Elana Sztokman

I wrote a blog about the language that is used in the Orthodox world to punish women for perceived religious "weakness", and it's posted on the Forward Sisterhood. Here's a teaser: I had a jarring conversation with a young woman last week. In a discussion about the challenges women face in Orthodoxy, she turned to me with a cheeky smile and declared, “I am not a feminist.” She described her perceptions of Shira Hadasha, the pioneering partnership synagogue in Jerusalem where men and women share certain roles in leading services and reading from Torah, mechitzah [partition] and all. “I went there once and I was not impressed with the women,” she said, by way of explaining her aversion to feminism. “I came on time, but the other women came whenever they felt like it. They just weren’t committed. That’s why I’m not a feminist – because the women are not serious.” “Serious” and “committed” are of course euphemisms for “Orthodox.” The ones who may come late to shul are “the feminists,” and obviously not Orthodox. READ THE REST ON THE FORWARD SISTERHOOD Read the rest of this entry →

The New York-based Forward newspaper made the following exciting announcement:

Based on our popular Sisterhood blog, the Forward unveils a new Web magazine, devoted to the issues impacting Jewish women of all ages, denominations and political ideologies. Join the conversation here, and send ideas and comments to sisterhood@forward.com.

I have never heard a rendition of Netane Tokef, that dramatic apex of the Rosh Hashana service, quite like this one. Officially, in order to abide the strictest rules of halakha the hazzan was Avi Gilboa, a professor of music therapy from an incredibly talented musical family who has a soft, gentle voice and practiced skill. Only Avi said the formal blessings and technically the congregation only answered “amen” to him, the man. In practice, Avi was joined in harmony by his wife, Tzurit, an incredible soprano who, I was astounded to learn, has no formal musical training yet sings with a precision, range, and purity of sound, reminiscent of Linda Ronstadt’s rendition of Mabel’s high-pitched aria in the Pirates of Penzance. It’s that kind of singing to the skies, reaching those glorious places in the musical heavens, the kind of singing that leaves your knees weak. Together, Avi and Tzurit stood at the bimah, he on the men’s side of the partition and she on the woman’s side, and led the distinctive mussaf service with such sweet, joyous, melodic harmony expressing the soulfulness of the service that simply took my breath away. Read the rest of this entry →

My prayers for this coming year are that all the captured soldiers will be returned home, that there will be peace in Israel, that Israel's enemies will lose their strength and power, that the corrupt will be forced to leave goverment and will be replaced by leaders with a Divine spirit, and that there will be justice and compassion in Israel and in the rest of this world. All of that is, of course, more likely to happen if women are seen, heard and, appreciated, given the voice and power that they/we need in order to make this world a safer, better environment for all living creatures. Let us see the women this year, let this be a year in which women and all those who are invisible and ignored in society find their rightful deserved place with dignity, and let us all work to alleviate human suffering. Shana Tova, Elana Read the rest of this entry →

Michal S., who has been waiting for her get since her husband disappeared, is finally receiving her freedom. She was recently notified that her husband was located in North America and gave a get by messenger to a local rabbi. She is now waiting for the get to be transferred to her in Israel. With God's help, Michal will be a free woman by Rosh Hashana! To find out more, go to the Mavoi Satum website or check out the Mavoi Satum Rosh Hashana newsletter. Read the rest of this entry →

Naomi Wolf – the feminist Jewish author of the bestselling landmark book, “The Beauty Myth,” which brazenly exposes how the multi-billion dollar beauty industry manipulates women’s entire sense of self – is gorgeous. For two decades now, the brilliant and outspoken Wolf has decried cosmetics, plastic-surgery and hair removal businesses while appearing, let’s just say, well made-up. She’s a bit of an enigma that way – lipstick feminism decrying lipstick. I suppose all writers really do write about our own lives, whether or not we have fully escaped those societal traps we wish to unveil. Or maybe Wolf simply reminds us to look past the packaging and focus on the message. Nevertheless, Naomi Wolf’s paradoxical stance has recently gotten her into some trouble. Read the rest of this post at the Forward Sisterhood Blog Read the rest of this entry →

(The analysis of cultural differences contained below is based on my doctoral thesis, available at the Hebrew University library and other places). Last night, a 16-year old boy shared with me some insights from his recent experience of switching to an all-American school in Israel. "Our classes are conducted all in English," he said, "but that wasn't the best part. When kids wanted to talk, they raised their hands first! Now that was surprising!" As if to say, in his entire repertoire of experiences in Israeli classrooms, he has never seen kids systematically raising their hands to talk. His comment underscores the depth of cultural differences between Americans and Israelis. The Israeli culture of discourse, full of constant interruption, heavy gesticulating, and unsmiling, un-nuanced interactions, can be quite jarring to many Anglo immigrants (though those of hailing us from New York perhaps shouldn't rush to judge.) Read the rest of this entry →