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Rebecca Soffer and the Cover of her Book, the Modern Loss Handbook

Episode 84: Modern Loss with Rebecca Soffer

For a long time, Rebecca Soffer, co-founder of the website Modern Loss, had been planning to write a guide to coping with grief. Then the pandemic hit, and the need felt especially urgent. So she wrote The Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Resilience. The book came out earlier this year. In this episode of Can We Talk?, we speak with Rebecca about all things grief-related: trigger days, bespoke holidays, Jewish grief rituals, and what to say—and not to say—to someone in mourning.

http://qa.jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/episode-84-modern-loss-rebecca-soffer-0

Black and white photo of three women laughing in a kitchen

November 22, 2022

Let’s Fight for Gender Equality Across All Branches of Judaism

Savoy Curry

We shouldn’t assume that “progressive” branches of Judaism are always more feminist than traditional ones.

Topics: Feminism, Synagogues/Temples, Judaism-Orthodox, Judaism-Reform

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/jewish-womens-work-0

Collage of Stars of David and pens on dark blue background

November 21, 2022

We Need Better Holocaust Education

Sam Mezrich

If non-Jews had more understanding of what our people went through, it would take a lot of emotional labor off the shoulders of Jewish kids.

Topics: Holocaust, Jewish Education, Schools

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/we-need-better-holocaust-education

Noa Karidi at her bat mitzvah collaged on a blue watercolor background

November 18, 2022

Honoring the Women of the Wall With My Tallit

Noa Karidi

By choosing this tallit, I am honoring the hard work of other women that allowed me to go through this process.

Topics: Ritual, Women's Rights, Family

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/honoring-women-wall-my-tallit

Rachel Finkelstein's The Herstory shows images of the artist, her daughter, her grandmother, and her great grandmother superimposed onto an identification card.

November 17, 2022

Rachel Finkelstein's Queer Feminist Holocaust Art

Emily-Rose Baker

Through its exploration of gender, sexuality, nationality, and intergenerational trauma, the work of artist Rachel Finkelstein is a reminder of the power that art holds as a form of activism.

Topics: Photography, Holocaust, LGBTQIA Rights, Palestine

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/rachel-finkelstein-and-intersection-queer-feminist-holocaust-art

Outlined drawings of New York City skyline, Star of David necklace, and subway cars

November 16, 2022

Wearing My Star of David Necklace, Loud and Proud

Nora Auburn

The thought of wearing something that declared my Judaism felt strange.

Topics: Spirituality and Religious Life, Fashion and Beauty, Family

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/wearing-my-star-david-necklace-loud-and-proud

Outlined drawings of women's faces and hamsas on a yellow-orange background

November 14, 2022

Jewish Women Count: How B’midbar Taught Me to Be a Jewish Feminist

Samantha Berk

Standing in front of my closest friends and family discussing a holy text that claimed women “do not count” taught me to pay more attention. I became a Jewish feminist.

Topics: Bible, Feminism, Synagogues/Temples

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/jewish-women-count-how-bmidbar-taught-me-be-jewish-feminist

Needlepointed tallit bag with hamsa on orange background

November 11, 2022

Stitching My Tallit Bag, Stitching My Identity

Clara Sorkin

With my grandmother and my mom in mind, I chose a design for my tallit bag that represents the influence that women have had throughout my life as a proud Jew.

Topics: Spirituality and Religious Life, Crafts, Family

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/stitching-my-tallit-bag-stitching-my-identity

Woman with girl on her shoulders who had her hands in prayer position

November 10, 2022

Translating God's Name in a New Way

Rabbi Beth Lieberman

The entire Hebrew Bible has never been translated into English without the male-centric God language—until now.

Topics: Feminism, Bible, Writing

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/translating-gods-name-new-way

Protesters holding sign that says "Israeli women divide the right to divorce"

Episode 83: Fighting for Israel's "Chained Women"

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In Israel, marriage and divorce are governed by Jewish law and controlled by the ultra-Orthodox rabbinical courts. If a Jewish woman wants a divorce, she has to get permission from her husband—and he can refuse. That's exactly what happens to about 1 in 5 Jewish women in Israel who want a divorce, according to a recent survey. In this episode of 'Can We Talk?,' we speak with Kylie Eisman-Lifschitz, board chair of Mavoi Satum, about how rabbinical control over the divorce process in Israel harms Jewish women, and about how organizations like Mavoi Satum are taking on the problem, by working with women one-on-one, but also by fighting for systemic change.

http://qa.jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/episode-83-fighting-israels-chained-women

Black and white checkered stars and photo of folded napkin

November 7, 2022

Oma Irene's Napkin

Aviva Schilowitz

Particular emphasis is put on setting the table for these occasions. So much of my Jewish and familial identity is tied to these meals.

Topics: Crafts, Jewish Holidays, Family

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/oma-irenes-napkin-0

View of mountain range on a pink checkered background

November 4, 2022

Why Do I Cry at Services?

Sonia Freedman

With all the joy in the room, I didn’t understand why my eyes would begin to water.

Topics: Synagogues/Temples, Summer Camps, Spirituality and Religious Life

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/why-do-i-cry

November 2, 2022

Happy Mizrahi Heritage Month!

Jen Richler

Celebrate Mizrahi Heritage Month by checking out some of our favorite JWA content by and about Mizrahi women.

Topics: Photography, Fiction, Feminism

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/happy-mizrahi-heritage-month

Collage of torah scroll, tallit fringes, and raised fists on a pink background

November 2, 2022

With My Tallit, Becoming a Jewish Woman

Tessa Cooperstein

There is a point of tension for me in both being valued in the Jewish community and being devalued by the Torah’s discussion and treatment of women. Owning my own tallit reminded me that I am valued twice.

Topics: Bible, Spirituality and Religious Life, Ritual

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/becoming-jewish-woman-my-tallit

November 1, 2022

Casting a Vote for Reproductive Justice

Steph Black

In the upcoming midterm elections, Jews have the chance to affirm that access to safe, legal abortion is a Jewish value.

Topics: Reproductive Rights, Feminism, Organizations and Institutions

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/casting-vote-reproductive-justice

Collage of candlesticks on a stack of books with a light purple background

October 28, 2022

Setting My Feminist Intentions with Shabbat

Olivia Gnad

When I unfold my little silver candle holder and light the flames, I bring in the light of a commitment to practicing my Judaism alongside my feminism.

Topics: Ritual, Feminism, Women's Rights

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/setting-my-feminist-intentions-shabbat

October 27, 2022

A Millennium of Jewish Women’s Voices

Sarah Bunin Benor and

Abby Graham

HUC-JIR's Jewish Language Project shares their recent exhibit highlighting Jewish women’s voices throughout history in twenty Diaspora Jewish languages.

Topics: Jewish History, Family, Art

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/millennium-jewish-womens-voices

Blue kiddush cup on dark blue patterned background

October 26, 2022

How My Kiddush Cup Inspired Me to Celebrate

Maya Viswanathan

Even though Kiddush has traditionally been done by men and I was just a girl, I took it upon myself to make Kiddush each week.

Topics: Ritual, Family, Jewish Holidays

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/how-my-kiddush-cup-inspired-me-celebrate

Collage for Can We Talk episode 82: Jewish Women Talk to the Dead

Episode 82: When Jewish Women Talked to the Dead

Listen Now

In this season of ghosts and haunted houses, we’re taking you back to a time when communicating with the dead was a popular way to spend an evening. Séances were the main practice of the spiritualist movement, which is based on the belief that when people die, they survive as spirits, and that we can talk to these spirits with the help of a medium. The movement had its heyday in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and Jews all over the world, from London to Brooklyn to Cairo, were at the forefront. Scholar Sam Glauber-Zimra explains why spiritualism had such appeal among Jews, what rabbis had to say about it, and why Jewish women were prominent as mediums.

http://qa.jwa.org/podcasts/canwetalk/episode-82-when-jewish-women-talked-dead