With the institution of religion being so steeped in patriarchal ideals throughout history, Reform Judaism has proven to be a beacon of acceptance for Jewish women looking to live fulfilling lives in both the private and public spheres. Within North America, Women of Reform Judaism has lead women to to become active citizens and stand up for worthy causes. As well, the introduction of female congregational leadership has presented a fresh opportunity for spiritual enrichment. In Israel, which is governed by traditionalism, Reform Jewish people worldwide are in support of equality at the Western Wall- supporting an organization called Women of The Wall. Even though religion is on a decline within Western society, Reform Judaism has grown to be the biggest denomination of American Jews today. That’s not to say that Orthodox Judaism isn’t growing, because it is. However, Reform Jewish Women’s participation has really grown to be tremendously significant within the movement and beyond, both in and outside of the congregational sphere. The Reform idea of allowing women to have equal opportunities in all aspects of Jewish and secular life has had a positive impact on the community as a whole.
Before delving in to the incredible impact that Reform Jewish women have had on their local and global communities, it is crucial to explore who Reform Jewish women are. According to the most recent statistics, Reform Jews make up 35% of the American Jewish population.1 An issue that is at the forefront of global Reform Jewry is that many people identify as Reform Jews, but are not practicing or participating in Jewish life at all.2 This leads to the incorrect belief that Reform Jews do not value tradition or Jewish customs. As the most progressiv...
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... fighting for a Jewish cause. This book carefully examines exactly how much Wald distanced herself from her Jewish heritage. Marjorie N. Feld did a wonderful job of portraying Wald as not only a strong, independent woman, but firm in her belief of universalism not particularism. Although the book is written in a highly academic format Feld was able to give the story of Lillian Wald in a matter that allows all who read it to appreciate and understand her work. Wald is the kind of woman all people should hope to meet in their life. After a few pages readers will find themselves intrigued at how well the book was written, Feld inserts quotations from Wald herself that quickly and concisely show the kind of woman she was. This book should be read by anyone who has an interest in the progressive era, women’s rights, or simply the rights of all the world’s diverse people.
Women have always played a major role in the practice of Judaism. They have many responsibilities and obligations to fulfill due to of their faith. Yet, they also must raise their families and often work to provide for their family. Overtime, Jewish women have become an example of women’s ability to live very demanding lives and still sustain her religious devotion. Jewish women have had to overcome numerous obstacles in incorporating the changes inherent with ever-evolving life with their static religious duties. Thus was the case for any Jew who chose to move away from their community and start a new life. Many pioneers found it hard to remain practicing Jews when there were no other Jewish people around them. Some observances became difficult to exercise given the surrounding and Jews would sometimes have to compromise their traditions with physical practicality. This led to great personal struggle for women who had always felt that the family’s religious sanctity was her responsibility. But these fascinatingly resourceful and dedicated women found ways to overcome the hindrances that their new home provided and still plant the seeds that would grow into a rich and strong Jewish community regardless of where they lived.
In order to obtain religious, social, political, and equality 23 million Jews immigrated to America during the years between 1880 and 1920 (Chametzky, 5). Anzia Yezierska wrote about her experiences as a poor immigrant in her fictional work becoming a voice of the Jewish people in the1920s. She struggled to obtain an education that allowed her to rise above her family’s poverty and gain a measure of autonomy. Rachel and Sara, the female protagonists, mirror the author’s life going from struggling immigrant to college graduate. Yezierska uses her own experiences to portray the Jewish immigrant experience with a woman’s perspective. She successfully gained a commercial following that allowed her to mediate the cultural differences between the mainstream culture and the Jewish people that helped resolve differences between the established Americans and these new immigrants for a time (Ebes...
I chose to write about Jewish-Americans after my mother, who was raised Christian, chose to identify herself as Jewish. In my reading I examined Jewish culture and how it is in American society. I looked at how Jewish-American culture has become a prominent component of American society. I looked at the historical forces that have shaped Jewish-American experience in the United States. I looked at demographics of where most Jewish-Americans live. I examined how Jewish-Americans have contributed to our culturally pluralistic society in the United States.
Judith Plaskow, a Jewish feminist, searches for ways to incorporate her mostly male-based and male-interpreted faith with her feminist’s ideals in her book of essays, The Coming of Lilith. Her essay covers a wide variety of topics concerning contemporary Judaism and its possibility for flexibility, especially concerning unfair gender roles. Plaskow also discusses how religious traditions can perpetuate a hatred of the “other” religions and how that negatively affects both parties. Judith Plaskow challenges her religious tradition and contemporary culture that is a product of all religions by using sources of Jewish ethics such as the Torah and the Talmud to back up her feminist criticism.
In Anzia Yezierska's novel Bread Givers, we learn about a struggle between Sara Smolinsky and her father. Her father, an Orthodox rabbi, is stuck in the traditions of the old world and will not tolerate Sara's longing for independence. This novel takes place in New York's Lower East Side, where the population mainly consists of Jewish immigrants who have come to America in hopes of living a better life than they lived in the shtetls. In America, for the family's who still lived by the traditions of the old world, life for the women was no different that life in the shtetls.
Women have always played a very integral role in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), since its inception in 1948 shortly after the declaration of the State of Israel. The IDF is regarded as one of the most well trained armed forces in the world thanks in part to the progressive changes in the military with regards to equality for women. Historically, at the ground roots of the IDF, women were held back from combat and served mostly in a variety of support duties under the command of Chen (Women’s Army Corps). These support duties were extremely important to the functioning of the IDF, but did not satisfy those women who wanted a more active front line role. The aftermath of the Yom Kippur war in 1973 initiated a great change in military thinking for women in the IDF. The increased need for ground forces allowed women to enter selected operational divisions in the military, but still excluded them from participation in any combat roles. In spite of the new recognition that women played in the military after 1973, further equality was slow to come. Finally, in January of 2000 after a Supreme Court battle led by Allice Miller a few years earlier, the Equality amendment to the Military Service Law was implemented. Thus, allowing women the opportunity to volunteer in combat support and light combat roles.
The Jewish people and culture have always been an integral part of western society. Many of society’s core values and outlooks derive from those of the Jews (Cahill 3). Every economy involved the Jews. Some of their most common professions were bankers and doctors; even when one neglects to consider the necessity of these professions, one must consider that just by existing they boosted the economy through commerce (Taft 1). The New York Times recorded that in London in 1902 it was “surprising how quickly they improve[d] their condition and beg[a]n to save money” and were building up a tailoring business to rival Germany (“Jewish Immigration Into London”). According to then-former President Taft, Jews in 1919 were given legal equality in every country except Romania and Russia, a...
Turniansky, Chava. "Glueckel of Hameln." Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women's Archive. September 26, 2011 .
The Women of the Wall, also known as WOW, are a religiously and socially distinctive group of women that join together once a month, on Rosh Chodesh to daven at the Western Wall, in Jerusalem, one of the Jews’ holiest sites. WOW has been doing this continually ever since the group’s establishment in December of 1989. The women who joined the union can be classified as “ Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, and self-defined Jews.” WOW is “unaffiliated with any group, religious or political, and is the only group in the Jewish religious world that brings together Jews from across the religious spectrum for the purpose of prayer.” They have battled since 1988 up until today to accomplish their purpose and their “life’s duty” to permit women to daven “freely” at the Western Wall (“Women for the Wall,” n.d.).
Recently, within the past few decades, the role of women in Judaism has dramatically improved. The rippling effect of the Women’s Rights Movement empowered Jewish women to push for widespread reform of Judaic law. Since Biblical times, women in general were held to an inferior level compared to men, and this was no different for Jewish women. However, big strides have been made within the past century to elevate the status of the Jewish woman in the public sphere as well in the privacy of their homes.
Mail, A.S. (1997). An Exploration of the Impact of the Israel Experience upon Bar/Bat Mitzvah Students: Rites of Passage for Progressive Jewish Teenagers. Journal of Progressive Judaism. Nov97, Issue 9, pg59-82.
In conclusion, this story, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”, provided a great social and psychological criticism. It shows the reader how women have progressed so far in the recent years. This woman was the start of many, which finally led to making men and woman more equal, and this is the society that this woman wanted.
Sheskin, I.M. (2010) Elderly Jewish: an increasing priority for the American Jewish community?, Changing Jewish Communities, 58, 1-18.
Some say that the role of women in Judaism has been misrepresented and misunderstood. Today when people think of women's role in Judaism, they think of them as being of very low importance. Yet, threw the Halakha (Jewish laws) we are able to see how significant the role of women is in Judaism. There are many Jewish feminist leaders in today's society. This is because throughout the years of education and study of Judaism, the women learned that everyone must be respected. Within Judaism the women are considered to be on a separate level. They are on the world for one reason, and the men for another. Yet, within the religion they are considered as equals.