JewFem 2.0 -- 12 Week Course

A 12-week course on Jewish feminism with a phenomenal line-up of speakers on a broad range of topics -- sexuality, gender identity, diversity, body, spirituality, and more. The sessions each have a panel of 3-4 incredible speakers engaged in the most current and cutting-edge thinking in the field.

The world has changed dramatically over the past 15-20 years. Technology, politics, culture, and societal ideas have affected the way we think about our lives and our communities. We decided it's time to discuss this.

We have invited over thirty of the world's most interesting and inspiring Jewish feminist thought leaders to come together for a powerful discussion about how Jewish feminism has evolved.

SECTION 1: Bodies and Identities

WEEK 1: Looking back: A retrospective on Jewish feminism

Jan 16

Rabbi Prof. Rachel Adler, Professor (emer.) of Modern Jewish Thought and Judaism and Gender at Hebrew Union College, and author of many feminist classics, including Gendering Judaism (she/her)

Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Jewish feminist journalist, social activist, and author of 12 books, including the feminist classic, Deborah, Golda, and Me (she/her)

Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, CEO of the Jewish Women’s Archive (she/her)

Peta Jones Pellach, a leading Orthodox feminist, a Torah and Jewish History teacher, and one of the original members of the Sydney Women's Tefilah Group

WEEK 2: Gender identity

Jan 23

Rav Jane Rachel Litman, First openly LGBTQ person admitted to a rabbinical seminary (they/them)

Abby Chava Stein, First openly transgender woman raised in a Hasidic community (she/her)

Rabbi Micah Buck-Yael,Director of Education & Training with Keshet (he/him or they/them)

Leah Lax, author of Uncovered, the first gay memoir to come out of the Orthodox world (she/her)

WEEK 3: Sexuality

Jan 30

Talli Yehuda Rosenbaum, Certified sex therapist, author and podcast host (she/her)

Rivka Cohen, Managing Editor of the anthology, Monologues from the Makom: Intertwined Narratives of Gender, Sexuality, Body Image, and Jewish Identity.

Rav Nikki DeBlosi, PhD, Freelance rabbi specializing in queer belonging, sex positivity, creative ritual, and inclusive Judaism (she/her)

Paula Mills, Somatic sex educator and Hotline Counselor with Open Door (Israel's Planned Parenthood)  (she/her)

WEEK 4: Intersectionality, race, and diversity

Feb 6

Dr. Tarece Johnson,  Co-founder of Multicultural Jewish Alliance (she/her)

Rabbi Ruth Abusch Magder,  PhD, is the Rabbi-in-Residence and Director of Education, Be'chol Lashon (she/her)

Tema Smith, Director of Professional Development at 18Doors (formerly InterfaithFamily)and inclusivity professional  (she/her)

WEEK 5: Disability and feminism

Feb 13

Ariella Barker, Senior Counsel at New York City Law Department and disability rights activist (she/her)

Sheryl Grossman, Disabilities activist with a very rare Jewish genetic condition, Bloom's Syndrome (she/her)

Heather Stone,Deputy International Counsel (Global) of Democrats Abroad and advocate for the visually impaired (she/her)

WEEK 6: Bodies

Feb 20

Rabbi Dr. Minna Bromberg , Singer, teacher, writer, and the founder of Fat Torah: A community of Abundance (she/her)

Dr. Amy Milligan, Folklorist and  ethnographer who is particularly interested in the manifestations of identity on the body and questions of bodylore (she/her/hers)

Aviva Braun, creator of the photography exhibit, The emBODYment of Jewish femininity, exploring Jewish women's bodies.

SECTION 2: Cultures and Communities

WEEK 7: Gender-based violence and sexual abuse

Feb 27

Dr. Keren McGinity, Research Associate at the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute and a Forward 50 honoree for calling for a Jewish response to the #MeToo movement (she/her)

Asher Lovy, An abuse survivor and director of ZA'AKAH, which raises awareness about child sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community (he/him)

Miriam Isserow, Chief Executive Officer of the American Psychological Foundation and the moderator/administrator of the #GamAni Facebook group addressing sexual abuse in the Jewish community (she/her)

Rabba Dr. Melanie Landau, Rabba Dr Melanie Landau Counselor and guide specializing in embodied awareness and thriving with complex trauma (she/her)

WEEK 8: Clergy and leadership

March 6

Rabbi Mary L. Zamore, Executive Director of the Women’s Rabbinic Network (she/her)

Rabbi Felicia Sol, Rabbi of B’nai Jeshurun Synagogue in Manhattan (she/her)

Rabbi Marianne Novak, Maharat graduate and staff Rabbi at Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School in Chicago, Illinois (she/her)

Rabbi Chasya Uriel Steinbauer, Founder & Director of The Institute for Holiness: Kehilat Mussar (she/her)

WEEK 9: Spirituality, ritual, and lifecycle

March 13

Rabbi Riqi Kosovske,  Rabbi of Beit Ahava Syngagogue in Northhampton, ritual creator, spiritual guide, and chaplain (she/her)

Rabbi Dr. Reverend Haviva Ner David, Post-denominational interspiritual rabbi. and the rabbinic founder of Shmaya: A Mikveh for Mind, Body, and Soul, on Kibbutz Hannaton (she/her)

Rabba Chava Evans, (Maharat) Orthodox Jewish Hospice and Hospital Chaplain (she/her)

WEEK 10: Gender and money

March 20

Dr. Sara Shapiro-Plevan, CEO of the Gender Equity in Hiring Project (GEiHP) (she/her)

Jamie Allen Black, CEO of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of New York, and co-founder with Naomi Eisenberger of Ta’amod: Stand Up! (she/her)

Judith Stern Peck, Director of the Money and Family Life Project at the Ackerman Institute for the Family (she/her)

Naomi Eisenberger (she/her)

Naomi Eisenberger Founding Executive Director of the Good People Fund and co-founder with Jamie Allen Black of Ta’amod: Stand Up! (she/her)

WEEK 11: Media, Politics, and activism

March 27

Rachel Creeger,  Award-winning, Orthodox Jewish stand up comic, writer, director and broadcaster, and co-host of "Jew Talkin' To Me?" (she/her)

Rachel Stomel, English communications director for the Center for Women's Justice and slam poet (she/her)

Loolwa Khazoom, Author, musician, artist, multicultural educator, and leader of the band, Iraqis in Pajamas (she/her)

Nahani Rous, Host and senior producer of Can We Talk? JWA podcast (she/her)

Week 12, Looking forward: What is Jewish feminism today?

April 3

Prof. Susanna Heschel,  Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College and author of the pioneering anthology, On Being a Jewish Feminist (she/her)

Jericho Z. Vincent, Author, lecturer, Wexner Fellow and a rabbinical candidate (they/them)

Dr. Sharon Weiss Greenberg, Jewish feminist activist, scholar, professional, and influencer (she/her)