| The relationship between Chabad and Feminism is three-fold. The first two areas of this relationship might apply more broadly to how feminism has impacted the Orthodox Jewish community beyond a particular sect; however, the final area is unique to Chabad. 1. The Creation of a Jewish Counter-Feminism or Alternative Theory of Gender In our society, traditional Judaism is confronted with a liberal approach to gender egalitarianism that is often at odds with Jewish values or Jewish law. Not only is it at odds, but it is attacked on these grounds. The good old “Orthodox women are oppressed!” “The mechitzah is shameful!” “Women are excluded from Jewish practice!” In these face of these critiques there has emerged a discourse about gender in Orthodox Judaism that claims to be rooted in the past but in fact is distinctly modern. It has been created by the very liberal feminism it is in response to. Scholar of Chabad, Bonnie Morris calls it a counter-feminism.This approach often attacks feminism, not on specific grounds or policies, but rather on a caricature of feminism as a movement to “make women just like men,” to destroy the traditional family, or to denigrate motherhood. These are, in fact, facets or outcomes of the feminist movement but they are not its sum total or primary goals. Chabad’s brand of counter-feminism, of which one might say my own work relates to, often focuses on the value of motherhood and the home, women’s unique qualities and the powerful lessons we can learn from the Jewish women in our history. There is even a whole website called The Jewish Woman. The beauty of this process is that in the face of feminist arguments against traditional Judaism, the Jewish community has had to develop a more complex and nuanced view of Jewish womanhood. This has perhaps led to a greater appreciation and awareness about a woman’s role and its value. However, as a response to feminism it often fall short in addressing many of the actual beliefs or policies of the feminist movement, and therefore, lacks the ability to really affect feminism outside of the Jewish community. It is also limited in its focus on combatting negative views of Judaism and attempting to argue using the same terms of the secular, liberal world. Often times, this approach does not deeply grapple with issues women face, but instead paints an appealing picture of an ideal Jewish woman. 2. Benefitting from the Advances of Secular Feminism The next aspect of the relationship between feminism and Chabad/Orthodoxy is not an explicit one, but rather an area I have been developing in my research. I make the argument in my dissertation that Chabad women have benefitted from the feminist movement alongside the general increase in social, political and economic opportunities for women in America, especially as most members of Chabad (although not all!) are white and middle-class. Although they might not attribute these opportunities to the feminist movement, most Chabad women can build businesses, engage in community leadership roles, attain a secular education, and develop themselves as individuals due to the broad expansion of women’s roles in society created in part by feminism. At the end of the film, 93 Queen, about Rochie Frier, the first Hasidic woman to become a district judge, she proves this succinctly. As she walks up the stairs to the courtroom, her heels clicking on the marble steps, she says, “No, I am not a feminist, but I also wouldn’t have gotten here without feminism.” There are Hasidic women who work in robotics for the U.S. Army, who are lawyers, who have made millions in real estate, who advocate for the Jewish community with politicians local and national, and many other examples of Chabad women having success in the broader, non-Jewish world. This is all possible because of the women’s movement. On a more individual level, I found in my fieldwork that many women had a strong sense of self and agency from the inspiring women in their family and the influence of Chabad teachings, which I will turn to in the next section; however, I also found that young women in particular are influenced by secular values of womanhood that also shape how they see their ability to influence the world. One young woman I spoke to in her 20s had a huge vision to start a new educational institution and she was shocked when other Hasidic Jews told her she couldn’t do it until she was married. “I can do anything I want without a husband,” she told me, “what am I- half a person?” In fact, many Jewish sources do understand men and women as dependent upon each other through the means of marriage for a certain level of completion; however, this young woman had a more secular view that marriage wouldn’t complete her and shouldn’t hinder her in her sense of self and her actions. 3. Recognizing the Advantage of Feminism through a Particular Hasidic lens, i.e. “Hasidic Feminism” The third avenue of feminism’s influence on Chabad I believe is the most promising and authentic as an alternative to secular feminism. Instead of a wholesale rejection of feminism or ignoring its benefits, the Lubavitcher Rebbe sought to build upon the energy of the women’s movement to empower and elevate the status of women in the Chabad community in a uniquely Jewish way. Yes, the Rebbe himself was guilt of framing feminism at times as the attempt to make women like men, but to be fair this was a major outgrowth of the feminism of the 1980s and onward. The feminism of the 60s and 70s had a tremendously creative aspect that sought to uncover the hidden treasure of womanhood that had been debased under patriarchy. Unfortunately, this was sidelined as “essentialist” by the vocal queer theorists and post-structuralists of the next decade. To return to the efforts of “Hasidic Feminism,” the Rebbe drew on strong precedents in Hasidism to advance women’s Torah study, leadership roles and the advantages of women’s service of G-d. Many of these directives can be learned about first hand in my work book, 10 Essential Texts on Hasidic Feminism (available for free download). This aspect of feminism in Chabad could be called an indigenous theory of gender that rejects the secular terms of the feminist movement and instead builds a richer, broader, and more meaningful world for women on the very grounds of their own Jewish faith and identity. Hasidic Feminism is also strongly rooted in the messianic process of the elevation of the feminine, a process that the Rebbe taught us is happening now. The secular women’s movement was a fallen, confused version of this glorious future where a woman’s voice will ring out with the same clarity and audience as a man’s, but it will be distinctly female and that will be the source of its power. See this fantastic essay by Prof. Susan Handelman for more on this topic. In conclusion, as Prof. Handelman argues as well, I think it is time for us to move past a dichotomy between Feminism and Orthodoxy as opposing projects. They certainly have their differences and areas that are incompatible, I would not deny that; however, their relationship is much more nuanced that many in each camp would be willing to admit. I believe the third avenue of a Hasidic Feminism will allow the broader Jewish community to see an example of a feminism that draws on its positive aspects while maintaining a steadfast foundation in the Torah and Jewish mysticism. When our feet are planted firmly in who we are, we can draw from different philosophies and ideas without fear they will topple us. This requires an extensive Jewish education (for Jews of any age) in order to know and reveal that it is true Jewish femininity that will redeem our world. Ultimately the goal of feminism is to create a more equal, just world for everyone to live a life that fully expresses themselves without gender being a barrier. The Jewish view of a perfected world desires the same outcome except that gender is not a barrier to this but rather, in its rectified form, it will be one of the conduits to this perfection. |
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