by Jill Finkelstein

Link Roundup: Purim and International Women’s Day

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.

This year, Purim fell on International Women’s Day. Melissa Scholten-Gutierrez of Redefining Rebbetzin explained the significance of the two holidays coinciding, stating, “[Purim] is the very essence of what International Women’s Day is all about. Celebrating women who do what needs to be done, even when it isn’t easy.” [Jewesses with Attitude]

In honor of Purim, songwriter Alicia Jo Rabins examined Queens Esther and Vashti as well as the other heroines of the Bible. [Huffington Post]

Controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh came under fire after attacking Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown University law student who was not allowed to testify at a congressional hearing on contraception coverage, on his radio show. Despite apologizing, at least 50 companies have pulled advertisements from Limbaugh’s program. [The Sisterhood] & [Think Progress]

Last Thursday, the Blunt Amendment failed by 3 votes in the U.S. Senate. The Amendment would have allowed “employers to deny their employees insurance coverage for anything they objected to on religious grounds.” [Salon]

After debuting in Canada last year, Slutwalks are coming to Israel. The walks will take place in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem. [Jerusalem Post]

An Israeli family court set a new precedent after making the decision to recognize a lesbian couple as mothers to their child. Initially, the Interior Ministry only recognized the mother who gave birth to the child, even though she was not the biological mother. The mother who provided the egg was told she would have to file adoption papers, but the couple refused and took the issue to court. As a result of the ruling, couples that use surrogates will no longer have to adopt their own children. [Ynet] & [Haaretz]

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