New York – In November 2008, Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center launched a successful new initiative throughout Manhattan for women to benefit from the expertise of a yoetzet halachah (female halachic advisor). This role was created to assist any woman who is more comfortable discussing certain personal issues with another woman rather than with a male rabbinical advisor. Though implemented just three months ago, the Manhattan yoetzet halachah program has been met with tremendous enthusiasm and praise from both local rabbis and participants.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, Fifth Avenue Synagogue, The New York Synagogue, Congregation Orach Chaim, The Jewish Center, Lincoln Square Synagogue, Kehilat Rayim Ahuvim, Congregation Ramath Orah, and Congregation Shearith Israel are the nine synagogues across Manhattan that signed on to this initiative. Atara Eis, the yoetzet halachah on staff, assists the synagogue rabbis by advising women on sensitive issues of taharat ha’mishpachah and health, and offers innovative programs on a wide array of women’s health and halachah topics.
Manhattan residents have reported that Eis creates a most comfortable atmosphere in which women can speak freely about personal subjects. Some of the topics that she has covered include determining when a mikveh visit is necessary, common misunderstandings related to taharat ha’mishpachah, and information about what yoatzot halachah are and how they can help.
“Atara’s stories and anecdotes are ones that everyone can relate to,” says Anna Freilich, who has attended some of the recent programs. “As she spoke (at a recent lecture), there was a palpable sense of comfort in knowing that a woman who is learned, approachable, and empathetic is in a position to answer or find an answer to important halachic questions that might otherwise go unasked. She is a tremendous asset to the communities she serves.”
Ilana Prager, who is part of the yoetzet halachah committee at The Jewish Center, adds, “We are delighted to have Atara Eis working with our community. Our oneg Shabbat was a tremendous success, with roughly 40 women from across the spectrum of our community together. Atara’s talk was extremely informative. We heard not only practical and applicable material, but also chizuk and spiritual support. We look forward to working with Atara in the future as we think of new and innovative ways to utilize her expertise.”
The feedback from Manhattan rabbis has also been entirely positive.
“Nishmat’s yoetzet halachah initiative is of great benefit to the KJ community,” says Rabbi Elie Weinstock of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun. “Women have a female contact person to whom to address questions relating to taharat ha’mishpachah, and Atara Eis is a wonderful person and a great educator. It is a tremendous asset to have someone like that, especially a woman, on our team.”
In addition to the Manhattan initiative, Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center provides extensive programming with yoatzot halachah to communities throughout North America.
Recent programs included a three-day learning program in Charleston, SC; a health and halachah program at New Jersey’s Rutgers University; and a scholars-in-residence weekend in North Woodmere. Among scheduled upcoming events is a scholars-in-residence weekend in Hollywood, FL.
Yoatzot halachah are chosen for their extensive Torah scholarship, leadership ability, and deep religious commitment. To become certified, each yoetzet devotes two years (over 1,000 hours) to Talmudic and halachic study at Nishmat: The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women in Jerusalem. There they also receive training from experts in modern medicine, psychology, gynecology, infertility, women’s health, and sexuality. Following comprehensive examinations administered by a panel of distinguished roshei kollel and poskim, graduates of Nishmat’s Keren Ariel Halachic Institute are awarded the title of yoetzet halachah.
Since the first graduating class in 2000, more than 50 women have been certified as yoatzot halachah. Many serve Jewish communities across Israel and North America and are available via phone or the Internet to women all over the world. They have answered thousands of questions in connection with the observance of taharat ha’mishpachah and on topics of women’s health.
To find out more about Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center at American Friends of Nishmat, call 212-983-6975 or e-mail [email protected]. To read more about yoatzot halachah and the issues they address, visit www.yoatzot.org and www.jewishwomenshealth.org. To contact a yoetzet halachah directly, call Nishmat’s Golda Koschitzky Halachic Hotline toll-free at 877-YOETZET (963-8938) or visit www.yoatzot.org. Every call and e-mail is anonymous and confidential.
I think its a great idea….. Uproot the whole mesorah while youre at it. Who needs male rabbanim.. have women,doctors,lawyers, and others with “more expertise” than the rabbanim make important halachic decisions. The creation of this organization was no doubtly done with good intentions however I think deep down inside the directors there is some animosity towards men. Feminism is 100% an alterior motive to this organizations development. A lot of rabbanim handle these issues in a very descrete matter never asking whom they are speacking to on the phone or who dropped something in their mail box.
If something isnt broke dont fix it !!!!!!!
My kallah teacher, the highly respected Rebbeztin ****, is *gasp* a woman! And to think I never realized just what a radical feminist she is.
so – should men be teaching kallah classes? how many times as a young kallah did I call my kallah teacher (as opposed to asking a shailoh) – does that make her a rov? NO – it makes her an advisor – i.e., a yoetzet halacha.
Women have been teaching kallos all the years and throughout the generations,
Many — if not most — Chareidi women (I can speak for my wife, married daughters, and for the wives of some of my friends, and from Klallah teachers and rtebbetzins I know) have a closer relationship with their kallah teachers, rebetzins, and others to whom they can go for advice and guidance — and who will go to a Rav for them if tehy are uncomfortable.
What’s happened is the MOs have created a new position that seeks to achieve the same thing but do it in a feminist way, to further their agenda of presenting the Torah as sexist, chareidim as cave-dwelling mysoginists, and themselves as progressive liberals breaking new ground to help women.
Thanks, but no thanks.
This is an excellent idea. Many women go to their kallah teachers anyway with minor and personal questions, so it is much better to have women who are well-trained in the relevant halachos.
My sister-in-law is a yoietz for beis din in EY. When a couple wants a get, bais din rules on the division of assets, children, visitation etc. They have women who have studied choishen mishpat and even haezer to serve as a toiyan for the woman. She studied for 2 years while bringing up her children. The scope of halacha they need to know to pass the exam for this position is mind-boggling. It is simple common sense that a woman would feel more comfortable discussing these things with another woman. Unfortunately, the feminist activists (another term for ugly women) latch onto these things for their own agenda
Now then, now then, stop complaining all of you. When these feminists study Talmud and Shulchan Oruch (which is not allowed), it ’empowers them’, ‘puts them in touch with their femininity’ and fulfils ‘social justice’.
And when they ‘pasken’, they ‘feel good about who they are’.
It helps them internalize that they really are superior to men, so all of you who understand that this ‘yo’atzot’ program is horribly wrong, must be unconfident chauvinists
These women can advise women, which is very commendable but it must be 100% clear about what questions they can answer and which must be presented to a Rov.
Let’s remember that these responses to shailos are not merely opinions or advice but they are piskai halacha. If I am not mistaken, a Rav has been imbued with the power to offer piskai halacha at which time he takes on the full responsibility for his responses. It is almost a metaphsical power that he acquired when he received smicha. I do not think that a learned yoetzet has that same authority.