New Women's Group to Focus on Gender and Judaism

Several Jewish women at Harvard have formed a group to focus on issues of gender and Judaism.

Approximately 10 women attended the first meeting, which took place last night at Quincy House. Three students--Harley E. Guttman '91, Melissa B. Klein '94 and Joanne D. Brown '93--are sponsoring the group, which resembles other groups formed in the past.

The group will not limit itself to discussing issues of gender, but will also consider other concerns of participants, members said at the meeting. The organization has also planned social gatherings and community service projects.

Participants in yesterday's forum stressed the need for a specifically female group, set apart from the generally male-dominated Harvard Jewish community.

Feeling Excluded

"At Egalitarian services, I have felt really excluded," one member said. "God was male, all my ancestors seemed to be male."

Rabbi Sally Finestone, acting director of Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel, linked the new group to the religion's long history of sisterhoods.

"The fact that Jewish women are gathering in a place to talk about social issues is not new," she said.

"From the beginning of organized society, it has been common for women to band together to deal with questions from health and childcare... to burials."

Links to traditional Judaism will be stressed by the use of a prayer or other religious text at the beginning of each meeting.

Other activities the group is considering includes meeting with a Palestinian women's group and discussing the Middle East peace process. In addition, members suggested making a patchwork quilt, folk dancing and a cooking get-together as possible activities.