JOFA’s Torch

JOFA's Torch

The Year I Missed Simchat Torah

I did not have Simchat Torah this year. Bold statement, right? Some of you are probably thinking that I must ...

JOFA's Torch

After 10 Years as an Agunah and 2 Gets Later, I Know Better.

After two difficult divorces "chained" her, an Orthodox mom finds a way to protect her freedom.

JOFA's Torch

On Simchat Torah, Get Up and Dance with Me!

Being a woman on Simchat Torah is hard for me, but not for the reasons you might think.Maybe I am ...

Navigating Orthodox Conversion with a Feminist Sensibility

I was 75 percent Jewish, I told the Orthodox rabbi, my paternal grandparents and one maternal grandparent were all Jewish. “So, you’re not Jewish,” he replied.

There Are No Chained Men

In the context of Jewish divorce, there are no chained men. Why?

Ruth… In Other Words

Last summer, when I joined Anshe Sholom B’nai Israel (ASBI), the local Modern Orthodox synagogue in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood, I discovered ...

The Vagina Monologues Frummed Out

Among many other exciting offerings at the JOFA conference evening of the arts, we’re excited to host Monologues from the ...

Sisterhood in the Pursuit of Peace

I belong to a grassroots organization that brings Muslim & Jewish women together in private spaces and allows us to ...

Conversion, the RCA, and Rabbinic Hypocrisy

Last week, the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) issued a resolution demonstrating for the second time in less than six ...

Celebrating Our Daughters: From Simchat Bat to Bat Mitzvah

I had been thinking about my eldest daughter’s bat mitzvah for a long time. We belong to a Modern Orthodox ...

How a Baby is Made

How is a baby made? More specifically, what determines the future characteristics of the child? One answer emerges from the ...

Do We Really Need the JOFA Conference?

They overflow the curbs of Eastern Parkway. With their black hats, beards, and suits, they are an inverse image of ...

Revitalizing Women’s Tefillah Groups

As a Modern Orthodox high school student at Ramaz, I find meaning in women’s tefillah (prayer) services. After experiencing them at ...

When Blessings Bring Pain

When I saw the little blue line on the pregnancy test, I felt like I was walking on air. A ...

Accepting a Reality We Did Not Anticipate: Lessons from this Week’s Torah Portion

The word for “comfort” (lenahem) in Hebrew can also mean to “regret.” One of the most difficult parts of gaining ...