Comments on: One Step Forward

By: Judy H

Judy H — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:30:21 +0000

Idana- I wish I could be as optimistic as you are about Judy’s daughter’s vague indifference. I too have seen my feminist tween turn into a peer-pressure driven teenager, concerned more for social netrwokring than social justice. I do plan to bring her to the conference, but am still nwo sure how to make either feminism or Judaism cool enough for her to embrace passionately

By: Idana

Idana — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:43:35 +0000

Right now my almost 8 year old daughter takes so many of my feminist issues for granted. Having grown up, literally in the lap of JOFA (she attended countless conference and board meetings as an infant), and at Darchei Noam, she just kind of gets that there are many ways of being not only Jewish, but also Orthodox and that the way we aspire to be and practice Judaism is one way. As she said when her father and I discussed with her our disappointment that at our shul women don’t have aliyot with brachot on Simchat Torah; “well it’s better than at Savta and Saba’s shul where the women don’t even get to hold the torah.” My fear is that as she gets older she’ll reject what she now takes for granted. Or maybe Judy, your daughter’s “vague indifference” is actually something to aspire too because it’s not such a big deal. Like Batsheva discussed in her recent post, maybe it’s a good thing that these things are just normal for our daughters – and hopefully our sons too.

By: blima abramson

blima abramson — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:21:04 +0000

Though I am not a feminist, I respect the ladies who feel that they need to have a voice within Orthodoxy, and are extremely active with a variety of issues that are significant to many Orthodox women. I would like to leave a comment about social justice. It is my opinion that once successes are achieved in the solving the problem of the Agunot, then, you can build on your accomplishments and go on to other areas. I don’t mean “band-aids” but a true solution through research and studies that could legitimate your arguments, and miraculously convince the rabbis – or at least of them – to change this law that affects negatively so many homes worldwide. Hatzlacha. Blima Abramson