There is a longstanding debate in Jewish Law on the appropriateness of
women studying the Oral Law. The essays in this volume encompass discussions on the issue of advanced Torah study for women that appeared in Tradition, the journal of Orthodox Jewish thought published by the Rabbinical Council of America, over more than two decades. Women often do not get the encouragement needed to maintain continued interest, and self-fulfilling assessments that there is no point in such study become reality. Nevertheless, as these discussions show, as more and more opportunities for advanced study of Talmud by women open up in Israel and America, this too may change. The first set of essays in this volume traces the halakhic discussion, the second part of the book consists of more personal observations by people who are actively involved in the field of Jewish education, including the heads of schools offering advanced Torah study for women. Even in those communities where the halakhic acceptability of women studying Talmud is not denied, there is more than some hesitation among young women to undertake formal Talmud study. This is not simply because societal support is often missing, but because the first step in learning Talmud is often difficult and tedious, and there are few public role models. These authors all applaud the growth in advanced Torah education for women, but there are interesting different and important nuances in their respective presentations.
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