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February 25, 2011 by Jill Finkelstein
Link Roundup: Sexism and Anti-Semitism
Welcome to this week’s installment of Lilith’s Link Roundup. Each week we post Jewish and feminist highlights from around the web. If there’s anything you want to be sure we know about, email us or leave a message in the comments section below.
Following CBS correspondent Lara Logan’s sexual assault in Egypt, many journalists have made offensive remarks citing Logan’s good looks as a reason for her attack. Israeli journalist Tsafi Saar shared her thoughts on the controversy. [Haaretz]
On Tuesday, Fox news correspondent Glenn Beck compared Reform Judaism to radical Islam in response to an open letter signed by 400 rabbis to Rupert Murdoch. The letter was coordinated by Jewish Funds for Justice and criticized Beck for comparing his enemies to Nazis. Beck has since issued an apology. [URJ]
John Galliano, fashion designer and creative director of Christian Dior, was arrested in Paris last night following an anti-Semitic attack on a local couple. He has since been suspended from the fashion label and Dior C.E.O. Sidney Toledano issued a statement citing the company’s zero tolerance policy “towards any anti-Semitic or racist words or behaviour.” [The Shmooze]
The Obama administration announced that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional and has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to no longer defend it in court. [Huffington Post]
In addition, the Obama administration replaced the “Conscience” rule enacted by the Bush administration. The “conscience” rule protected health care workers who refused to perform abortions, sterilizations, in-vitro fertilization, or to provide referrals for patients based on their religious beliefs. [Washington Post]
Last week, seventeen veterans and active-duty service members of the U.S. Military filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense, specifically Defense Secretary Robert Gates and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, for failure to take action after they reported being sexually assaulted or raped. [Jezebel]
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February 18, 2011 by Jill Finkelstein
Link Roundup: Legislation Against Choice
Welcome to this week’s installment of Lilith’s Link Roundup. Each week we post Jewish and feminist highlights from around the web. If there’s anything you want to be sure we know about,email us or leave a message in the comments section below.
Breaking news: Just moments ago, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Pence Amendment in a vote of 240-185. The Amendment would strip Planned Parenthood of receiving federal funds for any of the organization’s services. [L.A. Times] For some more background, also see here and here.
South Dakota made headlines this week after introducing a bill that would “ expand the definition of justifiable homicide to provide for the protection of certain unborn children.” Critics of the law argued that, if passed, the law would legalize the killing of abortion providers. [Mother Jones]
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Phil Jensen, responded to the criticisms, claiming that the bill has “has nothing to do with abortion.” The bill has now been shelved while lawmakers decide whether or not to amend the language or drop it completely. [NY Times]
CBS correspondent Lara Logan was sexually assaulted by an angry mob in Egypt last Friday. Her attackers were reportedly yelling, “Jew! Jew!” as she was brutally attacked. [NY Post] For some thoughts on how to respond helpfully and compassionately when someone who is the victim of a rape tries to tell you her story, see here.
Maryland may be the next state to allow gay marriage. Yesterday, the Maryland Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee passed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (SB 116). The state Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill next week. [Ms. Magazine]
On Wednesday, Hawaii Legislature passed a bill allowing civil unions for same-sex couples. [NPR]
-Jill Finkelstein
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February 11, 2011 by Jill Finkelstein
Link Roundup: A Fight for Reproductive Rights
Welcome to this week’s installment of Lilith’s Link Roundup. Each week we post Jewish and feminist highlights from around the web. If there’s anything you want to be sure we know about, email us or leave a message in the comments section below.
Delaware Employment Law Blog
This week, Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) announced its plans to sign onto Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community’s (AWP) Better Work, Better Life Campaign and adopting the campaign’s family-friendly policies. Policies promoted by the campaign include a longer paid maternity/paternity leave for new parents, flexible work -hours, and the ability to work from home if needed. [The Forward]
On Tuesday, the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing on “H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” During the hearing, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) argued that the H.R. 3 provisions could hurt the tax-exempt status of religious groups. [Huffington Post]
One of the provisions for H.R. 3 includes denying government funding to any organization providing abortion services. Slate pointed out that cutting funding from Planned Parenthood would actually end up costing taxpayers more since the organization’s family planning efforts currently save Medicaid $4.02 for every $1 received from the federal government. [Double X]
In other political news, as part of his repeal attempts, U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner plans to reintroduce the “global gag” rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. This policy “prevents US overseas assistance from going to [organizations] that provide information on abortion, perform abortions or direct women to abortion providers.” [Guardian UK]
Yesterday, the IRS revealed that it would be giving tax breaks to breastfeeding mothers to help pay for the cost of pumps and other nursing supplies. [Ms. Magazine]
Throughout history, men have largely dominated the technology field. However, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) recently released the results of three studies that revealed the reason behind this problem and offered solutions to increase the female presence in the field. [Huffington Post]
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion recently announced that it would be renaming its School of Sacred Music in memory of Debbie Friedman. Debbie had served as a faculty member since 2007. [eJewishPhilanthropy]
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February 8, 2011 by Bonnie Beth Chernin
Shabbat Tales
T
he first Shabbat my husband and I said the parents’ blessing for children our daughter was an infant, her delicate head with fine hair soft to my touch, and the final words of the prayer a quiet hope for the future, “May God turn God’s spirit to you and grant you peace.”
When the pre-school years came, we continued the parents’ blessing for children and taught Rachel to say, hamotzi, the prayer over our challah covered with blue velvet, an easy-to-learn Hebrew sentence.
Soon she moved on to helping me light the candles when I received a gift of a candle lighter, a long silver wand with a candle stub at the end whose lit wick, in turn, lights the two Shabbat candles in our brass holders.
As elementary school started and our schedules became more complicated, we didn’t sit down every day for dinner as a family. Except on Shabbat. On Friday nights our only plans are to be with each other.
“What’s the parashah for the week?” my husband now asks Rachel, after the meal and before dessert.
He knows the parashah from his own day school days, Rachel is learning it now in fourth grade, and I try to keep up reading weekly Torah translations online, as I never learned the texts back in my Hebrew school years.
But recently I found wedged in my bookshelf, While Standing on One Foot: Puzzle Stories and Wisdom Tales from the Jewish Tradition by Nina Jaffe and Steve Zeitlin first published in 1993. Why not add this to Shabbat, I figured. Besides, some of the tales are short, two pages, not too long to postpone dessert. (more…)
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February 7, 2011 by Amy Stone
Feminists in Focus: Reporting back from the New York Jewish Film Festival ‘Yolande: An Unsung Heroine’ – the Egyptian Jewish spy – and ‘Red Shirley’
At the 20th New York Jewish Film Festival, presented by The Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center (through Jan. 27).
“Yolande: An Unsung Heroine”
Well before Mubarak, when Egypt had a king, and pashas and spies gathered on the balcony of Cairo’s Grand Continental Hotel, Yolande Gabai de Botton was gathering intelligence for the embryonic Jewish State.
The French-educated child of a Jewish-Egyptian family, Yolande was the beautiful blonde internationalist, risking both her son’s life and her own as a spy, operating a network of informers including an agent within the Muslim Brotherhood. Her contacts were so good that she got the Arab League minutes before the Arab League secretary.
Yolande used her work as a journalist as cover for reporting on Cairo’s power elite – right up to the king — for Israel’s pre-state de facto government, the Jewish Agency. She reported directly to Teddy Kollek, the future long-time mayor of Jerusalem, back when he headed intelligence for the Jewish Agency. (more…)
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February 6, 2011 by Jill Finkelstein
Link Roundup: The Rape Debate and Crisis in Egypt
Welcome to this week’s installment of Lilith’s Link Roundup. Each week we post Jewish and feminist highlights from around the web. If there’s anything you want to be sure we know about, email us or leave a message in the comments section below.
In the wake of the crisis in Egypt, women have been urged not to participate in the protests due to the increased safety risks. Despite the images in the news of men being the primary force behind the uprising, women have been very present in the protests. [Feminist Peace Network]
The House GOP recently stirred up major controversy when they proposed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. The Act planned to drastically limit the number of federally funded abortions by changing the definition of “rape” to only include “forcible rape” cases. The bill also planned to limit incest-related abortions to women under 18. [Mother Jones]
In the face of harsh criticism, mockery, and a growing Twitter protest, the GOP was eventually forced to change the wording of the proposed bill. The bill will now use the same language as the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortions through Medicaid except in cases of rape, incest, or to save a mother’s life. [Politico]
Is Facebook causing eating disorders? A new study from the University of Haifa found that “young women who frequently use the social networking site are more susceptible to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.” [NY Jewish Week]
On March 8th, Harvard University is hosting its second annual Feminist Coming Out Day. The event was inspired by National Coming Out Day. Harvard has recently partnered with Bitch Magazine in hopes of taking the event to a national level. [Feminist Coming Out Day]
American Jewish World Service is starting a campaign asking American Jews to stand in solidarity with Uganda’s LGBTI community following the murder of activist David Kato. To sign the pledge, visit http://ajws.org/lgbtistatement.
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January 26, 2011 by Amy Kronish
Feminists in Focus: Valley of Fortitude (Gei Oni)
Dan Wolman’s newest film, Valley of Fortitude (Gei Oni), is a literary adaptation that combines history and romance
Dan Wolman is one of Israel’s veteran artistic filmmakers. Since his early literary adaptation, My Michael, based on a novel by Amos Oz, he has produced only auteur films (scripted and directed by the filmmaker). His latest film Valley of Fortitude (Gei Oni), which recently opened in theaters in Israel, is another adaptation, based on the best-selling historical novel by Shulamit Lapid.
The story takes place during the late 19th century, a period of Jewish history in which waves of Jewish migration left Russia and the Ukraine mostly for America. A smaller number of immigrants went to Palestine.
Combining the historical narrative with a love story, the film tells the story of Fanya (Tamar Alkan), a young woman who arrives on the shores of Palestine with a little baby, accompanied by her aging uncle and her emotionally scarred brother. They are running from Russia, having lost all of their family in a terrible pogrom. (more…)
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January 26, 2011 by Amy Stone
Feminists in Focus: Reporting back from the New York Jewish Film Festival ‘Grace Paley: Collected Shorts’ and ‘As Lilith’
At the 20th New York Jewish Film Festival, presented by The Jewish Museum and the Film Society of Lincoln Center (through Jan. 27).
“Grace Paley: Collected Shorts”
How does a Jewish feminist filmmaker celebrate success, long time a-coming? In the case of Lilly Rivlin, generously.
In black boots and glittering red jacket, Rivlin was the proud mother, making sure everyone involved with “Grace Paley: Collected Shorts” got credit. She turned the New York Jewish Film Festival post-screening Q&A into a moment of oral history, calling on anyone in the audience with a story to tell about Grace Paley to share it. And they did.
The 75-minute film. completed in 2010, is a valentine to the beloved writer, anti-war activist, wife and mother who died of breast cancer in 2007 at the age of 84. A film needs tension, Rivlin said during the post-film discussion, as reason for including writer-critic Vivian Gornick’s crack that Paley was no feminist.
Aside from that one remark, there’s no tension, just appreciation in interviews with political activists, writers, past students at Sarah Lawrence, her second husband, her daughter. Best of all is the diverse footage of Paley speaking for herself and in action. There’s the infamous PEN writers’ meeting chaired by Norman Mailer. The man shamelessly relegated women to the sidelines while elevating then-Secretary of State George Shultz under Reagan to center stage. Of course Paley was part of the women’s protest. (more…)
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January 25, 2011 by Judy Gerstel
Feminists in Focus:"Barney's Version" and the Men We Know
“Barney’s Version,” the screen adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s novel, is as much an archeological artifact as it is a film.
This is what it was like for us, Jewish women who grew came of age early in the second half of the last century.
We knew men like Barney (Paul Giamatti) and his irascible, incorrigible father (Dustin Hoffman).
We dated them. We married them. And, like two of Barney’s wives, we divorced them.
But it’s not just the character of Barney or the Jewish men in the movie that revive the era for us.
It’s the way Jewish women are portrayed and stereotyped. (more…)
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January 21, 2011 by Jill Finkelstein
Link Roundup: Tiger Mom Backlash and Healthcare Reform
Welcome to this week’s installment of Lilith’s Link Roundup. Each week we post Jewish and feminist highlights from around the web. If there’s anything you want to be sure we know about, email us or leave a message in the comments section below.
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the new healthcare bill. Women’s Rights organizations have been up in arms following the vote. The National Women’s Law Center released a statement on what the repeal could mean for women. [NWLC]
House Republicans are currently working on their own healthcare changes that include a ban on federally funded abortions. Coincidentally, tomorrow marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. [NY Times]
Author Amy Chua recently faced a backlash after the Wall Street Journal published her essay entitled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” an excerpt from her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Ayelet Waldman, Jewish mom and author of Bad Mother, responded to Chua’s harsh criticism of Western parenting. [WSJ]
The U.S. was not the only country to host a beauty pageant this past week… Last weekend, Israel hosted its 15th annual Fat and Beautiful pageant. The pageant has a minimum weight requirement of 80kg (approximately 176lbs) and shows that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. [Fit Perez]
In honor of the upcoming 60th anniversary of Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family series, Marjorie Ingall looked back on one of America’s most beloved fictional families. To this day, the books’ stories of sisterhood still remain relatable to young girls everywhere. [Tablet Magazine]
A recent study revealed a startling pay gap in among non-profit organizations with budgets greater than $5 million. Women executives for these organizations earn an average yearly salary of $401,000, while their male counterparts earn an average of $621,000. [Ms. Magazine]
The Forward is currently sponsoring a poetry contest in honor of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. Submissions will be accepted until February 14th and may be in English or Yiddish. [Tablet Magazine]
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