JOFA's Torch

The Torch explores gender and religion in the Jewish community. Named for Deborah the Prophetess, “the woman of torches,” the blog highlights the passion and fiery leadership of Jewish feminists, while evoking the powerful image of feminists “passing the torch” to a new generation. Disclaimer: All posts are contributed by third party authors. JOFA does not assume responsibility for the facts and opinions presented in them.

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A Young Woman’s Passion for Feminism

Her name can be found in most American history books, and her accomplishments are part of every U.S. history curriculum. ...

Take Back the Night (and the Day)

Rushing into a conference midway through a speech, I scanned the room for a seat then stopped, startled. Had I entered the ...

Let’s Spread Some GOOD News

Dr. Monique Katz, a member of JOFA’s Board of Directors, once shared a d’var Torah that has stuck with me ...

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Michal Dicker shares her compelling story of growing into her Orthodox feminist identity. She originally submitted this essay to gain ...

JOFA: Including Men

My mother-in-law likes to use the expression “you could have knocked me down with a feather.” I can’t quite imagine ...

Leading Seder for the First Time

This was my first Pesach away from home. I am a first-year college student and although I love my college and ...

Pesah— Hag HaHinukh: The Holiday of Education

Jewish tradition has four names for the Passover Holiday—Hag HaAviv (the Spring Festival), Hag HaMatsot (the Holiday of Unleavened Bread), ...

The Widening Scope of Gender Expression and Traditional Judaism

Orthodox feminism’s struggle for women’s leadership and ritual inclusion set a strong precedent for the recent consideration of the issues ...

Three Ways to Engage Children and Adults at Your Seder

The HaggadahWhen my family sits down to the seder table, we won’t be passing around the Maxwell House Hagaddahs. We ...

Preparing for Pesach My Way

The seder is my favorite Jewish ritual, and every year, I have the best of intentions. In line with the ...

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