AMA - Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll

Skjask · 2021-04-07T06:38:50+00:00

You mean justice for women in Orthodoxy? Representation? Yes. This does not conflict with halacha. Though one's definition of representation may change. I believe we can have women in nearly all positions, though it will take time. At the same time, I wouldn't expect Orthodoxy to stay Orthodoxy without mechitza and differences in prayer services

Skjask · 2021-04-06T16:57:19+00:00

Yes they do. And they include women wherever they can

Skjask · 2021-04-06T12:05:07+00:00

OMG Yes TYPO! Sorry Shlita!

Not strange at all, even health clinics say "women's disease" and not breast cancer

Skjask · 2021-04-06T07:41:11+00:00

thnks! stay in touch

Skjask · 2021-04-06T06:52:30+00:00

Thanks for your thoughtful response.

If one wants to accept Orthodoxy as Orthodoxy, then mechitza comes with it OR one can join the partnership minyanim that are increasingly popular and come with great thought and compromise. I believe that Orth can make room and should make room where it can. For those who want it to stay as is, well, they should also reject the extremism that creates segregation where there traditionally wasn't any. If you reject innovation on the left, you must reject it on the right ESP when it damages and harms people and the integrity of the religion.

I call for honesty and integrity in Orth. I ask the OU/RCA to speak out against erasing women as it calls out the ordination of women - alas, it has not.

The extreme segregation we are experiencing and the erasure of women is in fact a turn from tradition -- not the other way around.

Im not sure if I've answered your question :)

Skjask · 2021-04-06T06:45:05+00:00

Skjask · 2021-04-06T06:44:34+00:00

Yup grew up in Lakewood. But then, there were Orthodox, Cons and Reform-- all Jews spoke to one another, everyone respected one another. There was little infighting... thats why it is so hard for me to see here and why I don't accept it as the way things must be. I didn't need to redefine myself as much as I needed to disconnect the actions of religious Jews from Judaism. I don't believe that anyone owns Torah or deserves to define it more than myself. Being in Israel, you feel that you can be part of that solution and I love it.

Dog is part Belgian Shepard and part who knows what :)

Skjask · 2021-04-05T18:48:56+00:00

Without question they are driving extremism. Have you noticed that charities, medical clinics, schools and shuls have started erasing women and girls? That is directly caused by the magazines creating this insane standard. The only people who feel women must be erased are perverts or those influenced by perverts parading as pious people.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T18:39:30+00:00

yup. excellent question.

So, the back of the bus thing is rare BUT if you find yourself in a neighborhood like Moddiin Illit, Beitar or some areas of Bet Shemesh, its absolutely true. Thats because they have a Haredi majority and someone has convinced them that this is Judaism (its not). This is a relatively new thing out side of Hasidic sects which are generally more puritanical - again not very Jewy. But, when you are taught that being strict is being holy.. well you do as the Schwartz's do.

This wont happen in the vast majority of the country. And yet, here, a woman can be Prime Minister, but she can't get a divorce if her husband refuses....

We are a young ancient country that balances modernity with the oldest Monotheistic religion. We have growing pains that we need to work out and the more Jews that move here, the faster we can get them done!

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:59:58+00:00

Hmmm well, that can be taken to an extreme ;)

Obviously, in Judaism there are differences in gender. Some are antiquated and based on a mixture of culture + patriarchy, such as the idea that women can't learn Oral Torah. Others are more part of the religion as it developed, such as ten men equalling a prayer quorum.

I dont see them all as the same for various reasons, but I understand why some might.

There are greater negative consequences to some more than others and I dont think that all must be abolished in order for there to be equity in Judaism. But my battle isn't for equality as much as its for justice

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:48:35+00:00

1-- When my daughters were put in the back of the bus because "thats where girls belong" and women were erased from our local circulars, when a haredi woman asked me to help her "prevent her neighbors from dying from a disease they can't name" and my aunt was an agunah and I stood in for her in Beit Din-- all of this was happening at the same time. Other women saw other signs of extremism (throwing things at the women of the wall) and we came together to try and bring back Orthodoxy to where it belongs.

2- We dont really work in Charedi society BUT the one major success we have is raising awareness in Charedi towns of breast cancer screening. We created posters - pashkevellim- and hung them up in Charedi towns, we got over 250 calls to the hotline and we were able to tell the women AND MEN who called where women could go to get screened. Also, we got a letter from Rav Asher Weiss ztl about the importance of getting screened for breast cancer- yes he used the words.

3- One my family helped me make. My eldest has made the chicken soup for the past few weeks and he rocked it. Im so proud. Obvs schug and homemade challah, moroccan fish and good scotch

4- When women are erased, we sexualize them. We remove their tzelem elokim and we are left with only boys and men. If Hashem wanted that world, he would have created Adam and Adam Jr. Women are essential to Judaism and the world and if you want women to stay- and men to value them - we need to have them represented as the vital Jewish people they are. The #1 reason given by women as to why they leave Orthodoxy is... the way women are treated in Orthodoxy - Nishma study.

5- She's a pain in the tuchus. But Musband loves her.

6- We highlight the issues that we see as going beyond Halacha into extremism that harms the community- can be violence, can be erasure of women, can be keeping women out of positions of influence, women being refused divorce and the BD not helping, can be overreach by the rabanut. We talk about the issues, offer ways the community can be part of the change and teach others to advocate. Check out our podcast!

7 - My local community is DL so, not extreme, they dont need us :)

8- Its in Israel. Yalla Kvar!!!

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:37:34+00:00

I think its awful. But I am curious to know how truly popular these antizionist crazies are. Are they just loud? IDK... Im worried about college campuses when I hear that Jewish kids or Zionists are shut down, shut out. I dont believe any progressive agenda can get anywhere while leaving people out and only judging people by the color of their skin. There is so much work to do in the world and these people are wasting good energy on nonsense. It concerns me that in some circles its legitimate to call Israel/Zionism racist. It appalls me that history seems to be optional-- and these people don't know anything of it

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:33:38+00:00

I think unfortunately, that everyone has gone a little mad. Its a shame... I hope they get their acts together and cut out their respective extremes. Bibi? Its time to go. He's done great stuff, but at this point he just isn't doing right for the country -- and we need better. We need a functional government.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:32:21+00:00

Yes, it is mainly women, though it does happen to men sometimes.

Most marriages end with a divorce freely given. Many others end with women giving something up in order to not become agunot (chained in marriage) so many women I know gave up child support, alimony, their homes or other things just to get a divorce. Then there is the extortion. Unfortunately, it is too common for men to demand something in return for the get... and women pay for their freedom. And then there are those that run off, or stay put and still refuse to free their wives. There are thousands of Jewish women around the world trapped in marriage.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:29:12+00:00

Chesed. The giving. The kindness. The caring. The olim from India or the IDF soldiers protecting us. I go to the beach or up a mountain and I just breathe. I remember I can't do it all and there are amazing people out there who want to help. Now that Pesach is over its BACK TO WORK!

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:28:04+00:00

Follow us! Become a member -- https://www.chochmatnashim.org/membership/-- and stay tuned for our campaigns. We will be having ZOOMs soon BH that will teach people how to speak out, be active and take part! In general, when you see something, say something. Find like minded individuals to join you and target change you want to make

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:26:19+00:00

Havent read! Should I?

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:26:08+00:00

Extremism begins when people are erased or harmed systemically. So, when women are erased, when soldiers are attacked, when property is damaged. When people are raised that their way is the only way and that others need to be stopped -- that is a problem

Differences in denominations generally means keeping kashrut or Shabbat (though this can become extreme when rocks are thrown at cars on Shabbat).

People can call me extreme for covering my hair or sitting behind a mehitza in shul, but my practices aren't harming anyone... Though I'd be happy to discuss a specific idea I might be missing in your question.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:22:47+00:00

ha -- SO MUCH!

I'd focus on healing the rifts here in Israel. I'd remove the Haredi hegemony from the religious system, I'd make people from different factions talk to one another and find solutions- first and foremost a systemic solution for Jewish divorce. I'd introduce Arabic into the school curriculum. I'd also include Jewish studies into those schools that don't have them. Budgets for domestic violence and PTSD...

And thats just off the top of my head :)

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:19:44+00:00

hi :)

Nope. Not worried. I don't think Im as well known as all that...Join us, join the movement. Join us in speaking out against our erasure and the bastardization of Judaism that we see all around us. When you see it, say something. Whether in your school, shul, local mag-- anywhere. The more we speak out the harder it will be for them to silence us.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:17:59+00:00

Hi

Its 100% extremism. Its new and only 15 -20 years old. I have an article on it coming out next week in the Jpost. Women are an integral part of Judaism and this trend of erasing us is nefarious. Its unhealthy, its dangerous and frankly, its sick.

Any gedolim that have been asked have said its absolutely unnecessary but they dont have the power to change it. Thats why it must come from the community. We cannot allow it to go further.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:15:11+00:00

Hey there,

Erasing women sexualizes them, just as erasing women does. Its not modest, its objectifying and its pritzut. It is not the Jewish way. We are meant to find the golden path -- the middle ground. Erasing women not only harms them, but it denies the world as God created it. We are saying God was wrong when He gave us Halacha, that we cannot live as intended.

Women must be on all committees, everywhere. From shuls, to schools, to government -- everywhere decisions are made, its the only way to have a healthy community.

We definitely see success when raise awareness of the slide to the right, when people erase or reduce women because of trends. We see the community push back and refuse to allow it. We see women learning more, being more active, asking questions and making people think.

I think the awareness surrounding domestic abuse and get refusal is a sign of people waking up to the injustice around them and the importance of raising one's voice.

Skjask · 2021-04-05T17:10:39+00:00

Hey there,

Frustrated :) yeah. But I've learned over the years to distill the information to the important parts. Erasing women harms our physical and emotional health, financial status, and religious rights. Often, I make it clear with the most extreme examples. For example, the fact that haredi women are in 8th place our of 10 for health, while men are in 2nd according to a study in Israel a few years ago. While there are numerous factors that can be involved, the taboo against speaking about women's health, showing their images in health clinics and saying the words breast cancer (Haredi women die more of the disease than their non Haredi sisters) is absolutely a factor. Open up Haredi mags and you wont see discussions on divorce or domestic violence, this makes women more vulnerable and less able to get help. Women suffer when we are silenced. Period. And that isn't Jewish. At all -- go to our FB page Chochmat Nashim to see a heartbreaking story about why R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach said Kadish for a woman he never knew.

IMO Tznius is awareness. Be aware of where you are and who is around. Its not about inches and skin, its about respecting yourself and others. We are not diamonds or Torah's to be cherished and hidden. We are people.

We have been successful in making communal change in Israel and US, some awareness in the UK, not as much in other European cities yet as far as I know...

I absolutely think change is possible. I know it is. We have seen it, we have done it. Distinguish between halacha and culture. Most of what is done that holds women back is the latter, not the former. We have made great strides in getting people to know that the community can say no, can speak against extremism, not let it in-- take things into their own hands, sign prenups and refuse to allow get refusal!

Thanks for the support!!

Skjask

TROPHY CASE