This week in South Africa we have celebrated Freedom Day, which marks 18 years since we became a democracy. In the new South Africa, our Constitution places a duty upon us to promote equality in all spheres of our lives. Gender equality is central. Nelson Mandela said, “freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression”. In the last few years, we’ve seen moves the world over to restrict women’s equality in the Jewish world. In Jerusalem our sister organisation, the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), brought a case to the Supreme Court against women being segregated to the back of buses. In Modí’in this month, a woman was removed from the stage of a circus after an ultra-Orthodox audience member complained. Here in South Africa, women’s voices have been slowly removed from singing at our secular communal events.
WomenoftheWall
Missing the Wall & The Religious Misogynists’ Arresting Development, WOW supporter Jonah Rank
Today, I missed the Wall. While living in Jerusalem for the academic year, I’ve made it a point to pray each … Read more
Aware During Iyar: Reflections on Last Week’s Service, WOW intern Gabriella Mervis
Last Monday was my second Rosh Hodesh service with Women Of the Wall (I went three months ago during Rosh … Read more
The Shabbat Before Purim, Shir Libeynu’s WOW Service
This post is brought to you by Shir Libeynu: This year, Congregation Shir Libeynu’s pre-Purim service paid tribute to … Read more
A PURIMMIDRASH by Rivka HautSusan Aranoff
When Esther, the courageous queen, was charged by her uncle/cousin/adoptive father/husband to act to save her people, she first turned to the community for help, asking them to fast to support her efforts to save them. Fortified by their backing, she risked her life on their behalf, even exposing her Jewishness, hidden until then.
Today our halakhic way of life is degraded by having the agunah disgrace exposed to the scrutiny of the secular public, both Jewish and non-Jewish. The Epstein/Friedman agunah situation is in the public eye as no other case has been, thanks to new media capabilities and instant publicity. Like the Jews of Shushan, the community has done all it can to help. But unlike Esther, the rabbis who have the power to free not only Tamar but every agunah as well, remain in hiding. Despite the outpouring of community support, they are unwilling to risk possible censure by their peers, by acting to remove male power over women in marriage. They lack Esther’s courage.
Let Our Voices Be Heard Today!
This Message is from Shoshana Dembitz, and David and Malka Imberman Kahn
Let Our Voices be Heard
Rosh Hodesh Rally & Minyan
at the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco
Thursday, February 23, 11 AM
456 Montgomery Street
at Sacramento Street, 5 blocks up Montgomery from BART
Prof. Pnina Lahav Brandeis University Women Of the Wall Lecture
On Jan. 23, 2012 at 7:00pm Prof. Pnina Lahav gave an incredible lecture entitled: The Woes of WOW: The Women … Read more
Watching Birds at the Kotel, WOW Supporter Jonah Rank
By: Jonah Rank The SceneMen praying in the Men’s section specifically with Women of the Wall were few. I … Read more
Rosh Hodesh Shevat, WOW Supporter Irene Diamond Reflects
By Irene Diamond:Irene Diamond, a WOW supporter kindly shares this words with us for Rosh Hodesh Shevat. She wrote the … Read more
Knesset Conference on the Degradation of Women in the Public Sphere
Around a Knesset conference room table on November 7th, Members of Knesset and organizational leaders discussed the existential nature of … Read more