Rebecca Halff

Jewish Feminist Courses—Online!

The barely six-month-old Center for Jewish Feminism is already making waves. Founded by Dr. Elana Maryles Sztokman, an American-born Israeli author and educator known to Lilith readers for her articles and blog posts, the center aims for “connection, enrichment and transformation” around pressing feminist issues.

One of the Center’s most innovative projects is a series of online telecourses connecting learners and teachers across denominational borders for in-depth, no-holds-barred conversations on often-daunting subjects. One recent telecourse, “DESIRE: Sex, Judaism and Feminism,” explored virginity, slut-shaming, sex toys, power, and more, and posed questions like “What is healthy sexuality?” and “Who is allowed to have desire?” In November, the Center brought together educators for a course called “Ready for School: Gender Issues in Jewish Education,” which touched on dress codes, fat-shaming, girls and STEM subjects, boys and books, and how Jewish rituals are/should be taught to boys and girls. Sign on at centerforjewishfeminism.org to catch up with courses you might have missed and view the full range of offerings.