Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Documenting Jewish women’s stories,

elevating their voices, and inspiring them to be

agents of change.

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

POWER COUPLES

Adrienne Rich and

Erika Meitner

Writing Truth to

Power

Gilda Radner and

Abbi Jacobson and

Ilana Glazer

Making us laugh,

one Jewess joke at

a time

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

JEWISH TIME JUMP: NEW YORK

Adaptable, modular lesson plans and primary

sources for educators teaching grades 5-7.

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

RISING VOICES FELLOWSHIP

Apply by June 1, 2015

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Alicia Jo Rabins and Girls in Trouble

Ruth replied, “Do not implore me to leave you or turn away from you”—because I

intend to convert in any case, but I would rather do it through you, than at the

hands of another. When Naomi heard this, she began to teach Ruth the laws of

conversion.

“For where you go, I will go”: Naomi told Ruth: “My daughter, it is not the way of

Israel to go to theaters or to circuses, but only to synagogues and study halls.

Nor is it the way of Israel to go more than two thousand cubits on the Sabbath.”

Ruth said: “Where you go, I will go.”

Naomi said, “My daughter, it is not the way of Israel to dwell in a house without a

mezuzah.” Ruth said, “Where you dwell, I will dwell.”

“Your people will be my people”: these are the rules of punishments and

warnings.

“And your God will be my God”: these are the rest of the commandments.

Ruth Rabbah 2:22

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Midrash Zuta Ruth 1:12

"Return my daughters—go," (Ruth 1:13). [Naomi

repeats this] two times; from this you learn that we

deny a convert twice.

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Ruth Rabbah 4:4

Rabbi Yannai said, “Ruth was forty years old.”

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Ruth Rabbah 5:2

Ruth fell on her face and bowed to him, saying, “Why

have I been so lucky that you have chosen to single me

out [le-hakireni, literally, to know me]?” (Ruth 2:10)

This teaches that Ruth prophesied about herself, that

one day Boaz would “know” her intimately.

Naomi entreating Ruth and Orpah to return to the land of Moab,

William Blake, 1795, English

Ruth and Naomi,

Adi Nes, 2006, Contemporary Israeli

Ruth and Boaz,

Janet Shafner, 1999, American

Ruth,

Ephraim Moses Lilien, 1912, Polish

Ruth Gleaning,

James Tissot, 1896, French

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Sometimes the road chooses you and not the other way around

I don't know how but I just knew you would lead me to sacred ground

I was living in a place but it was time for me to leave

I'd lost all of my faith but I was ready to believe

In the middle of the night I went and lay down by your feet

I knew that if the time was right you would welcome me

I crept away before the break of day

By then I knew that you would come to me

And all the people in the gate and all the elders they will say

we are the witnesses today to this covenant you make

Generations pass generations come

And now our separate histories are one

“Separate Histories,” Girls in Trouble

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Natalia Twersky Educator Award

Honoring educators who share JWA’s commitment to

using primary sources to weave Jewish women’s

stories into their lessons and programs.

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Eligibility, Prizes, and Deadline

• Any Jewish educator working with students in grades

6-12

• Two cash prizes

• Winner receives $2,000 + $400 for their school/program

• Finalist receives $500 + $100 for their school/program

• Submission Deadline:

June 1, 2015

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

RISING VOICES FELLOWSHIP

Apply by June 1, 2015

Sharing Stories

Inspiring Change

Thank you Alicia, and thanks for coming!