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Inaugural UK conference of Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance

June 13, 2013 17:00
Professor Tamar Ross: “new directions”

By

Zoe Winograd,

Zoe Winograd

2 min read

There was a whiff of revolution in the air in north London on Sunday when a group of women and men gathered to challenge the Orthodox establishment.

“Today, we are witnessing a decentralisation of Jewish halachic authority,” announced Professor Tamar Ross, of Bar Ilan University.

She was speaking at the inaugural UK conference of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (Jofa), an American organisation aiming to increase women’s role in Orthodox religious practice.

Around 120 people had been expected to attend but more than 200 turned up. They heard Professor Ross declare that women wielded considerable influence over religious authorities, perhaps more than they realised.