Jofa’s mission is to expand women’s rights and opportunities within the framework of halakhah, to build a vibrant and equitable Orthodox community. A key element in furthering our mission is the Devorah Scholars Program, which was incubated at JOFA in 2020 and was designed to support Orthodox shuls in North America as they hire Orthodox […]
Spotlight on Devorah Scholars. Read More »
For the last 75 years or so, Jewish feminists all over the world have successfully enlisted the help of legislatures and secular courts to ameliorate the “plight of the agunah”—the problem of Jewish women held in marital captivity by husbands who refuse to give them a religious divorce (a get). This maneuver has resulted in
The Problem of the Agunah: From Religious Right to Civil Wrong Read More »
One of the greatest obstacles to getting relief for agunot in civil courts is the principle of separation of state and religion ensconced in the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Under this principle, which prohibits government-sponsored establishment of religion, U.S. courts will not get involved in resolving disputes that are
Coercive Control: Defining Get Abuse in Secular Legal Terms Read More »
Jofa’s work has always been rooted in the dichotomy between halakhah as a system of law and the lived experiences of women in the Jewish community. Our work has focused on this tension as it relates to issues like the laws of Jewish divorce vs. the real life experiences of women who are trapped as
Between the Halakhic System and Lived Experience Read More »
This article originally appeared on the Jewish Telegraphic Agency website, November 27, 2023, https://www.jta.org/2023/11/27/ideas/i-believeddiverse-coalitions-would-benefit-jewish-women-now-ifear-we-were-all-alone. I am the executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance and a lifelong feminist. I advocate for Orthodox Jewish women’s representation and inclusion in all areas of life. Before joining Jofa in 2019, I spent 20 years working with faith
I Believed Diverse Coalitions Would Benefit Jewish Women. Now I Fear We Were All Alone. Read More »
Adapted from an article originally published in the Times of Israel blog, December 6, 2023. https://blogs. timesofisrael.com/lets-not-demonize-college-students/. In the weeks after October 7th, the text messages came in droves, from friends and family alike: “Oh my goodness! Are you okay? There is so much antisemitism on college campuses!” I responded that I was fine, and
Let’s Not Demonize College Students Read More »
Something I never thought I would say is that October 7th pushed me to see some of the worst parts of the Jewish community. This wasn’t my immediate reaction to the events unfolding in Israel and subsequently on campus. Immediately, I sank to the ground and cried. Immediately, I texted my friends and family in
Responding to Antisemitism at Columbia University Read More »
Adapted from the written testimony of Amanda Silberstein before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary Hearing on Free Speech on College Campuses, November 8, 2023. “I was alone in a world gone mad.” These are the words my grandfather wrote the day in October 1942 after his father had been shot dead
Report from Cornell: A Campus Gone Mad Read More »
On the Shabbat of October 7th, I was teaching a Lunch ‘n Learn session about Simhat Torah in Wilder Hall, the student union of Oberlin College, when one of my students said, “Rabba Amalia, I’m not sure if it is appropriate to share this information coming across my phone. There is terrible news from Israel.”
Antisemitism on Campus: A Hillel Director’s Reflections Read More »
The first day of anything is really hard. Meeting new people, making a good first impression, finding your way around a new space. These are all part of the universal experience of a first day. Now, imagine that when you introduce yourself to your new boss, coworker, teammate, roommate, or acquaintance, you are confronted with
Finding My Voice: A Journey with Tourette Syndrome Read More »
