A respected American programme catering to Orthodox Jewish women is to launch in the UK in the new year.
The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance will be run by London-based Dina Brawer in an attempt to boost the education and resources on offer to a new generation of Orthodox women.
Set up 15 years ago in America to “expand the spiritual, ritual, intellectual, and political opportunities for women in the framework of halachah”, JOFA is now also active in Israel, where Mrs Brawer first encountered it.
Mrs Brawer, an established Jewish educator, said that, with children at Jewish schools, women were increasingly aware of gaps in their knowledge, education and connection with Judaism and starting to want to find their place in the religion. She already teaches brides about mikveh and Jewish marriage, and has seen a trend of people embracing and being excited about the ideas.