The role of women in Judaism is determined by the Hebrew Bible, the Oral Law, by custom, and by cultural factors. Although the Hebrew Bible and rabbinic literature mention various female role models, religious law treats women differently in various circumstances.
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is a Jewish seminary with several locations in the United States and one location in Jerusalem. It is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism. HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, Ohio, New York City, Los Angeles, California and Jerusalem. The Jerusalem campus is the only seminary in Israel for training Reform Jewish clergy.
Susanna Thompson is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films Little Giants (1994), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Random Hearts (1999) and Dragonfly (2002). On television, Thompson played Dr Lenara Kahn in the groundbreaking episode 'Rejoined' in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1995), the iconic Borg Queen in three episodes of "Star Trek: Voyager" (1999–2000), Karen Sammler on the drama series Once and Again (1999–2002) and Moira Queen on the series Arrow (2012–2014).
Trina Robbins is an American cartoonist. She was an early and influential participant in the underground comix movement, and one of the first few female artists in that movement. Both as a cartoonist and historian, Robbins has long been involved in creating outlets for and promoting female comics artists. In the 1980s, Robbins became the first woman to draw Wonder Woman comics. She is a member of the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.
Jewish feminism is a movement that seeks to make the religious, legal, and social status of Jewish women equal to that of Jewish men in Judaism. Feminist movements, with varying approaches and successes, have opened up within all major branches of the Jewish religion.
A sofer, sopher, sofer SeTaM, or sofer ST"M is a Jewish scribe who can transcribe sifrei Torah, tefillin, and mezuzot, the Five Megillot and other religious writings.
Vanessa Torres is a professional skateboarder. She is sponsored by Meow Skateboards.
Hazzan Abraham “Abe” Lubin is a London-born American Conservative Jewish Hazzan and former President of the Cantors Assembly, who is the cantor emeritus at Congregation Beth El in Bethesda, Maryland.
Cantors Assembly (CA) is the international association of hazzanim (cantors) affiliated with Conservative Judaism. Cantors Assembly was founded in 1947 to develop the profession of the hazzan, to foster the fellowship and welfare of hazzanim, and to establish a conservatory for hazzanim. The latter goal was realized in 1952 with the establishment of the Cantors Institute at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. This Institute later developed into the H. L. Miller Cantorial School of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.
Marla Rosenfeld Barugel is, along with Erica Lippitz, one of the first two female hazzans ordained in Conservative Judaism.
Erica Lippitz and Marla Rosenfeld Barugel were the first two female hazzans ordained in Conservative Judaism. Their ordination was held in 1987, two years after the first woman was ordained a Conservative rabbi.
Linda Rich is a hazzan who, while only in her teens, became the first female cantor to daven (chant) in a Conservative synagogue, although she was not ordained until 1996 when she finally received her ordination of "Hazzan Minister" from the "Jewish Theological Seminary" in New York. That same year she became a member of the "Cantors Assembly of America". The 1984 Olympics were held in Los Angeles, and Rich was chosen as their official cantor; she also sang at the "1984 World Chassidic Festival" in Haifa, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. An album entitled "World Chassidic Festival" was later released, containing among other songs her recording of "Barcheynu Avinu." In January 2008, Cantor Linda received a Commendation from the "City of Los Angeles" for her "extraordinary talent and accomplishments". Rich is a fifth-generation cantor from an Orthodox Jewish family. Her father was well-known Cantor Israel Reich (Z'L) of New York and Los Angeles, and both of her brothers, Barry and Brian, are cantors as well in the Bay Area. Together, the 4 cantors concertized throughout the country during the 80's and 90's and eventually recorded their own album entitled "The Reich Family, Cantors Four". Linda's daughter, Rachel Reich Freed, plans on one day becoming the sixth generation of cantors in the "Reich Family", as they are known. After the passing of her grandfather in March 1999, Rachel was included in the family concerts as the fourth cantor. The concerts were renamed "The Reich Family, Cantors Three plus One". Linda is married to Philip Freed of London, England. She majored in Theatre Arts and Music at San Francisco State University, and received scholarships to study acting at the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT), musical theatre at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and is also an accomplished classical pianist. In addition to her membership in the Cantors Assembly of America (CA), Linda is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and appeared in minor television roles prior to becoming a full-time cantor.
Avitall Gerstetter is the first female hazzan (cantor) in Jewish Renewal and the first female cantor in Germany. She was ordained in 2002. She served as a cantor in Berlin together with cantor Mimi Sheffer and Rabbi Daniela Thau; this was the first time after the Holocaust that women had led the services of the High Holy Days. In 2007 Avitall was awarded the title of ‘Ambassador for Tolerance’ by the Bündnis for Demokratie und Toleranz of the German government. She serves as cantor in the Oranienburger Straße Synagogue and in the Hüttenweg Synagogue in Berlin, and has created several CDs.
This is a timeline of women hazzans in America.
This is a timeline of women hazzans worldwide.
This is a timeline of female rabbis.
This is a timeline of women's ordination in America.
Barbara Bry is an American elected official, entrepreneur, and community leader from San Diego, California. She serves as a member of the San Diego City Council representing City Council District 1 and as President Pro Tempore of the City Council. The district includes the communities of Carmel Valley, Del Mar Heights, Del Mar Mesa, Pacific Highlands Ranch, La Jolla, Torrey Hills, Torrey Pines, University City, and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus. Prior to her public service Bry worked as a journalist and entrepreneur, her accomplishments as an entrepreneur led to her being a sought after business advisor. Among her many advisory roles she served on the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's Business Advisory Council.
The San Diego Jewish World, headquartered in San Diego, California, is a Jewish magazine founded in 2009 by Donald and Nancy Harrison and published by The Harrison Enterprises. The publication covers local Jewish-interest news, cultural affairs, and worldwide Jewish news. They have correspondents throughout the United States, Israel, and in countries with large Jewish populations. Their staff is composed of volunteers.
