In April 1999, Yale and Slifka hosted a conference called Cherut: Jewish Women and
Freedom. It took place over 4 days and featured Jewish feminists including Betty
Friedan, Judith Plaskow, Debbie Friedman, and so many more. The conference was also a formative moment for Jewish leaders like Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and led to published writing, ritual development, and more.
This year will be the 25th anniversary, so it’s a powerful opportunity to host a
conference that will honor the history and legacy of the Cherut conference and convene
Jewish women and people of all genders together. Like the first Cherut gathering, we
anticipate the conference will lead to published writing, archival video, and other
documentation that will inform contemporary conversation about Jewish women,
particularly as Jewish community leaders.