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Prime Ribs: Prosecution for Hoffman?; Soap Opera Politics; ‘Birth Rape’

Jerusalem police are recommending prosecution for Anat Hoffman, the Women of the Wall leader who was arrested in July while carrying a Torah in the Western Wall plaza. Read The Sisterhood’s interview with Hoffman — her first following the arrest — here and view our slideshow of women around the world holding or reading from the Torah here.


A Syrian soap has taken a turn for the political with a storyline about a Muslim woman’s decision to take off her veil — a decision that causes her mother to disown her and her brother to plot her murder.


Jenna Zark, over at TCJewfolk, has some fun playing with the initials J.A.P.


Rabbi James Ponet, who officiated at the recent nuptials of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, in an essay on Tablet, writes that “it is time for Judaism to formulate a thoughtful, traditionally connected ceremony through which a Jew may enter into marriage with a non-Jew, a prescribed way or ways by which a rabbi may officiate or co-officiate at such a wedding.” Ponet was criticized by his own rabbinic organization for participating in the interfaith ceremony.


Have you heard of “birth rape”? That’s the controversial moniker being given to the trauma pregnant women experience as a result of “having doctors poke and prod your body against your will, or bully you into procedures you don’t want, or otherwise assume that your right to autonomy was checked at the door of the hospital,” Double X explains.


Nehirim, a community-building organization for GLBT Jews, has announced plans for its third annual women’s retreat.


Jewish Woman magazine reports that more women are taking on the role of baalat tekiah, or shofar blower.

L’shana tova.

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