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.
Mother and Daughter Reflect on their First Mikveh Experience
BrendaIn August last year the eldest of our three daughters was married to her long time boyfriend that she met ...
What Should Be At the Top of Your Pre-Wedding To-Do List?
There I was. Twenty years old, newly engaged, and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world! I had a ...
Sharing My Shabbat Table
One of the most empowering things I have done since living on my own as an Orthodox Jewish “single” is ...
How the Unnecessary Became Necessary
I come from a rather Modern Orthodox, Ashkenazi family that is composed mostly of women. The only male in my ...
How Do the Rabbis in the Talmud Address Rape?
With the deplorable situation in Santa Clara (the Stanford rape case), there has recently been a media focus on rape. ...
Confronting the Awkwardness of Separating During Niddah
The most recent episode of “The Joy of Text” podcast featured a discussion on the time period when couples are ...
Why I Enrolled in Yeshivat Maharat, the Orthodox Seminary for Women Clergy
A couple of nights ago, my family and I went to see “Finding Dory.“ In this charming sequel to “Finding Nemo,” the ...
Partnership Minyans and Women’s Aliyot: A Maturing Conversation
Proponents and opponents of Partnership Minyans have jointly fostered a single narrative. In that narrative, the only relevant technical halakhic ...
Ruth… In Other Words
Last summer, when I joined Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel (ASBI), the local Modern Orthodox synagogue in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, I discovered ...
Let Leaders Lead
It’s about time. That is the overwhelming thought that I have as I read statements from one national Jewish organization ...