The War on Women in Israel: How Religious Radicalism Is Smothering the Voice of a Nation

by Elana Maryles Sztokman

ACROSS ISRAEL—one of the world's most democratic countries—women are being threatened and abused as ultra-Orthodox Jewish factions seek to suppress them. In this stunning exposé, award-winning author and leading Jewish women's activist Elana Sztokman reveals the struggles of Israeli women against this increasing oppression, from segregation on public buses—in a move Hillary Clinton called "reminiscent of Rosa Parks"—to being silenced in schools and erased from newspapers and ads. This alarming patriarchal backlash isn't limited to Israel either: its repercussions endanger the rights and freedoms of women from Afghanistan to America. But there's hope as well: courageous feminist activists within the Orthodox world are starting to demand systemic change on these fronts, and, with some support from non-Orthodox advocates, they're creating positive reforms that could help women everywhere. Blending interviews with original investigative research and historical context, Sztokman traces the evolution of this struggle against oppression and proposes solutions for creating a different, more egalitarian vision of religious culture and opportunity in Israeli society and around the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Judaism, Israel, Jewish, Religion, Politics

351 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2011

About the author

Dr. Elana Maryles Sztokman is a feminist thought-leader, anthropologist, and writer whose research and ideas help shape a vision for a compassionate society. Author of six books (so far!) on gender in society, and a two-time winner of the National Jewish Book Council award, Elana is the creator of the Jewish Feminist Academy (www.jewishfeminism.org), where she offers courses and content to help shape conversations about gender in Jewish life. She writes, speaks, and consults with groups and organizations around the world on gender issues and women's experiences in the world.

She also works to help women amplify their own voices and find their power through Lioness Books and Media. She coaches women through the writing process, edits and ghost-writes women's books, and publishes women's writing through Lioness.

Would you like to chat with Elana? Contact her at elana@jewfem.com

Reviews

[Catherine Linka]

This was the most shocking and fascinating book I've read in a long time. I'd always assumed that a culture that values education, and a country in which girls serve in the military would be more progressive where women's issues are concerned, so I was surprised by the many ways in which Sztokman demonstrates that women are second class citizens in Israel today.

What I did not realize is that unlike the US where church and state are separate, Israel's politics are tightly knit if not dominated by religion. According to Sztokman, women's rights and choices are often curtailed, because they conflict with the religious guidelines followed by ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who avoid being touched or even being in proximity to women which includes looking at photographic images and hearing them sing.

The tone of the book is not "angry feminist." It is detailed and thoughtful, and with the exception of one chapter late in the book, is very easy to read and comprehend. Some of the stories of individual women--such as that of a young women who was beaten for refusing to move to the back of the bus--are heart-rending, while others of women caught in the labyrinth of a religious bureaucracy are Kafka-esque.

Political writers always write from their point of view, but if even 10% of what Elana Sztokman says here is an accurate reflection of what is going on in Israel today, it's still shocking.

[Davida Chazan]

4.5/5 Stars. I don't often read non-fiction, but I read and enjoyed Elana Sztokman's "War on Women in Israel" so I happily agreed to read and review this new book of essays from her, released January 30, 2021. Here's my #bookreview on my blog now.
https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2021/03/2...

[Tamar]

This is an incredibly important book that everyone needs to read! Jewish, not Jewish, Israeli, American, any citizen from any country, I don't care. This book is about two things, as can be demonstrated from the title: 1) it's about the way women are being treated in Israel (The War on Women in Israel), and 2) it's actually a case study of what happens when religious fundamentalism goes unchecked (How Religious Radicalism Is Smothering the Voice of a Nation). If Israel, the lone democracy in the Middle East, has had to deal with these issues, how much more so do you think other countries that have a tenuous, often nonexistent, grasp on the concept of separation of church and state, deal with even more extreme issues? You don't have to imagine actually, just take a look at the news. I'm surprised that there aren't terrorist bombings in Israel being committed by Ultra Orthodox Jewish fundamentalists, quite frankly, because they're certainly okay with physical violence. Religious fundamentalism will continue unchecked unless the average religious and non-religious citizen step ups to the plate and says no, both through legal and social/communal channels, and that is really the true message of this book. Before you ask: the author is not advocating that people turn away from religion; she only asks that religion is not imposed by and through the state on other citizens that may have no interest in it.

To summarize: a fascinating, easy to read, well informed, well documented, and thorough exploration of issues facing women in Israel and the implications of such behavior worldwide.

[Paul H.]

Honestly one of the most unintentionally hilarious books I've ever read. I'm curious what Sztokman thought was going to happen when liberal/feminist Israeli women stopped having children? When you abort and contracept your children out of existence, while conservative Haredi women are having a dozen babies each, what exactly did you expect the result to be?

Is a series of policies really a 'war on women' if a majority of the women in Israel support it? Is the 'voice' of a nation not allowed to change according to the literal voices of its population? Sztokman's denial of agency to conservative women is incredibly condescending; what she seems to be saying is "my political preferences are not being met; therefore Israel has declared war on women." Apparently, whenever a girl is born anywhere on the planet, she is naturally a doctrinaire 21st-century WEIRD feminist, and if she has any other worldview, she's been brainwashed by the patriarchy. The idea that a woman might be authentically ultra-orthodox is just too much to process; probably we just need some misinformation experts to swoop in and help these poor women become more like Sztokman.

William Gibson famously said that the future is already here, it's just unevenly distributed; Israel is ahead of the curve, but birthrates in all Western nations are trending in Israel's direction. A simple piece of advice to Sztokman and friends -- if you'd rather that your grandchildren not live in a conservative theocracy, you may want to consider having more children.

[Marsha Altman]

A very important and up-to-date book on the Israeli Rabbanut and their policies on women, specifically on how they've regressed in the last twenty years. It covers a wide range of topics, from Women of the Wall to contraception and abortion to the fight over housing and schooling in Beit Shemesh to segregated buses. The author is herself religious, and sympathetic to religious women who want to continue to follow halacha but without increasing and unnecessary restrictions on their lives that is often a manifestation of Haredi men's social anxieties about women and their increasing economic power in the workplace. The author is not down on secular Israelis, religious Israelis, or pluralistic Israelis, which his a nice change of pace. Her central theme seems to be that people can be as religious as they want to be, but they don't have the right to impede on other people's abilities to also be as religious as they want to be and how they want to do it.

[Maggie Anton]

I gave this book 5 stars not because I loved it but because Goodreads defines 5-stars as "really amazing," which this one certainly is. However as important as I think it is for people [especially women and Jews] to read this book, I must admit that reading it was hard. So many times I just wanted to scream with anger and frustration. Mostly I just wanted to cry at what appears to be a lost cause in Israel, a country I so wanted/hoped to be a light unto the nations. Kol kavod to Sztokman and her fellow feminist warriors at how they fight the good fight, with hope in their hearts. But I don't see anything changing in Israel. As Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" and sadly this applies even/especially to the most religious.

[Shomeret]

Although I already knew about discrimination against women in Israel, I hadn't been aware of the spread of Haredi violence against women, or the extent of Haredi political influence. Any woman who is considering settling in Israel should read this book. I would also recommend it to anyone who thinks that Israel is similar to the United States.

I decided that the bulk of this review should be on my blog. For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...

[Pamela Becker]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book of essays. Sztokman explores the impact of the near-constant and often cruel critical gaze on girls' and women's appearance in the observant Jewish community - are they thin enough? Are they modest enough? Are they appealing enough?

Who feels entitled to judge girls and women this way and for what purpose?

The thoughtful, well-researched essays encourage discourse and helped fuel important conversations on issues including dress codes and distorted body image with my own family, and for that I am grateful.

[Davida Chazan]

Sztokman's extremely compelling study of the growing worldwide phenomenon of the marginalization of women uses Israel as its test case to prove how religious fundamentalism is more insidious than we can imagine. Read my review of this excellent book here https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2014/09/1...

[Mary Ess]

Sad at what humans do in the guise of religion. This is a must read book with a requirement that you act after reading the last page.

[ソフイア]

Kinda boring

[Minna]

Good book, well-researched, lets the evidence speak for itself. It could have pushed boundaries further, as the majority of the topic matter is fairly obvious to any semi-informed secular Israeli. However, it is crucial that this book is available in English for larger audiences.

[Lumturi]

DNF because this book is a fucking joke to be complaining about segregated buses compared to what Palestinian women go through.

[Mandy]

This is an absorbing and totally gripping account of the rising oppression of women in Israel. Led by ultra-Orthodox Jewish men, there is an increasingly fervent and vituperative attempt to silence women, and to turn them into second-class citizens. Particularly pernicious is the influence of the Haredi, an ultra-Orthodox group, who reject contact with the secular culture and seem to want to ignore women altogether.
As a measure of their fear of women, blurred glasses are now available for ultra-Orthodox men. These glasses are poorly focused when looking anywhere except in the immediate vicinity, ensuring that no stray glance will alight on a woman. This may seem laughable, but is part and parcel of this growing suppression of women. Segregation on the buses, images of women being erased from newspapers and adverts, attacks on the way women dress – all of this feels familiar from descriptions of life in Islamic countries, but it is happening in a 21st century democracy, and it is chilling.
Investigative journalism at its best, this exploration of Judaism’s treatment of women is both shocking and eye-opening. It traces the evolution of the situation and relates how it is beginning to have an effect on American Jewry. The Haredi and other right-wing groups are growing in numbers and influence and the Israeli Government seems powerless – or unwilling - to oppose them. The author’s indignation at the situation comes over loud and clear, and her book is definitely a call to action before such anti-women attitudes become too entrenched. The book is a thought-provoking and important one, extremely readable, and shows a side of Israeli society that many will be ignorant of.

[Foxglove]

Amazing book, brilliant and informative

[Dana]

This book is not only about Israel, although on the surface it may seem that way. It is about misogynistic religious radicalism. This religious extremism is found not only in Judaism, and Islam, but also in Christianity and it is threatening women in the USA. Sexism carried out in the name of God is wrong no matter which God one is carrying it out in. This book exposes some serious issues that Israel has faced from women being stoned and hit and yelled at and spit at by men for sitting in a seat in the front of a bus, walking on the "men's side" of the street, how they dress and where they pray. Women in Israel are discriminated against in a huge variety of ways that I was not aware of and it is sad. In some ways, these issues are beginning to change for the better, but it still has a long way to go, both in Israel and in the rest of the world. Far too many people are using the name of religion to persecute women. Sadly, this war on women is increasing in the USA and we need to speak out against it.

[E]

It's pretty cool, like reading about a weird alternate reality. I feel like this society must be full of perverts or something if men can't even hear a woman's voice or see a short sleeved shirt or watch them handle a grenade in military school without acting as if they've been assaulted by pornography.

[Quds Bird]

This is sad. I am wondering if leaving the Palestinian women suffering in Israel out was intentional! Women are women, regardless their religion and color. The discrimination against the Palestinian women in Israel is worth a book by itself. If Israeli women want some social justice, they need to pay attention to the Palestinian women and include them in the equation.

[Maria]

Worth a read, especially if you are of the opinion like me that religion is evil incarnate. Religion, irrelevant of which cult it belongs to, create fanatics who plague the lives of normal people.

[Rachelle Urist]

This is an important but depressing book. To see how Israel, land that began with egalitarian vitality, has become another bastion of male privilege, is discouraging beyond words. Sztokman, born and raised in the US, made aliyah about 25 years ago. Hers is a universal cry for women's rights, though setting her stories in the unique atmosphere of the Jewish state, where the ultra-orthodox rabbinate has ultimate authority in civil and religious matters [marriage, divorce, military matters (recruitment exemptions for religious young men in Yeshiva, among other things), and even abortion] makes me deeply sad. Many couples marry outside of Israel, mostly in Cypress, if and when they run into loggerheads with rabbinic authorities. Many converts discover that their conversions (by conservative or reform rabbis, mostly outside of Israel) are not accepted, meaning that no rabbi in Israel will marry them. If they marry elsewhere, their marriages will be considered invalid, and their children mamzerim (bastards). Those children, in turn, become ineligible to marry when they come of age. The cycle perpetuates itself.
The author mentions one Ariella Zeller, another American-Israeli, who co-wrote one of the book's chapters. Ariella Zeller lived in Ann Arbor for many years and completed her doctorate in English Literature at the University of Michigan. I have fond memories of her. But there is not specific chapter attribution made to Dr. Zeller. I was frustrated to be left in the dark on this matter.
For the rest, however, the book is well researched and well documented. The writing is lucid. Stories begin with Women of the Wall, the group that began meeting at the kotel (the Western Wall) 27 years ago to worship together as an independent body of female worshipers. Many, if not most of these women were (and are) orthodox, as is Sztokman. They are proficient and scholarly in halacha (Jewish law). They have argued in the courts that their practices are rabbinically in order, if not currently sanctioned. Rabbis from outside of Israel have stood in solidarity with them. But time after time, the courts have sided with the ultra-orthodox Israeli rabbinate against the women. Likewise, as the movie "Gett: the Trial of Viviane Amsalem" showed us, matters of divorce remain mired in the intransigence of men, leaving the women "agunot," or chained women. Since, according to Jewish law, a marriage can be terminated only when the husband hand-delivers his wife a "gett" (the divorce papers), witnessed by the appropriate attendants (rabbinic and otherwise), can a woman move out on her own, free to behave as any other unmarried woman might do, without fear of reprisal. In Israel, however, when a man refuses to grant the gett, he often uses the children or finances as leverage to get what he wants, at the woman's expense. Many a woman has been persuaded to relinquish rights to her own children in exchange for the gett, assured that this battle could be waged and won later. "Later" can turn out to be after ten or more years.
In the military, where women have long been equal to men in rank and responsibilities, women now often serve in secondary roles. There are stories of female officers who are rebuked by their inferiors (soldiers in training) for touching them in the process of demonstrating correct positioning or manipulation of weaponry. The young (rebuking) men in question are religious Jews who observe the custom of not touching any female not intimately related to them (mother, sister, wife). This makes for stresses and tensions that have yet to be resolved.
So it goes.
I'm glad to have the book behind me. But I'm glad I read it.

[Beena Khan]

I believe whenever religious extremists take over, women suffer the most. This novel is a nice insight into a topic I had not heard of either. I'm aware of some women in Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Afghanistan that suffer; but, I wasn't aware of oppression happening with Jewish women. They're a minority group that value education and justice, so it was quite surprising to read a different side to some Jewish people.

A lot of the injustice occurring with Jewish women reminds me of what happens in some Middle Eastern countries. I'd like to know why the oppression on Israeli women is so hidden in the media, and why no one questions it? Yet, Islam is all over the news, and the media gives such a bad reputation of it. I think it's time people should admit it's never the religion at fault, but the people themselves.

The War on Women in Israel shows segregation of women and men. Some of the details are disturbing and thought provoking. Women are being mistreated, and their rights are being taken away. The men are being taught that women are sexually provocative, which is quite mind blowing. I really dislike when people make inaccurate conclusions using religion to make a point. I don't believe any religion can harm anyone's rights though - people just like to misuse religion. I feel like culture and religion are being mixed, they're two different concepts!



It's not fair for someone to use religion to justify misogyny. Segregation does occur in most religions, but that's so that the two genders do not mix. No religion is ever too extreme, some people make it seem extreme. I don't believe the author is being a feminist, speaking out against women's injustice is not being a feminist. It's just being a good human being. Sztokman is actually a religious woman; I like how her central theme states people should be able to impose religion on others. I do like that there is change happening, and that the author also includes success stories.


This was quite a depressing and disturbing novel to read. The War on Women in Israel is a great non-fiction book. It reflects on the things that are happening in Israel right now. Again, this is a thought provoking story, and I would recommend reading this novel. It's an eye opener to injustice that is happening in Israel right this moment.

Disclosure: Review Copy was sent free of charge from Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie]

I picked this book because I thought the topic was something I should be more knowledgeable about, but I was concerned it would simply be frustrating to read about infringements of women's rights. And at times, it was frustrating and infuriating. Fortunately, the author does also include success stories and ends on an optimistic note. Even the depressing and unresolved issues were informative and interesting to read about. It also served as a call to action. The fact that a first-world country like Israel could slide so far backwards in terms of women's rights terrifies me. Until now, I've been happy to keep an eye out and so my best to correct sexist comments and institutions. After reading this book, I feel that it would be worth my time to become more politically proactive about women's rights issues. Something like what is currently happening in Israel cannot be allowed to happen here.

I came away from this book thinking far more about the issues discussed than the author's writing style, but for the sake of a complete review, here are some thoughts on that too. The author writes clearly and the book is very well organized into chapters focusing on specific issues and causes. Occasionally the author repeats an anecdote, but this is a minor problem and perhaps better than referencing a past anecdote without reorienting the reader. I loved the interviews she included in her work and thought the book seemed very well cited. Although the topic might seem irrelevant to those of us in countries other than Israel, I think it's a very worthwhile read for anyone. It raises awareness of possible directions our countries could be driven in by religious extremists and serves as a valuable reminder that rights we don't fight for can easily slip away. I highly recommend this thought-provoking book to feminists, historians, and everyone else.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey.

[Max]

This was a fantastic read - narrative, yet informational. Full of historical and religious context, but still understandable and readable. The topic may seem to be niche-oriented, but the overarching themes and topics of this book are applicable to everyone all over the world.

Sztokman has written an extremely necessary book on the topic of the narrowing place for women in Israeli society, while also drawing parallels to similar events happening all over the world (including the US). Based off of a small, but vocal, minority of extremely religious men, the voices, images and place for women in Israeli society has been drastically dwindling. Much of Israeli society is focused around a narrow set of religious expectations, and the men in charge of this are using their power to punish those who live differently, and those who practice their Judaism differently. Especially women.

It's possible that this is the fastest I've ever read a non-fiction book with this kind of heavy topic. It was unputdownable. It covers topics from women praying at the Western Wall, to abortion in Israel, marriage and divorce, women in the military, and schools.

At times this was incredibly depressing to read, and it made me angry more than once, yet Sztokman also ends on an uplifting note. She ends with stories of change - even though it may be slow, change is possible and is happening. Even more surprisingly, change is coming from the women of the religious Jewish community. For those of Jewish faith this is a necessary read, and for those interested in the rights of women in America and around the world, this is an eye-opening look at the role of religion, the state, and gender and how they all effect the role of women in society.

I don't think I can recommend this enough.

And I also learned that I should not read books about the unequal status of women in society while drinking margaritas.

[Genendy Radoff]

 Conversations with My Body by Dr. Elana Sztokman
is brave, authentic, angry, vulnerable, entertaining and full of excellent questions about who and what we are as women, as Jews, and as a society.  Elana challenges us to look carefully at what we do and why we do it.  Although these beautifully crafted essays come from Elana's work and research, this book is ultimately about Elana's quest for healing from the spiritual, sexual and emotional abuse she experienced growing up in an Orthodox Jewish home.  Elana is an important voice that will challenge us as Orthodox women if we have the humility to reach under the pain and really listen to what she is saying. Unfortunately Elana's traumatic experience is shared by far too many, and abuse in the Orthodox community has caused many women to turn away from Torah and halacha in contempt and disgust.  The Torah is very clear that we are here as an indestructible nation for as long as humanity exists, on a national mission to model an ethical moral lifestyle to society. Torah which includes halacha, when used correctly, will allow us to achieve our spiritual and national mission.  Following these often complex laws can open a physical doorway to a spiritual universe.  The Torah is also quite clear that we, as individuals and a nation will mess up, and the Torah does not cover up our many mistakes.  And we have messed up! Heartbreakingly so. Torah and halacha have been and still are perverted, abused and misused, and like any powerful, holy tool, when used for evil, it is that much more damaging and destructive.  Teasing apart customs, culture, abuse and halacha to find our truth is a process and a journey for each of us. As Elana points out in her book, much introspection  and healing is needed in our Torah community.

[Jillian Louise]

A full description of the contents of this non fiction book by Sztokman is on Goodreads and so this review is just my personal reaction to it.

Since spending 6 weeks studying in Israel in 2014 I have been interested in following the progress of the group Women of the Wall. Having prayed at the wall during my visit and joined a circle of women singing and dancing, I have witnessed first hand the gender segregation at this holy site.

Reading this book on the recommendation of a friend after I read the excellent ‘Hislam’ by Dr Susan Carland furthered my knowledge of the spread of discrimination against women. As a second wave feminist I had hoped that women would be further advanced towards equality but the pushback, particularly by conservative religious shows the fight continues.

This book is carefully researched and has implications way beyond describing the issues facing women in Israel. For me two significant quotes from the text sum up the issues facing religious women worldwide. As Sztokman writes the women are ‘fighting a sharp battle to protect the integrity of their religion while removing the forces of radical misogyny that pervert it.’ This thesis is also at the core of Carland’s book, she also found that Muslim women do not see their religion as an ‘evil thing’ nor are they rejecting it. Instead they are fighting for the core values and beliefs. Sztokman sums it up ‘The key to resolving the problems facing women in Israel - and women the world over. It is about taking a stand and saying to those who threaten women, their families, and their values: This violent behaviour is not what it means to be a person living in the path of God.’

[Tuscany Bernier]

This was a highly memorable book that I really loved learning from. This book gave the author the ability to really honor her inner wisdom and voice and I respect her for that. I don't always agree with her but I love the variety she brought to my mindset on Judaism.

It is not a one-sided religion and Israel is not the perfect democratic state that so many Americans feel it is. I have hope that one day the Jewish state will become more open-minded towards women, converts to Judaism, Palestinians, non-European Jews (like Arab Jews & Ethiopian Jews) and more.

There is a lot of work to be done on many fronts in Israel but the author mentions many women working to fix the system from the inside. She puts emphasis on the religious feminists who are striving for a religiously-centered lifestyle not allowing the patriarchy to run rampant. I think that's really amazing and inspiring on some level. :)

[Shoshana Kordova]

In this potent mix of personal experience and sociological observation, Elana Sztokman tackles many issues in Orthodox Judaism that are too frequently swept under the carpet, perhaps because they pertain to women: a segment of the population whose voice, image and very presence is too often suppressed, sidelined or ignored in Orthodox communal life.

While Dr. Sztokman's experiences and her responses to them may not reflect those of all Orthodox Jewish women in all communities, "Conversations With My Body: Essays on My Life as a Jewish Woman" is a great jumping-off point to spark the necessary, yet too infrequent, discussions about issues that Orthodoxy must get better at grappling with. This book helps us ask: What are the implicit and explicit messages that women receive in Orthodox Judaism? And what can we as a community do to mitigate the harm of some of those messages?

[Fraser Sherman]

Apparently the right-wing of all three Abrahamic religions does worship the same god, and he's a misogynist. Sztokman looks at how the influence of the Ultra-Orthodox and their demands for gender segregation has led to women forced to ride in the back of the bus, pre-teen girls getting insulted for "immodest" dress and women's photos routinely getting cropped out of the media. Depressingly familiar to similar attitudes in Islam and Christianity.

[Rachel]

Wow.
This book made me think, which is the mark of a great book. The arguments are cogent and well thought through.
For example:

The fact that the universal (or at least more inclusive) conscription in Israel will make things intolerable for
women was not something I even considered when hearing about the Tal law.
I strongly recommend this book.

[Erika Dreifus]

Included in my fall book preview article for The Jewish Journal: http://jewishjournal.com/current_edit...