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Featured Articles
"In Orthodox Communities Where Women Don't Read Torah,
Orthodox Women Still Abuzz Over Appointment of Rabbanit
Hadassah Magazine, May 2021
JOFA Plans 10th International Conference
Jewish Link, February 24, 2021
Orthodox Women’s Groups Adapt to Pandemic Restrictions—and Thrive
Tablet Magazine, November 18, 2020
New Anthology Presents Jewish Feminist Orthodox Narratives
Jewish Boston, September 21, 2020
Education Through Conversation-The Global Community Women In High School Sports
Jen Fry Talks-September 1, 2020
Sports World Pays Attention After Jewish Girl Calls ‘Foul!’
The Jewish Week, August 27 2020
An 11-year-old went in search of Elena Delle Donne’s shoes. She found her voice instead.
The Washington Post, August 26 2020
These Women Are Shattering Taboos on Orthodox Female Sexuality
Haaretz, August 19, 2020
Jewish News of North California, August 19, 2020
Don’t Shut Out Women When Reopening Synagogues
The Jewish Week, May 21, 2020
As New York synagogues reopen, government guidelines leave little room for Orthodox women
Forward, May 21, 2020
March 19, 2020
JOFA Statement on Yo'atzot Halacha
World Zionist Congress elections represent 'rare opportunity' to strengthen global Jewish community
IsraelHayom-January 27, 2020
Your guide to the World Zionist Congress elections, the most important vote you've never heard of
The Forward-January 17, 2020
A new program pays Orthodox synagogues to hire women as spiritual leaders
Cleveland Jewish News- November 7, 2019
A new program pays Orthodox synagogues to hire women as spiritual leaders
JTA - November 7th, 2019
Watch the "My Body. Whose Decision?" July 2019 panel
The Week That All Jewish Women Turned Invisible
eJewish Philanthropy - August 15, 2019
Does Judaism Permit Abortion? Depends Who You Ask.
Lillith Magazine- August 30, 2019
Blu Greenberg Is Still Fighting
TC jewfolk-July 11, 2019
Founder of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance will visit St. Louis Park synagogue
Sun Sailor-July 8, 2019
Explained: Orthodox Abortion Views Aren't Pro-Life But Close
A history of the radical Jewish feminists and the one subject they never talked about
JTA- December 7, 2018
The evolution of halachah in American Orthodoxy
The JC-November 26, 2018
What a feminist rabbi can teach us about behavior change campaigns
Linkedin- October 8, 2018
Episode 6: Layah Kranz Lipsker On Chasidic Feminism And Combative Get Refusal
The New York Jewish Week-July 23, 2018
Muslims, Jewish and Mormon Singles Talk About Stigmas
Forward- July 17, 2018
Tablet- June 28, 2018
Marcel Lindenbaum , 87 Advocate for Orthodox women's Learning
The New York Jewish Week- June 27, 2018
UK's first Orthodox woman rabbi pledges to be a role model to women and girls
The Jewish Chronicle-June 22, 2018
Dina Brawer is ordained as UK's first Orthodox female rabbi
Jewish News Online-June 22,2018
The Unorthodox Podcast: Roots and Boots
The Unorthodox Podcast: Asks Is It OK to say 'JAP'?
Tablet- June 20, 2018
The first UK woman has been ordained as an Orthodox rabbi
i News-June 19, 2018
Episode 4: This Woman Is Fighting To Keep Women's Pictures In Orthodox Jewish Media
The New York Jewish Week-June 12, 2018
Tablet-June 7, 2018
A New Book Looks at 50 Years of Jewish Radical Feminism
Tablet- May 30, 2018
A good question: Are things getting better for women?
Reform Magazine-May 22, 2018
Joy as Dina Brawer becomes Britains' first female Orthodox rabbi
The JC-May 10, 2018
Women encourage to study Talmud with launch of international day of learning
The JC- May 2, 2018
NY Blueprint- April 26, 2018
Veteran olim who helped Israel to 'Israel all exceed all expectations'
The Jerusalem Post- April 19, 2018
Episode 1: Meet Two Orthodox Jewish Politicians Smashing The Glass Ceiling
The New York Jewish Week-April 16, 2018
Israel at 70: What women in Israel and the West learned from each other
Jewish Telegraphic Agency-April 12, 2018
Israel at 70: What women in Israel and the West learned from each other
St. Louis Jewish Light-April 12, 2018
Jared, Ivanka And The Abortion Question
The New York Jewish Week-April 11, 2018
The Agunah Crisis: A vaccine is at hand
The Times of Israel-April 9, 2018
Introducing... The Chutzpah Podcast
The New York Jewish Week-March 22, 2018
Four Questions Every Feminist Should Ask Herself At The Pesach Seder
The Forward-March 22, 2018
Jofa launches project to inspire young women into Jewish leadership roles
The JC- March 8, 2018
Child Victims Act could empower adult victims
The Riverdale Press-March 2, 2018
Orthodox Women's Megillah Reading Group Celebrates 40 Years
The New York Jewish Week-February 27, 2018
After New OU Ruling, 'Business As Usual' At Orthodox Women's Rabbinical School
The New York Jewish Week-February 7, 2018
In the #MeToo era, these synagogues are banning Shlomo Carlebach
The Times of Israel-January 31, 2018
Town Hall Meeting Puts Spotlight on Harassment
The New York Jewish Week- January 31, 2018
In the #MeToo era, these synagogues are banning Shlomo Carlebach songs
JTA-January 30, 2018
Pixelated Photo Of Female Holocaust Victim Draws Ire
Jewish Week-January 30, 2018
A Year After Saying They’d Ban Female Clergy, Why Aren’t Orthodox Doing It?
Forward-Jan 9th, 2018
Why We Need to Talk About Circumstantial Infertility
Lilith - Jan 8th, 2018
Behind the Scenes of ‘Soon By You,’ the Orthodox Jewish ‘Friends.’
Daily Beast-Jan 6, 2018
Women’s Fight To Be Pictured In Orthodox Publications Growing
Jewish Week-Jan 2, 2018
From Facebook groups to op-eds, frum women are speaking out against right-wing practice of erasing women’s faces from media photographs....
New podcast launched by Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance
Jewish News-Oct 18, 2017
New podcast launched by Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. New '#YourTorah' recordings will offer an introduction to the 63 tractates or books of Mishnah. October 18, 2017, 6:24 pm 0 ...
While American Orthodox Feminists Fight for Clergy Recognition ...
Forward-Oct 19, 2017
Kolech was founded in 1998, in the wake of the establishment of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. While American Orthodox feminism is currently consumed by the pushback from the rabbinic establishment against female clergy, its Israeli partners are wondering about other issues. With the ...
Are The Orthodox Facing A Schism Over Female Rabbis?
Forward-Sep 28, 2017
Seven months after one of Orthodox Judaism's oldest and biggest institutions barred women clergy from its synagogues, the decision is threatening to create ... that the women are being used as pawns in a turf war,” said Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance.
Mayim Bialik Calls Out "Absurd" Policy Of Blurring Out Women's Faces
Refinery29-Jul 13, 2017
... Adina Miles, a.k.a. Flatbush Girl, claimed that Brooklyn's Flatbush Jewish Journal asked her to blur an image of herself for an ad she was running in their paper. The New York Daily News reported that Miles was told her face violated "modesty rules." In response, the Orthodox Jewish mother posted the ad ...
Survey points to diversity, divisions within Modern Orthodoxy
Cleveland Jewish News-Oct 12, 2017
Both Green Road and Cedar Sinai have female presidents, with Cedar Sinai being the first Orthodox synagogue in the U.S. to elect an all-female board of officers, according to the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. Truboff said changing women's roles must be approached carefully, especially since strong ...
JOFA Conference Explores Orthodox Feminism on Campus
New Voices-Feb 16, 2017
The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) hosted its 9th international conference at Columbia University on Jan. 15, gathering 1,200 feminists and allies, many students among them. Since its debut in 1997, the conference has held panel discussions and classes on topics ranging from Orthodox …
Ignore the OU — Orthodox Women Rabbis are Here to Stay
Forward-Feb 8, 2017
As a staff member at the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA), I had learned about the OU's decision to release a statement over the summer. And as a resident of Washington Heights, I had already spoken to Rabbi Ezra Schwartz, senior rabbi at Mount Sinai Jewish Center, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva ...
Orthodox Feminists Slowly Breaking Glass Ceiling in Their ...
Haaretz-Jan 16, 2017
... Conference on Orthodoxy and Feminism. That 1997 conference, which attracted many more people than the organizers anticipated, galvanized a movement of Orthodox feminists, created the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) and advanced change in the roles women play in their religious lives.
Dating and Disordered Eating in the Orthodox Jewish Community
SELF-Oct 11, 2017
“Whether or not they are textbook eating disorders, there's a lot of unhealthy eating habits happening,” Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, the executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, tells SELF. “I can't think of anyone who doesn't know numerous people [that suffer from disordered eating].” ...
Orthodox Union's new project says women don't need to be rabbis to ...
The Times of Israel-Oct 30, 2017
Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, said she hoped the OU would make good on its promises to advance women and invest more in women's programs. Along with positive actions, she recommended that the OU stop actively opposing Orthodox women clergy and ...
Orthodox Modesty Culture Under Fire As 'Sex-Positive' Spaces ...
Jewish Week-Nov 8, 2017
Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus, director of Maze Women's Sexual Health and president of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, said she is eager to see if these “sex positive” spaces indicate a broader communal trend. “It is still a small slice of the community that is starting to have these conversations,” said Marcus ...
Can Orthodox Judaism Be Feminist?
Forward-Jan 25, 2017
With all of this nestled comfortably among the other facets of my identity, I attended the ninth international conference of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, or JOFA. It was my first time attending a JOFA conference, and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew I wanted to be a part of the conversations ...
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin to step down from liberal Orthodox network he ...
Jewish Telegraphic Agency-Oct 3, 2017
“He's a major leader in the Center for the Jewish Future at Yeshiva University, which is a flagship institution of centrist Orthodoxy,” said Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. “He's always been on board with women taking greater roles in the community.” ...
Orthodox women get their Esther on
Jerusalem Post Israel News-Mar 12, 2017
... this year in services around Israel and the Diaspora, in association with Kolech – Religious Women's Forum and the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. ... The phenomenon of Modern Orthodox women's megila readings is one that has grown strongly in recent years, and reflects an increasing desire by ...
Harvey Weinstein Scandal Causes 'Big Bang' In Orthodox Community
Jewish Week-Oct 18, 2017
Dr. Sharon Weiss Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, agreed. “People [responding on social media] feel like dressing modestly doesn't protect you,” said Weiss-Greenberg. “The reality is that much of this is happening in a Jewish context. Almost every woman has been …
Rabbis, please confirm shunning children is inconsistent with ...
Jewish News (blog)-Nov 17, 2017
Another good question from the judges: Orthodox Jews are law-abiding citizens. Perhaps if it were simply explained to them that discrimination against transgender people is contrary to UK law, they wouldn't shun the children? The judges also questioned what exactly was meant by the Jewish “community”.
Why it's easier to ordain Orthodox female rabbis in Israel than the US
Jewish Telegraphic Agency-Oct 10, 2017
And Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, the executive director of the Jewish OrthodoxFeminist Alliance, said that despite their differences, the Modern Orthodox communities in Israel and the U.S. influence each other. “What the O.U. has done and RCA has tried to do is separate the politics of American Jews from ...
Year-old Cleveland Partnership Minyan looks to expand
Cleveland Jewish News-Sep 12, 2017
The partnership minyan's model follows halachach, or Jewish law, guidelines created by the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance which allow women to lead certain parts of services. JOFA is a national group for women's progress in the Orthodox community. Like an Orthodox synagogue, there is a barrier ...
US Orthodox leaders dance around the Western Wall crisis
The Times of Israel-Jul 10, 2017
According to all indications, Diaspora Jewry is experiencing a “vey iz mir” moment. The June 25 unraveling of a long-negotiated compromise cementing the equal status of non-Orthodox Jews at the Western Wall has caused a crisis of faith between Diaspora Jewry and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ...
OU: Women need not be rabbis to be leaders
The Jewish Star-Oct 25, 2017
Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, said she hoped the O.U. would make good on its promises to advance women and invest more in women's programs. Along with positive actions, she recommended that the O.U. stop actively opposing Orthodox women clergy and ...
Orthodox women rabbis? It's a certainty
Jewish Chronicle-Feb 1, 2017
At the opening plenary of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) conference in New York last week, a speaker asked any woman holding or studying for Orthodox rabbinic ordination to stand up. Around 20 women rose to their feet — one rabbi, several “rabbas” and many “Maharats”, which is short ...
Jewish Crisis-Pregnancy Helpline Expands, Reigniting Debate Over ...
Jewish Week-Aug 1, 2017
“We're not the Catholic church,” said Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA), rebutting the frequently peddled misconception that Orthodox law does not permit abortion. “When we don't protect choice, the choice to follow halacha [Jewish law] is in ...
Despite Ban, These Orthodox Jewish Clergywomen Are Determined ...
Huffington Post-Feb 7, 2017
Opinions about whether women should be allowed to serve as clergy have caused some division within America's Modern Orthodox Jewish community. The religious establishment, including the OU's counterpart, the Rabbinical Council of America, is strongly opposed to women's ordination. On the other ...
The Orthodox Feminist Revolution Has Finally Arrived — in London
Forward-Jun 21, 2016
How delighted I was to be proved wrong. I came back to a completely transformed landscape. JOFA (Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance) has set up shop in London, four proudly out-in-the-open and thriving Partnership Minyans are now established, and lately a group have come forward with plans to create …
Israeli Airline Banned From Asking Women To Switch Seats To ...
HuffPost-Jun 23, 2017
Jewish feminist groups praised the ruling as a victory. Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, said that it's become “extremely common” for women on flights to Israel to be asked to move their seats for men with strict religious views about gender boundaries.
Women leaders respond to prohibitive Orthodox ruling
Jewish Journal-Feb 8, 2017
The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA), which advocates for an expanded female leadership role in Orthodox life, denounced the OU ruling, saying, “We are confused as to why this is being raised now after women have been serving as halakhic spiritual leaders in OU synagogues for well over a ...
Closing A Chapter On 'Open Orthodoxy'
Jewish Week-Aug 16, 2017
He and other proponents of the liberal approach point to successes in the last two decades with the creation of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, and the International Rabbinic Fellowship (a liberal response to the Rabbinical Council of America), in addition to the founding of YCT and Yeshivat ...
Founding Rabbi Retires From Yeshiva That Trains Female Religious ...
Forward-Oct 4, 2017
Riskin expects to remain active in Jewish life, which was cheered by Sharon Weiss Greenberg, the executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance. “I am confident that Rabbi Riskin will continue to be a great leader for justice and inclusivity,” she told the Forward in a statement. She added that ...
For Jewish Feminists, New Set Of Minefields
Jewish Week-Mar 15, 2017
The involvement of Odeh made the line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism particularly difficult to navigate, said Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA). “Linda Sarsour's involvement pales in comparison to this,” she said, referring to Odeh's ...
Orthodox Union bars women from serving as clergy in its synagogues
Jewish Telegraphic Agency-Feb 3, 2017
“There are various ways of practicing Judaism, halachic Orthodox Judaism,” Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, told the Forward. “We are disappointed, however, that the OU is attempting to squash that healthy debate and impose their [religious ruling] on ...
Exclusive: Orthodox Union Adopts New Policy Barring Women Clergy
Highly Cited-Forward-Feb 2, 2017
In Orthodox Jewish circles, single women are largely forgotten
Washington Post-Jan 5, 2017
What may contribute to this treatment is that many of the Orthodox obligations for adult women are tied to being married. Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, who is the executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance and has advocated for better treatment of singles in the community, said the high value ...
JOFA conference highlights Orthodox women's progress
New Jersey Jewish News-Jan 18, 2017
Since that time, I have observed the official creation of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, and subsequent conferences run by them; the growth of partnership minyanim, in which men and women assume roles within the structure of an Orthodox service; the opening of a yeshiva that ordains ...
'Flatbush Girl' Pushes Back Over #FrumWomenHaveFaces Campaign
Forward-Jul 25, 2017
Miles also told Jewish Week that some angry parents have called administrators at her children's school, complaining that they should not attend anymore. Her advocacy did receive some support from the Orthodox community. Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, the executive director of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, called the ...
The Lasting Lessons Of A Shuttered Temple
Jewish Week-Oct 12, 2017
Having grown up reading Torah and chanting my bat mitzvah portion, Beha'alotecha, I take pride in participating in an (Ashkenazi) Orthodox women's prayer service every Simchat Torah and receive an aliyah to the Torah; I also attend conferences of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA).
First Jewish-Muslim women's conference to take place next week
Jewish News-Feb 23, 2017
Representing the Jewish community will be Dina Brawer, founder of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance in the UK, Amanda Bomsztyk, a regional director of the Community Security Trust, Reform Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers and Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks. Organisers said the sessions would cover ...
Letter To Ivanka Challenges Birth Control Rollback
Jewish Week-Jun 7, 2017
The other signatories are Marla Feldman of Women of Reform Judaism; Judith Rosenbaum Jewish Women's Archives; Janice Weinstein of Hadassah; Lori Weinstein of Jewish Women International; Sharon Weiss-Greenberg of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance and Carol S. Simon of Women's League for ...
The Jewish Standard-Jan 26, 2017
Attendees at last week's JOFA — that's the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance — couldn't escape the fact that there were very many of them. ... The community that was included at JOFA sessions extended beyond the open Orthodox world centered around Rabbi Avi Weiss and his Yeshivat Maharat and ...
Orthodox Instagram Star Reflects On Ugly Aftermath Of Social Media ...
Jewish Week-Jul 20, 2017
Some in the Jewish community were vocal in their support for Miles. The JewishOrthodox Feminist Alliance, an organization that promotes women's participation in Orthodox life, quickly showed support for the Instagram star by publishing photos of famous women — including comedian Tina Fey and …
The Rise of the Israeli Single Mother
OZY-Feb 16, 2017
“The quest for a marriage partner should not be a reason for those who want to have a child to remain childless,” says Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA). “We need to be aware that women are choosing to have children outside of marriage in a ...
Jewish Chronicle-Jun 26, 2017
I've written about this extensively and lectured about it at the JOFA (JewishOrthodox Feminist Alliance) conference in New York. It will be the topic of one of my upcoming UK lectures in July. Ruth Colian of U'Bizchutan, a movement to get Charedi women into the Knesset, embarked on a campaign to raise ...
When Tradition Is Not What Is Best
Jewish Week-Feb 23, 2017
Insisting that men continue to wear the trousers when it comes to religion might be traditional, but, as the pantalons rouge debacle illustrates, it may not be worth the price. Dina Brawer is founder of JOFA (Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance) in the UK and a third year student at Yeshivat Maharat in New York ...
Set for Shabbat, Huge Women's March Poses Challenge to Liberal ...
Forward-Jan 10, 2017
Sharon Weiss-Greenberg, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox FeministAlliance, has been fielding questions from observant Jews wishing to participate. Many of these people joined a Facebook group that they're using to crowdsource the question of how to keep the rules of Shabbat while protesting ...
Women's Megillah Readings Go Global
Forward-Mar 8, 2017
Women's megillah (Scroll of Esther) readings haven't gotten quite as big as Achashverosh's kingdom, but they are getting there. The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) has published its annual directory and interactive map of women's megillah readings happening around the world on Purim this ...
High hopes for UK's first Jewish-Muslim women's conference
Jewish Chronicle-Mar 5, 2017
Jewish speakers are will include Dina Brawer, UK founder of JOFA (the JewishOrthodox Feminist Alliance), Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers of the Movement for Reform Judaism and Marie van der Zyl, Vice President of the Board of Deputies. Representatives of the Community Security Trust and its Muslim ...
Hillary Clinton's Defeat Reminds Me of Sexism Within Orthodox ...
Forward-Nov 9, 2016
Hillary Clinton's Defeat Reminds Me of Sexism Within Orthodox Judaism ... He's well aware that his daughter, who spent four years at an all women's college and now works for a feminist non-profit, supports Hillary. I knew my ... Shira Eliassian is a Program Manager at the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance.