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6th International Conference - February 2007
Celebrating our 10th Anniversary
V'Chai Bahem...Passion & Possibility
The Sixth International Conference on Feminism and Orthodoxy explored how to cultivate individuals who are empowered and passionate about their Jewish life, paying particular attention to the role Orthodox feminism plays in invigorating the Modern Orthodox home, school and synagogue. Sessions are organized by the following themes:
AGUNAH
ORTHODOXY AND FEMINISM
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
PRAYER
WOMEN'S INCREASED PARTICIPATION
EDUCATION
PHILOSOPHY
AUTHORITY MODELS
FAMILY
AGUNAH "Between a Rock and Hard Place: Understanding the Interactions between Civil Religious Law," Greenberg-Kobrin, Michelle and Esther Macner. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In this practical and informative session, two prominent attorneys will discuss how the beit din and civil law intersect in divorce law. How does arbitration affect the rabbinic courts and how are decisions of the beit din played out civilly? How do the civil get laws work and what kind of protection do they afford Jewish women? Are prenuptial agreements enforceable in a civil court of law? "Law, Gender, and Multiculturalism: the Case of Agunot," Fishbayn, Dr. Lisa. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Can civil law act as a catalyst to change minority practices that discriminate against women? Theorists of gender and multiculturalism have argued that civil law can play a role in creating conditions that compel communities to change their norms into more egalitarian ones. This session explores this thesis, using the example of the Canadian Get Law to alleviate the plight of Canadian agunot. Has this law resulted in different norms for the issuance of divorce decrees? The development of novel solutions? A reinvigorated religious legal authority? "Mekudeshet: Betrothed or Chained? A Conversation about the Film," Aranoff, Dr. Susan, Dr. Giti Bendheim, Rachell Maidenbaum Gober, and Anat Zuria. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: The movie Mekudeshet is a sobering look at the state of affairs of agunot in Israel. This panel, made up of a US agunah activist, a former agunah, and the movies director, will discuss differences between the US and Israeli systems, some personal experiences, and suggested solutions. "Why We are Losing the Battle," Halperin Kaddari, Ruth. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In Israel, the Tel Aviv rabbinical court recently used a new tactic - the retroactive invalidation of a get because the court deemed that the conditions imposed on the woman (pertaining to the childrens custody and visitation rights) had not been met by her. The use of this shocking tactic has been growing in recent years. Is this legal? Is it kosher? What is going on here and what does it portend for the future?
ORTHODOXY AND FEMINISM
"Opening Plenary: Passion and Possibility," Baumel Joseph, Norma, Blu Greenberg, and Dr. Tova Hartman,. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Jewish Orthodox feminists are a diverse group whose efforts seek to inspire religious lives and communities. The celebration and utilization of this diversity can, and should, be a model for the larger Modern Orthodox community. As JOFA celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is important to revisit what it means to say "I am a Jewish Orthodox feminist" and explore the many different ways that nomenclature been used and interpreted. At a time when the Jewish community in general and Orthodoxy in particular is trying to find its commonality, can we challenge ourselves in our vision of the future to accommodate difference? How can this vision, in turn, lead to a more passionate observance and a more empowered religious experience? "Creating our own Aggadot: A Creative Writing Workshop," Salzberg, Alieza. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Stories have long held an important role in Jewish tradition. Even beyond the narratives of the Bible, the Talmud is studded with stories (aggadot) that teach how real people have implemented, molded and struggled with halakha. As feminists in an Orthodox world, halakha and our personal sensibilities often seem to clash. This session will explore how we can reconcile that clash through writing our own stories to deal with the times when our emotional life collides with a community norm, expectation or halakha. "UNCENSORED," Chesler, Dr. Phyllis, Michael Steinhardt, and Dr. Adena Berkowitz. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: This session provided a forum for provocative dialogue between a noted feminist and a philanthropist.
COMMUNITY CHALLENGES
"Popular Culture vs. Jewish Values: Helping your Teenage Daughter Cope," Shapiro, Mindy. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: We have a dream for our daughters. We envision generations of healthy, strong Jewish girls growing up to participate and assume positions of leadership in their religious and secular lives. However, girls today face unprecedented challenges to their self-esteem and self-respect. This interactive workshop will explore the impact of popular culture on Jewish girls today. It will present techniques for dealing with adolescents developmental needs and behaviors, referencing the empowering Jewish framework for addressing all of these issues, Rosh Hodesh: It's a Girl Thing. "When Push Comes to Shove: Building Healthy Relationships," Schacter, Miriam. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: When are our relationships challenging and when do they tip the scale and become difficult and self-destructive? This session is a follow up discussion to the film When Push Comes to Shove It’s no Longer Love, from Jewish Women International, that attempts to understand the parts of ourselves that contribute to the difficulties we encounter. PRAYER
"Avoda Shebalev: Developing Meaningful Prayer," Holzer, Rabbi Dr. Elie. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: What would it take to develop meaningful prayer experiences? What might a community infused with meaningful prayer look like? This session will address the important and inspiring contribution of feminism on both the conceptual and practical aspects of these questions. Drawing on (but not limited to) the case of Shira Hadasha, this session will explore topics like the importance of unmediated avoda shebalev; the translation of ethical aspects of prayer into synagogue infrastructures; the role of shelikhe tzibbur and the role of singing. "Beyond Tzibur and Kavod Hatzibur: A Synagogue Becomes Home," Lopatin, Rabbi Asher. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: By what means can a synagogue become more inclusive? In recent years, the concept of kavod hatzibur has been redefined to allow for increased participation of women in ritual life. Is this the only means at our disposal or can we draw on other halakhic concepts to become more accepting of women in synagogue roles and ritual practices? Through an examination of textual sources, this session will explore how the transformation of the synagogue from a tzibbur to a home environment allows for more inclusion of women in synagogue practices.
"Initiating Conversation: Modeling Prayer for our Children," Fodiman Silverman, Ilana. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: When teaching tefillah to children, how do we move beyond rote skill development? Can we encourage a child's own individual exploration of God and spirituality? How do we as parents, families and community leaders model our own concepts of and struggles with tefillah for our children? This session will examine current models of tefillah in synagogues, schools and homes, provide theoretical frameworks for teaching tefillah more effectively, and explore practical ideas to bring the prayer experiences of our youth to new heights. WOMEN'S INCREASED PARTICIPATION "Beyond Women's Issues: Partnership Minyanim Engage Orthodoxy," Bar-Asher, Elitzur Avraham, Dr. Alanna Cooper, and Michal Bar-Asher Siegal. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In forming partnership minyanim, creative efforts to include women generate discussions about broader issues facing Orthodoxy today. Questions about conversion, defining religious authority, and articulating parameters for contemporary ideological religious commitment are necessarily confronted in the quest to construct a more inclusive tefillah environment. In this session, these issues will be explored from sociological, halakhic and philosophical perspectives.
"Old Texts through New Eyes," Udel-Lambert, Miriam. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: When an individual approaches a text, there are two entities to be considered. There is an ancient text that needs to be read with integrity and there is the individual, who brings his/her own set of values and ideas to the table. This session will explore the relationship and conflict between these two entities. As Orthodox Jewish women continue to access advanced Torah study in unprecedented numbers, some serious philosophical difficulties are necessarily confronted as difficult texts are encountered. Surveying a few representative passages, this session will attempt to engage the difficulties honestly. We will pinpoint some of the challenges that we meet reading as women and as moderns and then will attempt to arrive at constructive responses. "Our Dialogue with God: Tradition and Innovation," Sperber, Rabbi Daniel. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Tefillah is critical to our community's spiritual well-being. Explore the process of liturgical development, particularly as it relates to women and feminist concerns. How do new prayers get written and accepted into our liturgy? How is the process of editing traditional liturgy different or similar to other halakhic evolutions? How can new prayers be halakhically developed today? "Straight from the Sources Mouth: Women Examine Halakha Anew," Berkovits, Rahel and Dr. Debby Koren. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: How was and is the halakha that we live by formulated? This session will unveil the first fruits of JOFA?s Halakhic Monograph Series, which seeks to educate people, enabling them to make more informed decisions about how they observe and participate in Jewish life. Delve into sources on kaddish and birkat hamazon and examine the Rishonim?s traditional methods of understanding and interpreting rabbinic literature. Explore how different? but equally legitimate?interpretive techniques are employed by poskim in the development of halakhic practice and decision making. EDUCATION "The Year in Israel: Expanding Horizons or Narrowing Scope?" Shapiro Katz, Emily. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: The post-high school Israel experience has become a normative rite-of-passage for American Modern Orthodox teens. The proliferation of midrashot, where young women learn Torah, often from women, are frequently cited as evidence of the success of Orthodox feminism. But are these institutions really advancing the cause or does their more fundamental commitment to keeping girls ?on the derech? make them centers of anti-feminism? Emphasizing the perspectives of women educators in midrashot, this session will use anecdotal research to shed light on these concerns.
"V'Shenantem L'Vanecha: Feminist Sensitive Education for Boys in Israel," Stavisky, Rabbi Jeremy. JOFA 6th International Conference.
Synopsis: While there has been much conversation about girls education and access to texts, the next generation's Orthodox woman does not exist in a vacuum: her compatibility with her husband and community require that the next generation's Orthodox man be fashioned in parallel. The current divergence is even more critical in Israel, where in many circles there is a growing movement toward fundamentalism and the segregation of the sexes. Recent events, including the gay parade and the war in Lebanon, have highlighted this division. Himmelfarb High School is one of the most acclaimed Modern Orthodox high schools for boys in Israel. Rabbi Jeremy Stavisky, the school's principal, will discuss how he educates the boys to a greater sensitivity to these and other issues. "It's Your Torah Too: Empowering Jewish Women," Wright, Tamra. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Have you ever felt unequal to the task of giving a d'var Torah in public? In response to this type of widely-held insecurity, a unique and ambitious program, The Susi Bradfield Women Educators Fellowships, was developed in London with the aim of transforming the perception of women's role in Jewish learning and creating a cadre of well-trained women educators. This session will examine the impact of the Bradfield program on the adult education scene in London, and on the individual women who have participated in the program, exploring the transformative effects of the program on the graduates, their families, students and communities in order to identify the elements that could usefully and effectively be replicated in our communities. "Tanu Rabbanan: JOFA's New Curriculum," Jacobowitz, Tammy and Judith Talesnick. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In this session, join JOFA's gender-sensitive Chumash curriculum development team for a taste of the learning experience they are creating on Exodus for 5th grade classrooms. We will explore Miriam's early leadership qualities as evidenced in the Torah and in the Midrash. Your comments and suggestions will contribute to this dynamic work-in-progress.
"Torah U’Mada: Taking Feminist Thought Religiously," Hartman, Dr. Tova. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: A fundamental principal of Modern Orthodoxy is the acceptance of Torah U’Mada: the belief that elements of the modern world should not only be studied, but can have a positive impact on our religious lives. What are the limits of Torah U’Mada? Which elements of modern values can be incorporated into our understanding of mada? Can Modern Orthodoxy truly withstand the feminist critique? Is the Orthodox establishment ready to view feminist thought as part of the corpus of modern thinking that can have a positive impact on our religious identities?
"The Hidden Curriculum: What are We Really Teaching our Children?" Becher, Ronnie, Rabbanit Sharon Freundel, Dr. David Pelcovitz, and Lisa Schlaff. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: When we focus attention on our children's education, we often speak of the explicit curriculum -- what are they learning in our classes, and how. Just as important is the hidden curriculum imparted in our day schools. The language used in textbooks, the pictures hanging in the hallways, the physical setup of the classroom and other, subtle aspects of our Orthodox day schools send messages consciously or unconsciously to girls and boys about their Jewish roles and identities. How do these messages differ and what kind of impact do they have on the children's attitudes towards their Jewish identity and education? How can educators, parents and community members work with our schools to shape the messages sent to children through hidden curricula?
PHILOSOPHY "Toward Building a Gender-Critical Approach to the Philosophy of Halakha," Ir-shai, Ronit. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: An analysis of both permissive halakhic decisions regarding the technology of fertility and stringent halakhic positions on abortion and birth control demonstrate the extent to which value judgments influence halakhic decision making. This session will examine how both sets of rulings are grounded in a perception of women as vessels of fertility and perpetuate this restricted notion of a women's identity. By exposing alternative interpretations embedded in these halakhic decisions and using insight from feminist theory, the session will explore the possibility that egalitarian values can be incorporated into halakhic deliberation.
"Can the Female Voice Contribute to Halakhic Discourse? Kol b'Isha Erva as Test Case," Ross, Tamar. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In recent years, women have published several studies that take a feminist perspective on the development of halakhic issues. While these studies appear under the guise of academic objectivity, it is also clear that they strive, by means of legal or historic analysis, to influence the nature of p'sak regarding concrete areas of concern to women. Examining issues relating to kol isha, this session will demonstrate the potential of feminist insight and women's voices in a broader metaphoric sense to enhance or supplement current halakhic considerations in a manner that is more oblique yet at the same time more profound in its implications for women's status in halakha at large. AUTHORITY MODELS "Freedom vs. Authority: The Absolute in Complex World," Keren, Rachel. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: The Orthodox individual often feels torn between a desire for greater freedom of choice and an acceptance of authority. As a result individuals are pulled in two opposing directions either towards an abandonment of their personal, familial and communal obligations dictated by Orthodox practice or to a withdrawal into ultra-Orthodox spiritual ghettos. This session will argue that Torah study by women is the most significant change brought about by the religious feminist revolution, one that offers a response to the dichotomy of freedom vs. authority facing Orthodoxy. It will illustrate how batei midrash for women can and should be a model for change in the world of Jewish education, offering an opportunity for discussion of identity issues and open dialogue with the Torah world.
"Rabbi May I? Taking Responsibility for P'sak in Feminist Age," Wimpfheimer, Rabbi Dr. Barry. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: Does halakha require us to cede all decision making to rabbis? What are the implications of doing so? This session analyzes the history, as well as case studies, behind our modern understandings of p'sak. Rabbi Wimpfheimer then develops a model that encourages personal responsibility in halakhic decision making.
"Empowerment: Exploring Models of Halakhic Authority," Hurwitz, Sara, Rabbi Dov Linzer, and Dina Najman. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the Orthodox community with the acceptance of women in new leadership roles some originally conceived and some traditionally thought to be the sole purview of men. How has this shift affected the community and its view of authority? In many arenas, the relationship between religious leader/rabbi and congregant/student is being redefined. Explore a range of rabbinic views on the role of authority in the Orthodox community and hear from women who have assumed innovative positions in their communities.
FAMILY "A Fine Balance: Feminism and Family," Barack Fishman, Dr. Sylvia, Dr. Michelle Friedman, Idana Goldberg, Moderator, and Rabbi Shmuel Goldin. JOFA 6th International Conference. 2007.
Synopsis: As Orthodox feminists, we aspire to full equality and partnership in our family lives. How can we ensure that our communities reflect that vision? What are the challenges families, and women in particular, face in meeting those ideals? How does family life affect our religious life and, conversely, how do issues of family size and economic realities impact Orthodox family life? How does a community effectively address infertility within its ranks? This forum will address the delicate balancing act faced by families, as well as offer models for communal and family support that can help families of all types thrive in our communities.
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