In this episode, Dr. Chava Green explores how uncovering a genuine curiosity about our Judaism can ignite a lifelong passion for Torah study. Chava shares about her own journey of seeking out a community that would give her access directly to the texts of Torah and why that was a deal breaker for her. We dive into how firsthand engagement with Torah sources has shaped her understanding of Jewish womanhood, how she’s adapted to the changes that came with motherhood, and why direct access to learning at the various seasons of her life can take on different forms.

We talk about the research she did while writing her dissertation on Chassidic feminism, focusing specifically on the impact of the Rebbe speaking directly to women, and how a direct relationship with Torah contributes to a sense of spiritual belonging.

What does it mean to truly feel that Torah is ours? Where do gaps remain in women’s connection to Jewish learning—and how might we begin to close them? This episode is an invitation to ask: What’s your question? And what might open up if you followed it into the text?

Dr. Chava Green is an educator, writer, and public speaker. She has a PhD in Religion from Emory University where she wrote a dissertation on Hasidic Feminism. Her academic and popular work explore the role of gender in Chabad society and its mystical texts. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and three children.

Website: https://thehasidicfeminist.wordpress.com/

Monthly newsletter: https://the-hasidic-feminist.kit.com/16d7257907

Podcasts:

18forty: https://18forty.org/podcast/what-is-chabads-feminist-vision/

The TrailBLAZER Pod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9EH2164Bjw&t=91s

Book Recommendation:

https://korenpub.com/collections/the-noe-edition-koren-talmud-bavli-1?srsltid=AfmBOopiSHgzxAbXF5gU395ed7Lkd5nCC7udQxfZZgw8DIsBqugYYSfU

References

Study Guide

Sicha