Touring the Village of New Square, NY

Touring the Village of New Square, NY

© (2013) Photographs by Vicki Polin

Music by Johnny Mathis - "Kol Nidre"

I want to thank rabbi Dovid Twersky for the wonderful escort service he provided to my friends and I while we drove through the Village of New Square back in November to insure our safety.

Prior to entering the town you will see a sign posted regarding the village ordnance's regarding modesty in one's attire. Also throughout the town you will see signs posted in Yiddish regarding which side of the street is for men and which side is for women. To the best of my knowledge, New Square is the only town in the United States with segregated sidewalks. I'm guessing the town found some sort of exemption to the civil rights movement?

While watching this video think about think about the civil rights movement, especially regarding both women and children.

FYI: It's important to note that there is only one road and out of Village New Square, NY. 

I was told by my tour guide that there are times the Village of New Square will block the road with a bus, to prevent people from coming in or leaving.

For more background information on New Square see below the following film clip:

For more background information on New Square click on the following links:

2013

1. Jewish Sex Abuse Victim From New Square Speaks Out (08/30/2013)
2. Skver Visnitz Wedding (10/26/2013)
3. Protestors March Against New Square Boy's Elementary School in Residential Ramapo Neighborhood (07/25/2013)

2012

1. New Square: Shaul Spitzer will go to state prison for attacking Aron Rottenberg (04/17/2012)
2. New Square Burn Victim Aron Rottenberg Car Set On Fire Another Arson Attack (03/09/2012)

2011

1. New Square NY: Shaul Spitzer Arrested Again  (10/27/2011)
2. New Square: When Cultures Clash (08/25/2011)
3. Wedding in New Square of granddaughter of Skvirer rebbe (08/17/2011)
4. New Square: Shaul Spitzer Indigted Arsonist Faces Judge (06/24/2011)
5. NEW SQUARE: DA not prosecuting Grand Rabbi in arson attack due to politics (06/17/2011)
6. New Square arson victim Aron Rottenberg to sue "Grand Rabbi" Dovid Twersky (06/13/2011)
7. New Square arson-attack suspect Shaul Spitzer back in Yeshiva (06/20/2011)
8. Ger Chasidim Try to Burn Down House Like in New Square (06/02/2011)
9. Former Hassids Organize Bike Ride For New Square Arson Victim (05/30/2011)
10. New Square Grand Rabbi Condemns Religious Dispute at Synagogue (05/28/2011)
11. Skver Rabbi follower Clashes with New Square Burn victim Family (05/26/1011)
12. Family of New Square Victim Speaks Out (05/25/2011)
13. New Square Ramapo Police Looking To Speak With Grand Rabbi of New Square (05/25/2011)
14. Police Say They Will Investigate New Square Rabbi David Twersky (05/24/2011)
15. Suspect in New Square Arson Attack Now Facing Murder Charges (05/23/2011)
16. Man Badly Burned in Religious Dispute (05/22/2011)
17. Purim in Skver (03/22/2011)

2010

1. Skver wedding (11/11/2010)
2. Skver Rabbi puts on tefillin for the grandson of Skver Rabbi (10/29/2010)
3. New Square gets road ready for Hillcrest in East Ramapo (10/30/2010)
4. Hasidic Jews Fighting in New Square (09/13/2010)

2009

1. 5 arrested at New Square protest (12/29/2009)
2. New Square Protest (12/31/2009)
3. Slaughterhouse Protest at New Square (11/01/2009)
4. Birkas hachama with Skverer rebbe in New Square (04/22/2009)
5. Obama In Skver (Purim Play at Skvere rabbis tish) (03/25/2009)
6. Square (Skver) rabbi The holy one ל''ג בעומר ס''ט The real one (05/20/2009)

Halachically sanctioned degradation of women makes me scream

Halachically sanctioned degradation of women makes me scream

By Bahtya Minkin

Times of Israel - Sept. 3, 2013

BLEEEAAARRRRGGGGHHH!

Sorry. I know that wasn’t very professional. But I don’t think there’s a single word in any language that can get across exactly how angry, frustrated, flabbergasted and incredulous I become when I watch a mitzvah that is not just beautiful, but sensible as well, being corrupted and usurped for the purpose of abusing and controlling others.

I know it’s been discussed to death, but here are my two cents on modesty.

First a little disclaimer: I want to make it clear from the get-go that when I say “modesty” I don’t mean the Oz V’Hadar L’vusha kind. (For those who have not had the almost imponderable pleasure of coming across the title I just mentioned, it is a 700 page volume that goes into excruciating detail on what sorts of clothing and manners of behavior women should refrain from, in order to protect men from their apparent inability to function like human beings when they chance upon, and possibly even gaze upon, a member of the opposite sex. Go click on the link, and read the table of contents, and you will understand the insanity of this book.) Also, even though the commandment of being tzanua (Hebrew for modest) applies equally to both men and women, the main focus of this piece is going to be on women, as the societal demand for modesty falls completely on them.

The whole concept of modesty needs to be re-framed in a positive light, because as of now, there’s nothing good about it. Even the word itself has a negative connotation. They bring in a modest income. She lowered her eyes modestly. His knowledge on the subject is modest at best.Modest means small, limited, controlled. But adhering to the tenets of modesty should not be something that causes a person to forfeit their autonomy, or shrinks a person to near invisibility, or limits them in any way. Modesty should be a portraiture of respectability, not submissiveness.

What seems to have happened in recent Jewish history is the meaning and purpose behind many of the mitzvot has been overridden in favor of laser-beam concentration on the minutiae of how the mitzvah is performed, and tzniut is no exception. The focus of modesty is meant to be self-respect. And I’m not saying that a woman who does not dress to whatever standard of modesty the random people on the street ascribe to has no self-respect. I’m saying that choosing less revealing clothing can be empowering. If she is the one choosing to dress that way.

Unfortunately, it was left up to men to figure out how the complex inner workings of the female psyche functions in relation to body image, and they pretty much failed miserably. Completely dismissing how this mitzvah could benefit women—how it’s an opportunity to focus on teaching girls to love their bodies, and the importance of demanding control over what happens to their bodies, and who gets to look at their bodies—they decided to focus on how it can benefit men. 

Because there is a separate mitzvah (that also applies equally to men and women) commanding us to refrain from seeing anything that can bring one to illicit thoughts. And somehow, the idea of modesty for women and how it should be practiced got swallowed up by this completely separate commandment, and how it should be practiced. The focus changed from women being more than just something nice to look at, to women only being something nice to look at. And because they are nice to look at, one must never look, lest the thought of this sensual creature lead him to entertain illicit thoughts.

And so men took the opportunity of deciding what modesty means in practice to simply demand that women cover any and all parts of themselves that might lead men to sin. And now that the train is on that track, we are on a never-ending journey. Because there is no end to what some men might consider to be attractive. And not only that, but now the women have fallen into this mistaken line of thinking, as well, and believe that in order to be pious Jewish women they must do their utmost to protect their menfolk from ever laying eyes on the female form.

But let’s set the record straight. Tzniut and shmirat eynaim (guarding one’s eyes) are completely separate mitzvot. One should not influence the other in any way. The only person responsible for what a person sees is…that person. It is not the responsibility of a woman to cover herself for the benefit of another. Ever. So don’t even suggest it.

Bahtya Minkin is a full-time mother of three, originally from Lakewood, NJ, now living in Kochav Yaakov; In her ample spare time she enjoys crocheting, reading, and arguing with strangers on Facebook

Also see:  

• Women's Issues: Jewish Survivors of Sex Crimes
• Bibliography of Sources on Sexual and Domestic Violence in the Jewish Community
• Jewish Women Lead the Feminist Movement back in the early 1970s
• Women's History: Civil Rights For women

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FAIR USE NOTICE

Some of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/us code/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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Can you say SEXISM? When girls are excluded

Can you say SEXISM? 

When exclusion of women hits the basketball court
by Allison Kaplan Sommer
Ha'aretz - December 31, 2012

In a country where religious and secular children are divided into separate schools, sport should be a unifying experience. That's not what happened in my backyard.

The troubling sexualization of little girls was symbolized last year by Na’ama Margolese in Beit Shemesh who was terrorized by Haredim protesting the "provocative" presence of her girls' elementary school near their neighborhood.

It was brought to the forefront in the "exclusion of women" debate, which was burning across Israel just a year ago, but faded over the course of 2012, when the lip service on the topic resulted in little real action to address it - and it has barely seen crossing the lips of politicians as an issue during this year’s election campaign.

But that doesn’t mean it is going away. Last week, a controversy appeared in my backyard, in Ra’anana, my hometown (as well as Naftali Bennett’s…) It happened on the basketball court of all places, at a game in a junior basketball league for fifth-graders.

Team sports for kids - especially soccer and basketball - is a big part of life in our neck of the suburbs, as it probably is in all of suburbia. The problem for Orthodox families is that the mainstream basketball league teams, even in Israel, hold both games and practices on Shabbat.


For that reason, there a national organization exists called Elitzur, promoting sports in the religious public and maintains sports teams across the country that accommodate religious observance - with no games on Shabbat. Elitzur has a long history - it was established in 1939 by the religious Hapoel Mizrachi movement, to encourage sports in the religious community. The vast majority of Elitzur teams are boys' teams, but they field girls’ teams as well.

I’ve always viewed the Elitzur phenomenon as something of a shame. In a country where religious and secular are divided into separate schools, extra-curricular activities such as sports is an area where young Israelis - religious and secular - should be able to experience being on the same team - literally - at a formative point in their lives.

But the Shabbat issue is an issue. At least the Elitzur teams include some non-religious children who choose to participate on their teams, and at least their teams play weekday games against the regular non-religious teams.

And that is exactly what the problem started last week, as was first reported by the Channel 10. The game took place last week between Elitzur Ra’anana against a team from the town of Alfei Menashe. The two teams were ready for the first tip-off when the coach of the Ra’anana team, who had travelled to Alfei Menashe, saw that the Alfei Menashe team had a girl playing on the team - a rosy-cheeked blonde ten-year-old named Shiran Grinbaum.

The Ra’anana coach stopped the game. No girls allowed, he said.

He explained that the game could not continue with Grinbaum on the court, as he was “forbidden to permit the children to play because they are religious boys who observe the prohibition against touching members of the opposite sex” he said, referring to the practice known as “Shomer Negiah,” in which adolescent and adult men and women refrain from any physical contact until marriage. It applied, he said, even though his players were only ten years old.

The Alfei Menashe coach refused to pull Shiran from the game. Following the confrontation, the Ra’anana team went home. Interviewed on television, Shiran said tearfully she was ‘very insulted’ that the game was called off because of her, and that she had cried when, in previous similar circumstances, she had been forced to sit on the bench. Her mother also went on camera, speaking out against the absurdity of these kinds of gender restrictions for children.

The Channel 10 report sparked outrage - particularly when it came to the technical results of the incident. According to Israel's Basketball Association rules, the technical victory of the game belonged to Ra’anana. Officially, Alfei Menashe would be penalized for refusing to pull Shiran from the game, while there were no consequences to Ra’anana’s refusal to play because of a girl’s participation.

The reaction to the story on the social media came fast and furious, with numerous angry posts appearing on the wall of the Israel Basketball Association. Ra’anana feminist activist and columnist Hanna Beit Halachmi protested to Ra’anana mayor Nahum Hofri, calling for an end to all municipal subsidies for organizations like Elitzur that support the exclusion of women.

Beit Halachmi also wrote a letter to minister Limor Livnat saying that this "outrageous and shameful" incident has shocked "Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike.”

She called on Livnat, who holds the dual roles of Minister of Sport and chairperson of the Ministerial Committee on the Status of Women, to take action against Elitzur Ra’anana and its coach – as well as against the Basketball Association - for their discriminatory behavior.

It does seem outrageous to punish a team for refusing to bench one of its members because she is female. And I am confident that the "no playing against a girl" policy is not coming from the children’s parents, but from the Elitzur organization - which, like the Bnai Akiva youth movement and other national religious institutions - has become increasingly stringent when it comes to gender separation.

While no one can stop these groups from moving in their conservative direction, many members of the secular majority ask – as Beit Halachmi has - whether they want their taxes subsidizing groups that would leave a little girl weeping on the bench as her teammates play basketball.
 

Annie Arniel –– Activist for Human Rights

Before anyone could fight for the rights of survivors of sex crimes, we had to fight for women to have the right to be considered human.

If it wasn't for brave women risking their lives for us to have the right to vote -- the women in the 1970s would never have gathered in consciousness raising groups -- where they started learning how many were survivors of sex crimes.  We need to honor early human rights activists like Annie Arniel.

One Step Closer to Giving Female Survivors of Sex Crimes A Chance

Every time a law gets passed giving equality to women means female survivors of sex crimes stand a better chance in the legal system in protecting their rights to say NO when it comes to sexual harassment, sexual abuse and all forms of sexual assault.

Susan B. Anthony and the Equal Rights Amendement

Women's History: Civil Rights For women

PICTURED ABOVE: International gathering of woman suffrage advocates in Washington, D.C., 1888. Seated (left to right) are Alice Scotchard (England), Susan B. Anthony (United States), Isabella Bogelot (France), Elizabeth Cady Stanton (United States), Matilda Joslyn Gage (United States), and Baroness Alexandra Gripenberg (Finland). The names of the individuals standing could not be determined.

Vote for the rights of women on November 6, 2012

It's time for everyone to learn HERSTORY.  If it wasn't for the suffragist movement, there would be no Anti-Rape movement.  

Did you know it took women nearly 75 years to get the right to vote?  Many female activists were not only arrested and tortured, there were also many who were murdered in hopes of making the US government to realize that women were just as human as men.   Don't turn your backs on what these brave women accomplished.  In their honor be sure to vote on November 6th.

Equal Rights for Jewish Women in Synagogue

Domestic Violence in the 1950s

It's hard to believe that 50 years ago that women in the US were still thought of as property. Our views were not that much different then those living in the Middle East today.

Article circa 1950's.

A Woman's Place is in the House, Senate and Beit Din

Rosh Beit Din = Head of the Jewish Religious Court

Protecting the Civil Rights of Women

Regarding Abortion

Paul Ryan on Sexual Assault

Equality for Chasidic Women and the Anti-Rape Movement

Equality For Chasidic Women

Emma Goldman on Women's Rights

Emma Goldman on Women's Rights

Upcoming 'Slut Walk' in Jerusalem: Protest Movement Marches Return to Israel

Jerusalem is set to hold its first "slut walk," following other cities in what has become an international protest movement. The marches began in Canada after a policeman said that if women wanted to stay safe from rape and sexual assault, they should avoid dressing like quote "sluts." Many were incensed over the implication that women who are raped or harassed are somehow to blame because of their sexy attire. The protests are meant to highlight that it is the attackers who are solely responsible for their violent acts, not women, who have the right to dress however they want. The first "slut walk" took place last year in Toronto and quickly spread to the United States, Australia, Asia and recently, Israel. Women dressed in scantily clad outfits became a hallmark of the marches, a message of defiance that has provoked its own share of controversy. Israeli women strutted in their first "slut walk" in Tel Aviv last February, followed by activists in the northern city of Haifa. The march planned for Jerusalem has hit a sensitive nerve with many Orthodox residents who say it offends their religious views on modest dress and sexual behavior. But others support the protest and its message... The Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem says he'd like to stop the "slut walk" from taking place, saying the sanctity of the city makes it different than other places. But that argument failed to stop the gay pride parade from coming to Jerusalem and won't work this time either. Police are anticipating a few hundred women will show up for march which will go through the center of town and surely elicit reactions from the surrounding religious neighborhoods. Jordana Miller, JN1, Jerusalem

Similarities between the women's movement and addressing sexual violence in Jewish communities.

© (2009) By Vicki Polin - Founder/CEO
The Awareness Center, Inc.

Addressing sexual violence in Jewish communities internationally has not been an easy task. It's often very lonely and frustrating.  Many of those  connected to The Awareness Center (professionals and survivors) have been harassed, spit at, and shunned by community members, etc.

Unfortunately, too many "authority" in the orthodox world have been spreading all sorts of rumors regarding myself and those connected to our organization.  It appears that the goal of these "authorities" has  been to divide and separate Jewish survivors of sex crimes who come from insulated communities, from getting appropriate help from those who REALLY have the education, training and experience to help them heal and also from having cases prosecuted using the criminal justice system.

At first one would think it makes sense that the cultural differences in the orthodox world would need to address sex crimes differently then anyone else. What the religious leaders neglect to tell survivors is that The Awareness Center is made up of many survivors and professionals who are from orthodox backgrounds. It's true, I did not grow up in an orthodox home and that I am no longer observant -- yet what many of those who attack The Awareness Center fail to mention is that I did spend just under 10 years of my life living in the orthodox world.

It saddens me a great deal that a group of people would act in such a way to divide and separate Jewish survivors. One of the first things I was taught when I went to Neve (a women's seminary in Jerusalem) is that "A Jew is a Jew is a Jew".  If we go back to the time of Nazi Germany, we all would have been sent to the ovens together. The Nazi's would not care if someone was orthodox, conservative, traditional, Reform, Jewish Renewal or unaffiliated.

If a house was on fire in orthodox community, the owner of the home and their neighbors wouldn't think twice of what to do. They would call 911 immediately. I don't know of one person who would consult with their local orthodox rabbi to get permission. When one suspects that a child is at risk of harm or suspect a child is being neglected we should all consider ourselves to be mandated reporters. One should call either the state child protection hot-line or your local police.

I have to admit that I have become cynical over the last ten years of running The Awareness Center.  No matter how long one works with a given community I don't think I will ever be able to understand is why so many "orthodox survivors" continue to buy in to the illusion that is being created by the same individuals who are covering up sex crimes and hide sexual predators. Orthodox survivors (adults and children) deserve the same civil rights and protections as the rest of society.  It is so frustrating to watch them blindly trust individuals who care more about their assets or that of the organizations they are connected to -- then they do about their children and or adults who have been assaulted. Thinking about this send chills up and down my spine.

As one survivor stated "most of the Orthodox Jewish community sees Vicki Polin as a pariah, because they prefer to deny the problem and keep their heads in the sand."

While consulting with the executive director of another organization regarding the harassment and extortion attempts those of us connected to The Awareness Center experience -- she referred to the treatment as being similar to the early days of the women's movement. She reminded me of the suffering that heroic women as "the Susan B. Anthony, endured. She even referred to me as being "The Susan B. Anthony for Jewish survivors of sexual violence". I have to admit I was extremely flattered, yet I know that I'm far from accomplishing as much as Susan, nor have I ever come close to the hardship that Susan or the other suffragist experienced.

The reality is that Susan B. Anthony died before she was able to take part in the first election in which women were allowed to vote in the United States. I also realize that most likely I will not live long enough to see my goals for survivors in Jewish communities. All one can do is the best they can within ones lifetime. All we can all do is to make the lives of as many Jewish survivors better as possible and hope that one day children will no longer become victims of sex crimes.

For those of you who are not familiar with Susan B. Anthony, she was a prominent civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the the women's rights movement. You can read more about her here

This is the story of our Grandmothers and Great-grandmothers; they lived only 90 years ago.

Remember, it was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote.

The women were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive. Forty prison guards wielding clubs and their warden's blessing went on a rampage against the 33 women wrongly convicted of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

(Lucy Burns) They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

(Dora Lewis) They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on Nov. 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote. For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food--all of it colorless slop--was infested with worms.

(Alice Paul) When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

Jewish Female Survivors of Sex Crimes

Women's Issues: Jewish Survivors of Sex Crimes

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents: 
 

Resources:  From a Jewish Perspective

1. Articles (see below)
2. Attorneys Experienced Working with Survivors of Sexual Violence
3. Childhood Sexual Abuse
4. Childhood Sexual Abuse and Pregnancy
5. Domestic Violence
6. Female Survivors Marrying A Kohain
7. Female Sex Offenders 
8. Incest, Pregnancy, Abortion and Halacha (Jewish Law)
9. History of the Anti Rape Movement: People You Should Know
10. History of The Awareness Center - Our first online support groups and The Anti-Rape Daily Newsletter
11. History of Child Abuse and Neglect Laws
12. History of Sex Offender Registries in the United States
13. Jewish Survivors of Sexual Violence and Pregnancy Issues
14. Magazines (see below) 
15. Mandated Reporting and Halacha (Jewish Law)
16. Mikva Resources (see below) 
17. Parenting resources (see below) 
18. Quotes From Women (see below) 
19. Resources from a Feminist Perspective (see below) 
20. Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse Testifying at Legislative Hearings

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Articles

1. Can you say SEXISM? When girls are excluded
2. It's about taking a stand 
3. Halachically sanctioned degradation of women makes me scream 
4. Jewish Women Lead the Feminist Movement back in the early 1970s

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Resources from a Feminist Perspective

1. Jewish Feminist Resources - Jewish Feminist Resources gives folks the opportunity to share their "Torah" with each other. We encourage submissions from everyone.
2. Bat Kol: Study from the Inside Out  A unique educational organization that responds to concerns within the Jewish community and beyond with creative and challenging forums for learning.

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Mikvah Resources

1. Information about the Mikvah - Site includes information on:  How to use the Mikvah, Laws of the Ritual Bath Itself, Using a Running Spring, Time for Immersion, Immersion Procedure, General Rules of Separations on the Skin which invalidate immersion, Post-Immersion, Immersion by a Menstruating Woman, For one who has had a Genital Discharge.
2. World Wide List of Mikvah's - Database of Mikvah's all over the world.
3. A Ritual for Healing from Childhood Sexual Abuse
4. A Ritual of Healing from Sexual Violence
5. No Ordinary Bath: The Use of the Mikvah in Healing From Incest
6. Healing from Abuse - Mikvah Ceremony for Laura
7. Abortion Ritual

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Mikvah Articles on Healing

1. Jewish tradition takes on new meaning

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Magazines

1. Bridges: A Journal for Jewish Feminists and our Friends - Bridges illuminates a variety of landscapes: for activists, Jews, feminists, lesbians, it is both bread and roses. In these pages, contemporary Jewish feminist culture and politics come alive in all their tumultuous diversity.  Every issue features essays, fiction, poetry, art and reviews on the cutting edge of feminist Judaism, including translations of literature side-by-side with the Ladino, Spanish and Yiddish originals.
2. BRIDGES Submissions Guidelines - Bridges is a showcase for the creative work of Jewish feminists. The editors also welcome work by men and non-Jewish women of particular interest to Jewish feminism. We work with each other and with contributors to publish material that recognizes and values difference. We particularly welcome material by Sephardic and Mizrachi Jews, by people of color, by the old and the young, by lesbians, by those with disabilities, and by working-class and poor Jews. We work with contributors who consider themselves more activist than writer to publish new material on what Jewish feminists are doing.
3. Lilith Magazine - LILITH, the nation's independent nonprofit Jewish women's quarterly, is named for the legendary predecessor of Eve who insisted on equality with Adam. For 20 years, LILITH magazine has been a unique voice speaking out on the interrelationships of Jewish identity and feminism. The magazine brings news of creative lifecycle rituals and holiday celebrations, restores women to Jewish texts and history, showcases Jewish women writers, educators and artists, and illuminates Jewish women's lives in all their religious, ethnic, sexual and social-class diversity. LILITH is a national magazine, a catalyst for action and the resource center for Jewish feminists. LILITH helps individual Jewish women, campus groups and community organizations work for inclusive social and ritual change.  Each quarterly issue of LILITH provides lively reporting, analysis, resource listings, interviews, historical essays, reviews, memoirs, fiction, poetry, and art. 

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Parenting Resources

1. Parenting issues: Survivors who are parents and parenting children who were sexually abused
2. National Jewish Girl Scout Committee - Non-profit organization which works in cooperation with Girl Scouts of the USA. Its functions are:  * to promote the Jewish Girl Scout award programs and religious services in Girl Scout Councils .  * to assist Girl Scout Councils in extending Girl Scouting in the Jewish Community .  * to encourage cultural exchanges with the Israel Boy and Girl Scouts Federation.
   

  

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Women You Should Know

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Great Quotes by Great Women

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FAIR USE NOTICE

Some of the information on The Awareness Center's web pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.

We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/us code/17/107.shtml . If you wish to use copyrighted material from this update for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

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