The women’s daf yomi siyum in Israel became a worldwide phenomenon, reaching many and inspiring a new generation of women to study in the fourteenth cycle. Because of the new passion, many groups have formed, from podcasts to Facebook groups to shiurim, led by women and speaking to an audience of people of all genders and backgrounds.

Come and meet the four Orthodox women with smicha (rabbinic ordination), or studying for smicha, living in the UK. From hospitals to jails to classrooms, each woman has brought her unique voice and teaching to the community. Each shares her journey, challenges, high points and hopes for the future. There will be a Q&A session for all those questions you must have!

The story of the Tower of Babel repeats the same languages time and time again. First, the language of “devarim ekhadim” shows either an aversion to national moral reflection, a preference for communism or a turn to idolatry. God “going down to see the city” can reflect either eyewitness testimony or a stiff-necked nation offered forgiveness after turning to its own will. This parallel conflict between community and mob, as spread over the repetitive language, seems to point to a deeper discussion about totalitarianism and individualism according to a novel interpretation by Rabba Dr. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz.

Each week, join Rabbanit Michal Kohane on Zoom to explore an in-depth portion of the Talmud.

The patriarch of a newer nation, Yaakov, is preparing for his death after convincing God to prolong his life slightly. It is what he does with these final moments, says Rivka Wietchner, which teaches the importance of seeking closure and making sure to impart a clear legacy.

​

​

Rabba Dr. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz and Miriam Lorie’s entry into Maharat is announced.

When seated at a Shabbat meal in New York, Rabbanit Michal Kohane was thrilled to find out that another guest had returned from a yoga retreat; her hosts, however, considered this idolatry. In taking a closer look at the sources, though, it appears not to hold water. Rather, worshipping God is about finding meaning in personal passions and using them to serve God with a full heart.

Despite his lack of preferential or firstborn status, it is Yehudah who becomes the patriarch of the dynastic tribe. Rabbanit Adina Fredman dissects the text and, with the recurrence of three independent verbs in just five verses, argues that his leadership was earned after he showed an ability to act for and support the whole with compassion.