Many think they know about Orthodox Judaism thanks to TV shows like “Unorthodox” and “My Unorthodox Life,” a.k.a. media that shows off the community in a negative light without any sort of context that these are dysfunctional families. But where are the stories of inspiration? Where are honest, nuanced alternative narratives to balance that out? […]
People can be quick to judge Chassidic Jews. Many people only see the external trappings of members of my community, such as beards, payos, and long dresses. But I want to give you a taste of how being Chassidic is much more than our cultural facade — it’s being able to connect to the Super […]
A new documentary film, Women of Valor, showcases the struggle of Haredi women as they aim for inclusion in Israeli politics and in other prominent segments of society. It presents Esty Shushan in her work with Estee Rieder Indursky in the organization they founded, Nivcharot, as the two of them overcome personal slander, attacks and […]
Several years ago, I had a very unpleasant exchange on Facebook with a man I didn’t know. He told me that I have Stockholm Syndrome because I’m an Orthodox Jewish woman. Besides the fact that I chose this life (and continue to choose it everyday), I was disgusted that this stranger mansplained to me how I ought […]
The honorable deputy mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum has a deep personal history with observance and politics. Originally from Gibraltar, the British Protectorate at the southern tip of Spain, she grew up in a traditional Sephardic community. The daughter of a Spanish father and a Moroccan mother, she attended Hebrew school and had classes with […]
It was during a recent Friday night dinner with my family that the topic of Jewish divorce came up. I can’t remember why we were speaking about it or what led my husband and me to explain to my son how divorce is handled in the Torah – Biblically, the husband can divorce his wife, […]
