From afar, we have witnessed public outrage over the long history of clergy misconduct in the Catholic Church. The church’s egregious denial and calculated covering up of priests’ sexual abuse of congregants and children was staggering in its scope, the blanket of silence over its victims unfathomable. How much harder is it for us to […]
WHEN SACRED TRUST IS BREACHED: Responses to Rabbinic Sexual Misconduct Read More »
Staring into the pages of my Tehillim, it occurred to me that I had just reread the same verse several times. It was four in the morning on Shabbat, and I had a few hours until someone would come to take over my shift. Inside the large tent, police officers mingled and nibbled on the
I Will Watch Over You Read More »
Before the very first Shabbat after my divorce that my son Daniel and I spent at our home in Woodmere, I confess to being consumed with trepidation: who was my son going to stay with in shul? I was happy to keep him with me as he was only three years old then, but looking
Divorced but Not Alone: The Strength of Community Read More »
The body in our culture has become a dumping ground for a broad spectrum of emotional experiences and anxieties, and a concrete, socially sanctioned way of expressing self-doubts and existential angst. Many women live just under the radar of full-blown eating disorders as unhealthy eating behaviors have become normative, and perspectives on the female body
Food for Thought: Eating Disorders and the Jewish Community Read More »
Schools were once evaluated based on their ability to deliver the three “Rs”: “reading, writing, and ’rithmetic.” In recent years, however, schools have come to realize that they need to focus on a fourth “R”– resilience. Educators now understand that they must play a role in helping raise emotionally resilient young people who can cope
Strengthening Body Image: The School’s Role and Responsibility Read More »
How many religious girls or women do you know who aspire to dance or to sing? Interestingly, although one would hardly expect such a trend in Israel today, more and more young women are blazing a trail to follow their dreams of becoming artists. Religious women are dancing, singing, painting, and acting; what is more,
Religious Women Take Up the Arts in Israel Read More »
Imagine walking into city hall to register for a marriage license and being asked when your last menstrual cycle was. As much as many olim embrace these “only in Israel” moments, this particular integration of religion and state is one that has traumatized the secular Israeli community for decades. The requirements to be married by
Tzohar’s Hadrakhat Kallot Program: Restoring the Simha Read More »
The discussion of abortion in halakhah begins with the life of the mother. Pikuaḥ nefesh, the obligation to preserve life—in this case, the life of the mother—trumps every other obligation except for three: murder, sexual immorality, and idol worship. Until the head of the fetus or the majority of its body has exited the birth
What Does Halakhah Say About Abortion? Read More »
I have three rambunctious and adorable boys whom I love more than life itself. All were born via the miracle of in vitro fertilization (IVF), or, as my husband calls it, “test tube babies.” Technically, my husband is right because, like it or not, that little glass tube or dish is where the magic happens.
Getting Personal About Infertility Read More »
A staggering one in eight couples will experience challenges in achieving and maintaining pregnancy. Some studies report that the number is closer to one in six. At these rates, it is highly likely that you or someone you know has struggled with this problem—whether you know it or not. And, sadly, there’s a good chance
The Silent Struggle of Infertility Read More »
