Women's Gallery: Showcasing Women in Jewish Leadership

(50) From Consumers to Producers of Torah: Raising the Next Generation of Women Torah Scholars, with Dr. Raizi Chechik

What does the future of women's Torah scholarship look like? Dr. Raizi Chechik, the inaugural director of the Pava Center for Women's Torah Scholarship at Yeshiva University, joins Joanne Greenaway to discuss an inspiring new vision for cultivating women as Torah scholars, educators, and teachers of Torah. Drawing on decades of experience as an educator, mentor, and head of school, she reflects on the mentors who shaped her, the philosophy that has guided her work, and why authentic Torah learning is resonating so deeply with today's young women. Together, Joanne and Dr. Chechik explore how rigorous Torah scholarship, mentorship, and community engagement can prepare women to make meaningful contributions to Orthodox Jewish life while remaining deeply rooted in tradition. They discuss the remarkable response to the new program, the challenge of balancing innovation with continuity, and the importance of helping women see themselves not only as consumers of Torah, but also as producers and teachers of Torah. The conversation concludes with a moving reflection on hope, resilience, and the enduring wisdom of Torah in times of uncertainty.

(49) Leading with Laughter: Rachel Creeger on Comedy, Courage, and Jewish Visibility

For most Orthodox women, leadership does not begin with a microphone in a comedy club. But for award-winning comedian Rachel Creeger, humor has become a powerful way to represent Jewish life, challenge stereotypes, and create connection across communities. In this episode of Women's Gallery, Joanne Greenaway speaks with Rachel about forging a path where no roadmap existed, navigating life as an Orthodox woman in the performing arts, confronting antisemitism after October 7, and discovering that comedy can be a form of leadership. Rachel also reflects on being targeted and effectively canceled by venues because she is openly Jewish, and on her determination to respond not by retreating, but by speaking more boldly. Their conversation explores authenticity, resilience, public voice, and what happens when Jewish women refuse to be defined by other people's expectations.

(48) Strengthening Women Who Sustain Communities, with Aliza Bulow

What does it take to support the women who quietly sustain Jewish life? In this inspiring conversation, Joanne Greenaway speaks with Aliza Bulow, founder of Core, a global organization that equips and connects women who serve as spiritual guides, community builders, educators, rebbetzins, mentors, and caregivers. From a handful of participants to a worldwide network spanning more than 100 cities across six continents, Core has become a movement dedicated to strengthening the women who strengthen everyone else. Aliza shares her remarkable personal journey: from converting to Judaism as a teenager in Portland, Oregon, to studying in Israel, serving in the IDF, and ultimately creating an innovative model of leadership development rooted in connection, wisdom, and spiritual resilience. Along the way, she reflects on faith, loss, marriage, community responsibility, and why women's often-unseen leadership is indispensable to the future of Jewish life. Together, Joanne and Aliza explore what it means to be a community pillar, how leaders can avoid burnout, why women need stronger support networks, and how trust, hope, and faith are transmitted from one generation to the next. This is a conversation about leadership, purpose, and the extraordinary impact of women whose influence ripples far beyond what most people ever see. If you've ever wondered who supports the people everyone else turns to, this episode is for you. This LSJS podcast is powered by The Walder Foundation and a generous anonymous donor. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning [https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/learning] if you're looking to explore and strengthen your Jewish identity.

(47) Talmud for Everyone? Dr. Ayelet Hoffmann-Libson on Women, Learning, and Jewish Leadership

On this episode of Women's Gallery, Dr. Ayelet Hoffmann-Libson joins Joanne Greenaway for a wide-ranging conversation about women, Talmud, academia, and the future of Jewish learning. A senior lecturer in Talmud at Bar-Ilan University and a leading public-facing Torah scholar, Dr. Hoffmann-Libson reflects on her journey from studying at Pelech and Midreshet Lindenbaum to teaching at Harvard, Penn, and Yale. Together, she and Joanne explore how women entering the world of advanced Torah study are reshaping both the Beit Midrash and academia, why Talmud should not remain the domain of an elite few, and how learning Torah can become a profound framework for thinking about human existence, authority, individuality, and religious life. The conversation also examines the tensions between traditional and academic approaches to Talmud, the challenge of imposter syndrome for women in leadership, and why Dr. Hoffmann-Libson believes the next generation of Jewish women will fundamentally transform religious communities. This is a thoughtful and deeply personal discussion about Torah, truth, intellectual courage, and what it means to make the Talmud accessible to everyone. What does an observant life look like for spiritually aspirational women? Join the Women and Mitzvot course at LSJS with Joanne Greenaway, Dr. Lindsay Simmonds, and Rabbanit Rachel Weber Leshaw by signing up here. [https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/wm] For full information about Hadran's #SukkahChallenge starting June 1st, click here: https://bit.ly/42LdZzK [https://bit.ly/42LdZzK] To register for the masechet #SukkahChallenge, click here: https://bit.ly/4drIXli [https://bit.ly/4drIXli] Read Law and Self-Knowledge in the Talmud by Dr. Ayelet Hoffmann-Libson. Order your copy [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Self-Knowledge-Talmud-Ayelet-Hoffmann-Libson/dp/1108427499] today. This LSJS podcast is powered by The Walder Foundation and a generous anonymous donor. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning [https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/learning] if you're looking to explore and strengthen your Jewish identity.

(46) Holding their pain with Dr. Aimee Baron of I Was Supposed To Have A Baby

What does it mean to hold pain that has no easy resolution? In this deeply moving conversation, Joanne Greenaway speaks with Dr. Aimee Baron about the quiet heartbreak of infertility, pregnancy loss, and unrealized expectations. Moving from working as a medical doctor to establishing an organisation in order to fill an important need in the global Jewish community, Dr. Baron brings both professional insight and profound personal experience to her work. Drawing on her own story and her work supporting others, Dr. Baron explores how individuals and communities can respond with greater sensitivity, awareness, and compassion. Together, they discuss the gap between medical care and emotional support, the unique challenges within Jewish communal life, and the power of simply being present for someone in pain. From the role of social media to the complexities of stigma and silence, this episode asks how we can better care for those whose lives have not unfolded as they had hoped. Honest, thoughtful, and profoundly human, this is a conversation about listening, understanding, and learning how to hold space when words are not enough. Visit iwassupposedtohaveababy.org [https://iwassupposedtohaveababy.org/] and listen to Dr. Baron's podcast, Taking Away the Taboo [https://open.spotify.com/show/03bNeUS0EKASwsmfEVpvDU?si=a9c2bad6e9eb4460]. This LSJS podcast is powered by The Walder Foundation and a generous anonymous donor. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning [https://www.lsjs.ac.uk/learning] if you're looking to explore and strengthen your Jewish identity.