There’s no excuse now not to have women speakers
"There is no longer any excuse for any Jewish community organisation or synagogue not to include women in their public programming and events."
The first Australian branch of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance (JOFA) was launched in May 2021 in Melbourne with the aim of expanding the spiritual, ritual, intellectual and political opportunities for Australian women within the framework of halachah.
The pandemic presented a perfect opportunity to reassess how things have always been done in Australia and see whether this once in a lifetime reset could contribute to an environment that is more inclusive of Orthodox women.
Since our launch, JOFA Australia has been very busy. We have set up the first scholarship fund for Orthodox women to receive skills and training opportunities, we have been hosting events with trailblazing Orthodox feminists and we have been increasing opportunities for women for greater inclusion in all areas of Jewish life in this country.
One of the main goals of JOFA Australia in our first 12 months of operations was to establish a Jewish women’s public speaker bureau. Nothing like this has ever been established before in Australia by any organisation.
This resource, where women are listed with a photo, bio and sample speaking topics, goes a long way to better including women in all areas of Jewish and public life.
Overseas, public speaker bureaus have been able to shift the opportunities available for women who are looking to participate in public life by having an easy to access destination to see a list of talented local women.
When JOFA Australia launched, I was hoping to sign up 60 women from across the country for the bureau. The aim would be to help synagogues and community organisations find suitable women to speak at their events and panels.
There is no halachic problem with women teaching Torah nor speaking in public, but in recent years there has been a growing phenomenon of women disappearing from public spaces in the Australian Jewish community. This is not a uniquely Orthodox problem, but in Orthodox circles it can be exacerbated because women do not often hold leadership roles in religious settings.
The reasons why women are excluded from public settings can vary.
Sometimes it can be difficult for organisations to find a woman who wants to speak and is suitably qualified (although trust me, plenty of women in Australia are extremely qualified!). Sometimes it can be due to cultural conditioning where women are reluctant to put themselves forward for opportunities. Other times it can be that a time-poor synagogue or Jewish community organisation is not trying hard enough to find women.
Enter the JOFA Australia public speaker bureau.
There is no longer any excuse for any Jewish community organisation or synagogue not to include women in their public programming and events.
Sixty-six Australian women from four states and territories have signed up to the public speaker bureau from cities including Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Canberra. The bureau is still accepting applications and women are welcome to apply and add their names to this important public resource. The bureau is on the JOFA Australia website at jofaaustralia.com.
The level of talent in this community is staggering. The women of Australia are a talented bunch. Women who have signed up to JOFA Australia’s bureau include doctors, lawyers, rabbanits, professors, advocates, nurses and Kallah teachers.
Women want to be involved in all areas of public life.
We represent 50 per cent of the population. To exclude women, even by omission, excludes 50 per cent of the Jewish people.
Australia is one of the world’s largest Jewish communities with more than 100,000 Jewish people across the country. We want bright and vibrant communities for our children and grandchildren. Things don’t have to stay the way they have always been. We can seize the moment to create effective and meaningful change.
The pandemic has shown humanity that sweeping and enduring changes to the ways we live can occur quickly.
The creation of a public speaker bureau helps to shift the status quo. It empowers women to consider their talents and skills and list them on a public forum. It helps to shift perspectives of “permitting” women to participate, to actively encouraging and facilitating equal opportunities.
In the 21st century Jewish women are the most educated generation that has ever existed. In Australia, Jewish women want the opportunities to shine and be included!
Nomi Kaltmann is president of JOFA Australia. Visit the JOFA Australia public speaker bureau for more information.
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