Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance

The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) was founded in 1997 with the aim of "expand [ing] the spiritual, ritual, intellectual, and political opportunities for women with the framework of halakha," or Jewish law. [http://www.jofa.org/about.php/who/mission]

History and mission

According to its website, JOFA's mission is to advocate the "meaningful participation" of women, to the fullest extent possible with the framework of halakha, in family life, synagogues, houses of learning, and within the Jewish community in general.

JOFA was founded in 1997 after the first International Conference on Feminism and Orthodoxy, organized by Jewish-American writer Blu Greenberg. The organization has grown from a small group who met at Greenberg's kitchen table to become a professionally staffed, international alliance, active in North America, Israel, and England. [http://www.jofa.org/about.php/who/history]

ee also

*Role of women in Judaism
*Jewish feminism
*Tamar Ross
*Partnership Minyan
*Shira Hadasha
* Ms. magazine rejects AJC ad honoring three Israeli women

References

* [http://www.jofa.org Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance]

Further reading

*Adler, Rachel. [http://www.crosscurrents.org/Adlerwinter2002.htm "Feminist Judaism: Past and Future"] , "Crosscurrents", Winter 2002, Vol. 51, No 4.
*Greenberg, Blu. (1981) "On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition." Jewish Publication Society of America. ISBN 0-8276-0226-X
*____________. "Will There Be Orthodox Women Rabbis?". Judaism 33.1 (Winter 1984): 23-33.
*____________. "Is Now the Time for Orthodox Women Rabbis?". Moment Dec. 1992: 50-53, 74.
*Nussbaum Cohen, Debra. "The women’s movement, Jewish identity and the story of a religion transformed," "TheJewishWeek.com", June 17, 2004
*Ross, Tamar. "Expanding the Palace of Torah: Orthodoxy and Feminism. Brandeis University Press, 2004.
*Wolowelsky, Joel B. "Feminism and Orthodox Judaism", "Judaism", 188, 47:4, 1998, 499-507.