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December 12, 2018

Reclaiming “Bossy”: How Sexism Shaped Who I Am

Lila Zinner

As a child, I was loud and outspoken. I prided myself on my intelligence and eagerness to learn; I truly had killer confidence. I told people I was going to be “the dictator of the world” when I grew up. But as time went on, it became increasingly apparent that the education system didn’t have room for a personality like mine. Well, at least when that personality belonged to a girl.

Topics: Feminism, Schools, Children

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/reclaiming-bossy-how-sexism-shaped-who-i-am

May 14, 2018

My Jewish Studies Teacher Is My Favorite Jewish Feminist

Julia Clardy

At every school, in every subject, there’s a certain teacher who everyone hopes to see on their class list in the fall. At Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts, in the Jewish Studies department, that teacher is Amy Newman. I’ve been lucky enough to have her two years in a row, making me the object of much envy from my peers, but she is truthfully one of the most exceptional educators I’ve ever met. Amy is incredibly knowledgeable, gracious, and funny, and she makes a sincere effort to let her students into her life and teaching process as much as she can.

Topics: Feminism, Jewish Education, Schools, Teachers, Judaism-Orthodox

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/my-jewish-studies-teacher-is-my-favorite-jewish-feminist

April 23, 2018

Women's Rights are Human Rights

Larisa Klebe

Feminism is a big part of the Rising Voices Fellowship, and our Fellows involve themselves in feminist work in a variety of different ways. From attending conferences about issues facing women today, to addressing sexual assault in schools and beyond, these young women are standing up for themselves, and for women in their communities.

Topics: Feminism

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/womens-rights-are-human-rights

Composite Image of the Book of Miriam by Ellen Frankel

April 4, 2018

The Five Books of Miriam

Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler

At the root of The Five Books of Miriam is our great cultural urge as Jewish people—a desire to question, to be in a constant dialogue with God, with ourselves, and with each other.

Topics: Passover, Midrash and Aggadah, Philosophy, Fiction

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/five-books-of-miriam

March 21, 2018

Humility as an Intersectional Practice

Judith Rosenbaum

The messiness of the world and the limits of intersectionality as a theory have re-asserted themselves once again in the events surrounding Women’s March leader Tamika Mallory’s embrace of Louis Farrakhan and refusal to publicly condemn his anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ diatribes. I’d like to make a case for an intersectionality rooted in humility. What if, instead of using theory to express what we know, we used it to create space for what we don’t know?

Topics: Community Organizing, Feminism, Antisemitism

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/humility-as-intersectional-practice

Anne Roiphe

A prolific journalist, essayist and novelist, Anne Roiphe is an American writer known for tackling issues of feminism and Jewish identity. Despite her sometimes controversial writings, Roiphe has become an important voice for secular Jews who, while perhaps uncomfortable with organized religion, nevertheless feel an attraction and a commitment to their Jewish heritage.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/roiphe-anne

Rebecca Machado Phillips

Rebecca Machado Phillips tended her community by founding soup kitchens and aid societies for the poor and sick. She helped raised money for her synagogue for ritual objects and served as the first directress of the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society of Philadelphia.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/phillips-rebecca-machado

Rachel Mordecai Lazarus

Proud of her Jewish heritage but conflicted about her faith, Rachel Mordecai Lazarus was torn between publicly fighting antisemitism and privately questioning Judaism’s ideals. Although she studied Judaism to better educate her stepchildren, a series of traumatic events pushed her towards Christianity, and she became an Episcopalian on her deathbed.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/lazarus-rachel-mordecai

Episode 87: Jodi Kantor Said

Listen Now

In 2017, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey broke the New York Times story about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse of women. They chronicled the experience in their book She Said, which was made into a film by the same title in 2022. In this episode of Can We Talk?, Nahanni Rous talks with Jodi Kantor about how Weinstein tried to pull the “Jew-to-Jew” card with her, what she learned about taking on a bully, and how she felt about the film’s portrayal of her as a working mom.

http://qa.jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/episode-87-jodi-kantor-said

Illustration of Family Tree With Empty Boxes

February 3, 2023

Understanding Epigenetics as a Descendant of Holocaust Survivors

Elle Rosenfeld

As a kid growing up in a tight-knit Jewish community, “l’dor v’dor” (from generation to generation) was a phrase I heard on a weekly basis. Now, I see this sentiment in a new light.

Topics: Holocaust, Family, Science

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/understanding-epigenetics-descendant-holocaust-survivors

Donald Trump walks with Amy Coney Barrett

October 27, 2020

I'm an Assault Survivor, and Amy Coney Barrett Scares Me

Rosie Bader

What does Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation mean for assault survivors?

Topics: Law

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/im-assault-survivor-and-amy-coney-barrett-scares-me

2019-2020 Rising Voices Fellows Zine Cover Page Cropped

September 11, 2020

An RVF Zine: Reflecting on the 2019-2020 Rising Voices Fellowship

Rising Voices Fellows

The 2019-2020 Rising Voices Fellows reflect on their time in the Fellowship and on their collaborative zine-making process.

Topics: Activism, Art, Writing

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/rvf-zine-reflecting-2019-2020-rising-voices-fellowship

Painting of Miriam looking to the right of the frame with timbrel in hand

Second Temple Reception of Women in Tanakh

Second Temple discourse on women and gender is grounded in biblical interpretation and everyday life and, as such, has the potential to shed light on tumultuous debates about what different communities deemed problematic, acceptable, ideal, and anomalous with respect to a woman’s role in society. A selection of Second Temple texts envisioning Dinah, Miriam, and Sarah indicates these varied perspectives, as well as how these figures were used to promote the ideologies of the particular communities the texts represented.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/second-temple-reception-of-women-in-tanakh

Kamala Harris speaking at the 2019 National Forum on Wages and Working People

June 29, 2021

"Do Not Come": Kamala Harris's Warning to Migrants

Justine Orlovsky-Schnitzler

During a recent visit to Guatemala, Vice President, Kamala Harris issued a stark warning to would-be migrants: "Do not come."

Topics: Immigration

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/do-not-come-kamala-harriss-warning-migrants

Grace Paley

Grace Paley wrote highly acclaimed short stories, poetry, and reflections on contemporary politics and culture. A rare example of a writer deeply engaged with the world, Grace Paley made an impact as much through her activism as her writing.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/paley-grace

Ursula Kuczynski (Ruth Werner)

Operating under at least five different names in the course of her career, Ruth Werner (a pen name) was a singularly accomplished spy, whose espionage activities spanned some fifteen years, from 1931 to 1946. Twice awarded the order of the Red Banner, the highest Soviet military decoration, Werner also held the rank of colonel in the Red Army.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/kuczynski-ursula

February 14, 2018

To Women Writing Bravely

Devon Spier

By coming to know our foremothers, we are actually coming to know ourselves and by taking up the weight of the pen and writing our own story, we are freeing all women, then and now. For women’s stories are the keys to our collective liberation. To all the women writing bravely today, I dedicate this piece.

Topics: Poetry

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/to-women-writing-bravely

August 28, 2013

Announcing the Rising Voices Fellowship for Teens

Jewesses With Attitude

Prozdor and the Jewish Women’s Archive are thrilled to announce the pilot year of our Rising Voices Fellowship!

The fellowship is open to female-identified teens in grades 11 and 12 who have a passion for writing, a demonstrated concern for current events, a commitment to improving their writing skills, and a strong interest in Judaism—particularly as it relates to issues of gender and equality. These fellows will write 8-12 monthly posts for “Jewesses with Attitude,” the Jewish Women's Archive blog.

Learn even more here! Apply here!

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/announcing-rising-voices-fellowship-for-teens

"Don't Patronize Reds!" Advertisement by Anonymous

October 27, 2012

Dr. Judith Rosenbaum Talks Living the Legacy with Jewschool

Gabrielle Orcha

This fall, the Jewish Women’s Archive released its latest online curriculum in the Living the Legacy series, a Jewish social justice education project.

Topics: Labor Rights, Unions, Jewish Studies

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/dr-judith-rosenbaum-talks-living-legacy-with-jewschool

October 18, 2012

This is not about women playing dance. It’s about revolution.

Susan Reimer-Torn

The most courageous fourteen year old girl I have ever set eyes on, Malala Yousafzai, was shot in the head for her advocacy of education for women and I am spending my time organizing a flash mob o

Topics: Feminism, Women's Rights, Dance

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/this-is-not-about-women-playing-dance-it-s-about-revolution

August 9, 2012

The Future Shomer Shabbos Weightlifting Olympian

Deborah Fineblum Raub

Last January, a 4-foot, 9-inch bundle of power named Naomi Kutin squatted and focused her considerable energies on the task at hand: hoisting a whopping 214.9 pounds (more than double her own 97 pounds). At the moment of that seemingly impossible lift, beating out her much older competitors, Naomi set a new powerlifting world record for women in her weight class.

Topics: Sports, Olympics

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/future-shomer-shabbos-weightlifting-olympian

December 30, 2011

MTV After Hours: Putting Scarlett Johansson and Matt Damon to the test

Kate Bigam

Hanukkah may be over until next year, but that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy some of the best Hanukkah video goodies the Internet has to offer.

Topics: Hanukkah, Film, Spirituality and Religious Life

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/mtv-after-hours-putting-scarlett-johansson-and-matt-damon-to-test

September 2, 2009

The "mother-in-lawsuit," God as a woman, and everything you wanted to know about bagels - Link Roundup Sep. 2, 2009

Leah Berkenwald

Yesterday I participated in that wonderful September 1st Boston tradition called "Moving Day," where everybody across the city plays a traffic-ridden game of musical apartments. To make up for my absence, here is a mega link roundup. Enjoy!

Mother in law-suit? A Jewish woman is suing her daughter-in-law, a standup comedian, over her “malicious” mother-in-law routine. No joke! [Heeb]
After a Muslim woman recently made waves in a “burquini,” Elle magazine takes a look at swimsuit scandals throughout history. [Elle]
David K. Israel of Mentalfloss lists the “Top 20 Jewish Comedians of All Time.” Guess how many women he left out? Tsk, tsk, Mr. Israel. I’ll meet your Howard Stern and raise you Sophie Tucker or Joan Rivers or any of the rest of the Jewish women from Making Trouble. [Mentalfloss]
Amid celebrations of Women’s Equality Day, Nancy Ratzan reminds us that women are still paid less than men. [The Forward]

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/dlr9-2-09

July 22, 2008

Mars, Venus, and the Jews

Judith Rosenbaum

I just came across a fascinating series in Slate, challenging the science of sex differences. (It happens to be written and edited by two brilliant Jewesses - Amanda Schaffer and Emily Bazelon - whom I am privileged to know.) Schaffer and Bazelon take on what they call the new "sex difference evangelists" and offer powerful, data-driven rebuttals to their arguments on sex differences in the brain.

Topics: Children, Natural Science

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/sexdifferences

December 20, 2018

I Love You, Sarah