, the Bible’s distance from the sensibilities, assumptions, and conditions of our world may take time to detect. Among the gifts of immersion in the verses, chapters, and books of the Torah is a strong sense of familiarity with the Bible’s contours, despite
Song of Riddles: Deciphering the Song of Songs Read More »
My teaching experiences began in May of last year when my synagogue’s youth group was planning to do a joint tikkun leil Shavuot program with one of the synagogues in the neighborhood. They wanted teenagers to teach—not only to their peers, but to the adults there too. The theme chosen for the tikkun was supposed
You Want Me to Teach? Read More »
Some time ago, as I meandered through the streets of Paris and the historic Jewish district of Le Marais, I chanced upon the splendid synagogue on Rue Pavée (see photo). The verse “How goodly are thy dwellings, O Israel” (Numbers 24:5) naturally came to mind. It was interesting, I then reflected, that I had used
The Road Not (Yet) Taken: Creating a Coeducational Beit Midrash in France Read More »
Camp was over, the children were being picked up by their anxious parents, and we, the exhausted staff, were finally relaxing a little. “So what are you up to now?” asked my fellow madrikh (counselor). We had been so busy running after restless teens that we had not discussed our future projects. “I’m going to
Torah Lishmah: For Women’s Sake Read More »
As a psychotherapist, I am the instrument of my work. In addition to my degree and education, my In addition to my degree and education, my own personal experiences and the work I’ve done with myself are what I bring to the individuals and couples who entrust me to help them with their pain and
Last Summer at Nishmat: How Torah Learning Refreshed My Soul Read More »
“But why do you call it a yeshiva?? A yeshiva is for men. Women learn in midrashot!” This is often the first question that people ask when they hear about the yeshiva that Drisha opened in Israel a year ago—especially in Israel, where there is no other learning program for women that is called a
A Yeshiva of One’s Own Read More »
For many years, in the girls’ Tanakh classes that I taught at a Modern Orthodox day school, I would help my students learn how to write and deliver a d’var Torah, which one student would present each Friday. The girls would sit and listen attentively to the speaker and then raise their hands to ask
A few Shabbatot ago, while speaking about Parashat Korah, the rabbi of our shul took the opportunity to exhort all of the members of the congregation to “stay in [their] lane[s].” He implored them to limit their aspirations to their determined lot, to be happy and content with their place, and to work on themselves
Daf Yomi: A Driver’s Manual Read More »
I no longer consider myself an academic. I have a Ph.D. in rabbinic literature and I use the tools I got from academia every day in my teaching and writing about Torah texts, but I am no longer an academic. I grew up in a Modern Orthodox home and community. My father loved Torah, and
On Leaving Academia and Embracing Torah Read More »
