Marcia Freedman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcia Freedman
Freedman in 1974
Faction represented in the Knesset
1974–1975	Ratz
1975–1976	Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement
1976–1977	Independent Socialist Faction
Personal details
Born	Marcia Judith Prince (1938-05-17)May 17, 1938 Newark, New Jersey, US
Died	September 21, 2021(2021-09-21) (aged 83) South Berkeley, California
Spouse	Bill Freedman ​ (m. 1961)​
Children	1 daughter
Alma mater	New York University

Marcia Judith Freedman (Hebrew: מרשה פרידמן; born Prince; May 17, 1938 – September 21, 2021) was an American-Israeli activist. She worked for peace, women's rights, and equal rights for all people. In 1969, she moved to Israel. There, she helped start and lead the feminist movement in the 1970s. She was a member of the Israeli parliament, called the Knesset, from 1974 to 1977.

Marcia Freedman's Early Life and Activism

Marcia Freedman was born into a Jewish family. This was in Newark, New Jersey, on May 17, 1938. She earned degrees from Bennington College and New York University. Between 1960 and 1967, she was active in the Civil Rights Movement in America. This movement worked for equal rights for all people. In 1969, she moved to Israel. Soon after, she became involved in activism and politics there. She became well-known for wanting to make people aware of civil rights issues.

Joining the Knesset: A New Political Voice

In 1973, the women's rights movement decided to support Shulamit Aloni's party, Ratz. This party was also called the Civil Rights Movement. Freedman was given the third spot on the Ratz party list. Shulamit Aloni noticed her strong passion and commitment. The Ratz party won three seats in the 1973 Israeli legislative election. Because of this, Freedman became a member of the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Ratz later joined with another group to form Ya'ad – Civil Rights Movement. However, Freedman and Aryeh Eliav left to create their own group. It was first called the Social-Democratic Faction. Later, it was renamed the Independent Socialist Faction. Freedman served in the Knesset from 1974 to 1977. She became a strong supporter of equal rights for all people.

Advocating for Women and Peace

Before the 1977 Israeli legislative election, Freedman started the Women's Party. She did not run as a candidate for this party herself. The party did not win enough votes to enter the Knesset. However, it did help bring public attention to important issues for women.

While in the Knesset, Freedman spoke out about women's issues. She brought up topics that had not been discussed openly in Israel before. These included domestic violence and breast cancer. She also became more involved in discussions about peace with the Palestinians. Freedman was an early supporter of creating an independent Palestinian state. She talked with the Palestinian Liberation Organization. She supported what is now known as the two-state solution. This means having two separate states, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians.

Supporting Women's Networks and Education

Marcia Freedman helped create a support system for women in Israel. She was a co-founder of Israel's first shelter for women who had experienced violence. This shelter was set up in 1977 in Haifa.

Freedman moved back to the United States in 1981. She lived in Israel again from 1997 to 2002. During this time, she founded the Community of Learning Women. This group offered education in women's studies and computer skills.

Marcia Freedman's Writings

In 1980, Freedman wrote an article called "Feminist Publishing in Israel." It was for the Women's Studies Newsletter. In the article, she discussed bookstores that sold feminist books in Hebrew. She also wrote about the few publishers that allowed feminist works to be printed. She noted how few books on feminism were originally written in Hebrew. She also mentioned the small efforts to publish feminist writings.

Freedman wrote a memoir titled Exile in the Promised Land. A memoir is a book about a person's own life. This book was dedicated to her father. She wrote that she had "largely followed" his example. She also wrote many other articles and reviews.

Later Life and Legacy

Marcia Freedman was the first president of Brit Tzedek v'Shalom. This was an organization that supported both Israel and peace. It later joined with another group in 2010. She was also a past president of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.

She married Bill Freedman in 1961. They had one daughter. Marcia Freedman passed away on September 21, 2021, at the age of 83.

See also

• In Spanish: Marcia Freedman para niños