The Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) is a national

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

whose mission is to document "Jewish women's stories, elevate their voices, and inspire them to be agents of change." JWA was founded by Gail Twersky Reimer in 1995 in Brookline,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

with the goal of using the

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to increase awareness of and provide access to the stories of American Jewish women. JWA makes a growing collection of information, exhibits, and resources available via its website. Its activities include the conception, production and dissemination of: :* Community-based

oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information from people, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people who pa ...

projects :* Online exhibitions :* Original academic research :* Educational materials including

curricula In education, a curriculum (; : curriculums or curricula ) is the totality of student experiences that occur in an educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a view of the student's experi ...

, a poster series and an

guide :* Training Institutes for educators working in formal and

informal Formal, formality, informal or informality imply the complying with, or not complying with, some set of requirements ( forms, in Ancient Greek). They may refer to: Dress code and events * Formal wear, attire for formal events * Semi-formal att ...

settings :*

Documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

Starting in 2010, JWA also began holding an Annual Luncheon in New York City at which it honors three women for their activism and achievements. In 2010 the focus was on the Triangle Fire (2010 was the centenary of that tragedy). Honorees included Ruth J. Abram (co-founder of the Tenement Museum), Kate Frucher (attorney and entrepreneur), and journalist Lynn Sherr. In 2011 the luncheon was titled "Making Trouble / Making History."

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presented the awards, which were given to Elizabeth A. Sackler (The Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum), Rebecca Traister (author, '' Big Girls Don't Cry'', journalist), and Letty Cottin Pogrebin (author, "Deborah, Golda, and Me," etc., journalist, founding editor, "Ms magazine").

Major programs and projects

Curricula and educational resources

JWA's most recent curriculum, Living the Legacy, focuses on the role of Jewish women in the Civil Rights Movement and labor movement, seeking to highlight their often-neglected but central role. Additional educational resources include 18 "Go & Learn" lesson plans, book and film guides, primary source materials and mother-daughter workshop materials. Previous curricula include Making Our Wilderness Bloom.

Online encyclopedia

''The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women'' edited by Jennifer Sartori, formerly ''Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia'' edited by Paula Hyman and Dalia Ofer, is accessible for free via JWA's website. The encyclopedia features approximately 2,000 articles on the lives and achievements of Jewish women. Articles are also disseminated via

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Film

In 2007 JWA produced ''Making Trouble'', a documentary film about three generations of female Jewish comedians and the complexity and challenges of their relationship to comedy, Judaism and gender. The film profiles Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker,

Joan Rivers Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedienne, actress, producer, writer and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona that w ...

, Gilda Radner, and Wendy Wasserstein as well as contemporary comedians Judy Gold and Jackie Hoffman. The film has been screened at over 70 film festivals and other venues.

Podcast

The Jewish Women's Archive produced a podcast called ''Can We Talk?'' hosted by Nahanni Rous. Rous is also joined by Judith Rosenbaum and Ibby Caputo. The show released its first episode on January 26, 2016 and continued to release episodes on a monthly basis. Each episode is only about twenty minutes in length. The show interviews Jewish women about news, politics, and culture. In one episode the hosts interview Anita Diamant about her book '' The Red Tent''. The show was featured in Steve Olsher's "Ultimate Directory of Podcasters" as one of the top ten podcasts about Judaism as well as one of the top ten religion and spirituality podcasts.

Online exhibits

''Katrina's Jewish Voices'' is an online exhibit of photos, blog posts, podcasts, and email messages documenting the experience of the Jewish community during and after Hurricane Katrina, produced in collaboration with the Center for History and New Media at

George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...

In partnership with the Institute for Southern Jewish History, JWA conducted 85 interviews with members of the

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, Baton Rouge, and Gulf Coast Jewish communities which are included in the exhibit. Other online exhibits include Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution, History Makers: Women of Valor and Women Who Dared: Contemporary Activists.

Other resources

''We Remember'' is an online collection of personal reflections and reminiscences about recently deceased notable American Jewish women. ''This Week in History'' is a calendar of events that matches the current date with events in Jewish women's history.

Leadership

Notable staff and directors (as of 2023) include the CEO of JWA, Dr. Judith Rosenbaum. Their founding director is Dr. Gail Twersky Reimer. The current Chief Development Officer is Debra Cash, and their Chief Communications Officer and Encyclopedia Editor is Dr. Jennifer Sartori, co-director of the Adoption & Jewish Identity Project. Barbara Dobkin is the Founding Chair of JWA's Board, which is currently led by Rabbi Carole Balin.

Founding leadership

The founding board of directors included the following: * Joyce Antler * Peggy Charren ''(deceased)'' * Barbara B. Dobkin, Founding Chair of JWA's Board * Ruth B. Fein * Susan Galler * Penina Migdal Glazer * Sally A. Gottesman * Barbara W. Grossman * Susan Harris * Lee M. Hendler * Beth Klarman * Martha L. Minow * Suzanne G. Priebatsch * Brenda Brown Rever * Prudence L. Steiner * Nancy Schwartz Sternoff ''(deceased)'' * Nicki Newman Tanner * Jeane Ungerleider * Henny Wenkart ''(deceased)'' * Doris Zelinsky

Advisory Councils

The JWA has three advisory councils: * Academic Advisory Council, led by Joyce Antler * Technology Advisory Council * Education Working Group

References

External links

JWA Website
{{Authority control Jewish feminist organizations in the United States History museums in Massachusetts Jewish-American history Jewish educational organizations

Women A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional u ...

Jewish museums in the United States Jews and Judaism in Massachusetts Organizations established in 1995 Virtual museums Women's museums in Massachusetts Websites about Jews and Judaism 21st-century encyclopedias 20th-century encyclopedias Oral history