Circumcisions For Men, Women and Everyone In Between (Parshat Ekev)
“Circumcise … the foreskin of your heart,” G-d says in Devarim 10:16. But how the heck do you hack off the skin around your heart? And by the way, the heart doesn’t have a foreskin! Here’s what I...
View ArticleI Run A Synagogue For Poor People (Jewish Jane Doe)
Author’s note: I’ve been deeply involved in Jewish communal life in several different communities in three different states. Over the next few months, I will be sharing my insider observations about...
View ArticleThe Parshah Pinchas Feminist Dvar Torah Roundup Spectacular
No way around it, Parshah Pinchas is about the power of women to stand together in solidarity: and how God is completely cool with that. So in honor of that spirit, we bring you a boat load of dvrei...
View ArticleTichels, Tzniut & All About Jewish Women’s Hair Covers (Plus A Video How To)
You may have heard of or seen Jewish women wearing scarves as a head covering. They are often referred to as “Tichels” which is the Yiddish word for scarf. The Hebrew transliteration is mitpachat. Many...
View ArticleOur Bodies: Parshah Behar
In modern metaphor, the earth is our mother. Like pop culture depictions of motherhood, our earth is nurturing and formidable, willing both to gently yield and strike with immeasurable ferocity. The...
View ArticleCreating Meaning: Parashat Bechukotai
At times, our Torah may appear alienating. After all, what resonance in our modern lives has a G-d of furious vengeance threatening to destroy us? Religious observance continues to shift as we evolve...
View ArticleSeeing The Light: 20-Something’s Share Their Stories of Conversion
For many women as you reach your 20’s you begin the process of creating the building blocks and choosing your path in life. Questions emerge and hopefully are answered – which career will you choose?...
View ArticleParashat Bamidbar: Claiming a Place
In the darkness the building was easy to miss. Low and set back from the road, its only distinguishing feature was the number on the door. Inside, men of all ages congregated beneath fluorescent...
View ArticleA Call To Action (Parsha Naso)
Defiant women, jealous husbands, and occultish rituals mark this week’s parshah, Naso. Following an accusation of adultery by a husband with no proof, a woman was brought before a Temple priest to...
View ArticleParshat B’haalotkha: Girls to the Front!
Miriam is a badass. Elder sister to both Moses and Aaron, she emerges in our Torah as a respected community leader and is defined by our tradition as a prophet. Limited details in the Torah portray...
View ArticleMoving Forward: Parshah Shlach
Long ago, a Jewish scholar inventoried all of which the heart is capable. She or he examined our Torah meticulously, seeking every mention of the human heart. The elements of individual experience...
View ArticleCharting A Course (Parshah Korach)
I am always challenged by this week’s parsha. Not in comprehension or interest, but because I find myself siding with the bad guys and identifying my own experience in their rebellious rhetoric....
View ArticleDeath, Wholeness and Cleanliness (Parshah Chukat)
Death comes to us in many guises. Our dreams wither, our relationships falter, our work comes to an end. We witness those we love leave this world, while we remain behind. Death alters us. We are not...
View ArticleWhat’s the Right Cup Size for this Idol? Parsha Balak + Boobs
Aside from occasionally stashing an iPod in my sports bra while working out, I’ve never found my boobs a particularly convenient cache for goods. Nor do I imagine anything larger than an iPod would...
View ArticleParshah Pinchas: Your Own Personal Matriarch
Five women approached the Tent of Meeting. Heads covered, they walked in sync, their gaits swift and assured. The chiefs had assembled earlier that day, along with the Levites and priests. Some...
View ArticleParshah Matot: When Commitment Means Breaking Vows
Trigger warning: this post contains important, personal references to eating disorders. If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder, please visit the National Eating Disorders...
View ArticleParshah Sh’mot: I Won’t Do What You Tell Me
Grrrl-power badassery shines from the pages of our Torah this week! Although Parshah Sh’mot is usually defined by baby Moshe in a basket, a burning bush, and a debate with God, it also features...
View ArticleMeet Channah Chaya, Our Newest Writer, On Her Two Month “Conversionsary”
Recently I reached out to a young woman on Facebook who is about to go through the process of the beit den to finish her conversion to Judaism. Although I am a Jew-by-Choice (a term I will be using to...
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