Is Israel liberating for Ethiopian women? Poetry about Jewish women in love through the ages. Prisoners of divorce: abusive husbands, women in limbo.
Table of contents Get the issueFraida wanders.She walks in the shade of a freeway offramp, on a sidewalk strewn with pebbles, broken glass, and dandelions. Across the street there is a row of crumbling houses. Aaron peeks out of a crack in a boarded up window. His expression is hard to read because from this distance his full gray beard... Read more »
Jewish law says only a husband can divorce his wife, not vice versa, leaving in limbo thousands of women whose husbands are vindictive. Many—with support from within the Orthodox community—are making their private agony public and seeking help in secular courts—and via public protest.
In the 37 years since soap operas have been shown on American television, none of them ever had a Jewish woman character—until NBC’s popular “Days of Our Lives” featured the long-running story of Dr. Robin Jacobs and her interfaith romance. The story line began in January 1986, when Jacobs arrived in “Days” fictitious town, Salem. She... Read more »
In ancient Israel, female sexuality was the arena in which male authority and patriarchal domination manifested themselves most clearly and oppressively. Woman’s sexuality was regarded not so much as part of her feminine being but, rather, as the exclusive property first of her father and then of her husband. The cultural postulate that the daughter’s femininity... Read more »
They tell a story of the Baal Shem Tov that when he faced a special problem he would go to a place in the forest, light afire and say a special prayer and God would answer him. When he died his followers forgot how to light the fire, but they went to the place and... Read more »
What happens in the lives of African women brought to Israel when they must give up traditional customs—-such as living in separate dwellings during their menstrual periods—-that they feel defined their female role in Judaism?
LILITH received many letters along with signatures to our Women’s Appeal for Ida Nudel (see Kol Ishah. The letters below are a representative sampling. Dear LILITH: Thanks for sending me a copy of LILITH. I remember how much I enjoyed getting it in Congress, and I miss not having it. So you’ve got a new... Read more »
“JAP-Baiting” HOW TO FIGHT BACK To the Editor: Congratulations to LILITH and my special thanks to Judith Rubenstein for bringing my research and social action on campus “JAP-baiting” to the attention of your readers [issue#17] and indeed to the nation. Until recently, I have been feeling quite isolated, a little lonely…. Now, with your help,... Read more »
