Jewish Women's Archive facts for kids
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| Non-profit organization | |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | Brookline, MA |
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Key people
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Judith Rosenbaum, Executive Director |
The Jewish Women's Archive (JWA) is a special group that collects and shares the stories of Jewish women. Their goal is to make sure these women's voices are heard. They also want to inspire others to make a positive difference in the world.
JWA was started in 1995 by Gail Twersky Reimer in Brookline, Massachusetts. She wanted to use the internet to share the stories of American Jewish women. JWA's website offers many collections, exhibits, and helpful resources.
JWA creates and shares many things, including:
- Stories from communities, gathered by talking to people
- Online exhibits you can explore
- New research about Jewish women
- Learning materials like lesson plans and guides
- Training for teachers in schools and other places
- Documentary films
Since 2010, JWA has held an annual luncheon in New York City. At these events, they honor women for their activism and achievements. For example, in 2010, they focused on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. This was 100 years after that sad event. They honored people like Ruth J. Abram and journalist Lynn Sherr.
In 2011, the luncheon was called "Making Trouble / Making History." Gloria Steinem gave awards to Elizabeth A. Sackler, author Rebecca Traister, and journalist Letty Cottin Pogrebin.
Contents
JWA's Key Programs and Projects
Learning Resources and Curricula
JWA's "Living the Legacy" program teaches about Jewish women's roles in the Civil Rights Movement and the labor movement. It shows how important they were, even if their stories are sometimes forgotten.
Other learning tools include 18 "Go & Learn" lesson plans. They also have guides for books and films. You can find original historical documents and materials for mother-daughter workshops.
Online Encyclopedia of Jewish Women
The Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women is available for free on JWA's website. This encyclopedia has about 2,000 articles. They tell the life stories and achievements of many Jewish women. You can also find parts of these articles on Twitter.
Documentary Films
In 2007, JWA made a film called Making Trouble. This documentary is about three generations of Jewish female comedians. It explores their connection to comedy, Judaism, and being a woman.
The film features famous comedians like Molly Picon, Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, Joan Rivers, and Gilda Radner. It also includes modern comedians like Judy Gold and Jackie Hoffman. This film has been shown at over 70 film festivals and other places.
Can We Talk? Podcast
The Jewish Women's Archive also created a podcast called Can We Talk?. Nahanni Rous hosted the show, joined by Judith Rosenbaum and Ibby Caputo. The first episode came out in January 2016. New episodes were released monthly. Each episode was about twenty minutes long.
The podcast interviewed Jewish women about news, politics, and culture. In one episode, they talked to Anita Diamant about her book The Red Tent. The show was even listed as one of the top podcasts about Judaism. It was also named one of the top religion and spirituality podcasts.
Online Exhibits to Explore
Katrina's Jewish Voices is an online exhibit. It shares photos, blog posts, podcasts, and emails. These show what the Jewish community experienced during and after Hurricane Katrina. JWA worked with George Mason University on this project.
JWA also interviewed 85 people from Jewish communities in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and the Gulf Coast. These interviews are part of the exhibit. Other online exhibits include "Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution." There's also "History Makers: Women of Valor" and "Women Who Dared: Contemporary Activists."
Other Helpful Resources
We Remember is an online collection of personal stories. It shares memories about important American Jewish women who have recently passed away. This Week in History is a calendar. It matches the current date with important events in Jewish women's history.
JWA's Leadership Team
As of 2023, Dr. Judith Rosenbaum is the CEO of JWA. Dr. Gail Twersky Reimer is the founding director. Debra Cash is the Chief Development Officer. Dr. Jennifer Sartori is the Chief Communications Officer and Encyclopedia Editor.
Barbara Dobkin was the first Chair of JWA's Board. Rabbi Carole Balin leads the board now.
Founding Board Members
The first board of directors included many important people. Some of them were:
- Joyce Antler
- Barbara B. Dobkin, who was the first Chair
- Ruth B. Fein
- Susan Galler
- Sally A. Gottesman
- Beth Klarman
- Martha L. Minow
- Nicki Newman Tanner
Advisory Councils
JWA has three groups of advisors:
- The Academic Advisory Council, led by Joyce Antler
- The Technology Advisory Council
- The Education Working Group
