'v cvut ohrga

ohbhhumnvG’d loves the gates marked by practical Jewish law. vfkvc -Brachot 8a

NISHMAT The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women and American Friends of invite you to celebrate the Commencement and Certification fo

The First Yoatzot Halacha (Women Advisors in Jewish Law) to graduate from The U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program of NISHMAT’s Miriam Glaubach Center Keynote Address , Av Beit Din, Rabbinical Council

23 Cheshvan 5774 * Sunday, October 27, 2013 * 11:30 a.m. Congregation Shearith Israel The Spanish & Portuguese 8 West 70th Street, NYC Please R.S.V.P. to [email protected] A Historic Moment for Jewish Life U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program of NISHMAT’s Miriam Glaubach Center

With its ground-breaking Yoatzot Halacha (Women Advisors in Jewish Law) Program, Graduating Class of 2013 introduced in Israel in 1998, Nishmat has enabled tens of thousands of women to opt for a female halachic address for their intimate questions relating to family life, marriage, sexuality, and women’s health. Nishmat Dean Rabbanit Chana Henkin noted that women Dena Block, Yoetzet Halacha at Great Neck Synagogue and at often left important questions unasked, compromising their practice of halacha and Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun and Mt. Sinai Jewish Center in causing personal suffering. Manhattan, teaches and U.S. History at Ma’ayanot In strict compliance with halacha and within the consensus of mainstream High School in Teaneck (NJ), where she also directs student Orthodoxy, Yoatzot Halacha strengthen religious observance, find halachic solutions programming. to problems that can mar couples’ lives, and assist with fertility issues, helping to bring Jewish babies into the world. In little more than a decade, Yoatzot responded to more Nechama Price is Instructor in Bible and Judaic than 200,000 halachic and halachic-medical queries, from Israel and abroad, in person Studies at ’s Stern College for Women. She and via Nishmat’s Golda Koschitzky Hotline and www.yoatzot.org. teaches advanced courses in Jewish Family Law. To meet U.S. demand for these advisors, American Friends of Nishmat inaugurated the U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program (YH/US) in September, 2011, through Nishmat’s Miriam Glaubach Center. On October 27, 2013, the first U.S.-educated Yoatzot will cel- ebrate their graduation, bringing the total Nishmat Yoatzot Halacha to 85 world-wide! Lisa Septimus, Yoetzet Halacha of the Five Towns (NY), is also Judaic Studies Instructor, Dean and Director of Special Programs at YH/US is unique, combining extensive scholarship with practical training not North Shore Hebrew Academy High School (Great Neck, NY) and previously available to women. Chosen for their Torah scholarship, leadership ability, of Young Israel of North Woodmere. religious commitment and dedication to the Jewish community, Yoatzot Halacha Fellows follow the Nishmat curriculum combining two years (1,000 hours) of intensive Talmudic and halachic study with women’s medicine, sexuality and psychology. Certification is Tova Warburg Sinensky is Yoetzet Halacha for the Greater earned after a series of written tests and oral examinations administered by a panel of Philadelphia community, sponsored through Kohelet Yeshiva High distinguished . School’s Community Beit Midrash. She is Gemara and Halacha Yoatzot teach, publish, and lecture. They have won widespread acceptance from Department Chair and Teacher Mentor at Kohelet. leading rabbis and the lay community. Yoatzot Halacha are carving a new professional position in Jewish life, while personifying the integrity of the halachic process. Avital Weissman has been appointed Yoetzet Halacha of Young Israel of Plainview (NY), where she is also Rebbetzin. NISHMAT The Jeanie Schottenstein Center for Advanced Torah Study for Women Rabbanit Chana Henkin, Founder & Dean Keren Ariel Yoatzot Halacha Program Rabbi , Dean Rabbi Yaacov Warhaftig, Dean U.S. Yoatzot Halacha Fellows Program of NISHMAT’s Miriam Glaubach Center Rabbi Kenneth Auman, Dean Yoetzet Halacha Atara Eis, Program Director

Honorary Rabbinic Committee Rabbi Yosef Adler Rabbi Shlomo Hochberg Rabbi Jacob J. Schacter Rabbi Kenneth Auman Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky Rabbi Marc Schneier Rabbi Gedalyah Berger Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier Rabbi Rabbi Jack Bieler Rabbi Rabbi Ari Segal Rabbi Hershel Billet Rabbi Yaakov Lerner Rabbi Meir Sendor Rabbi Rabbi Abraham Lieberman Rabbi Yehuda Septimus Rabbi Binyamin Blau Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Rabbi Michael Shmidman Rabbi Robert Block Rabbi Adam Mintz Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky Rabbi Kenneth Brander Rabbi Elazar Muskin Rabbi Meir Soloveichik Rabbi Mark Dratch Rabbi Dale Polakoff Rabbi Kalman Topp Rabbi Barry Freundel Rabbi Ariel Rackovsky Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb Rabbi Rabbi Shaul Robinson Rabbi Jay Weinstein Rabbi Shmuel Goldin Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg Rabbi Elie Weissman Rabbi Kenneth Hain Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt Rabbi Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NISHMAT Sharon Mintz, President Chavie Kahn, Secretary Wendy Greenbaum, Vice President Dr. Giti Bendheim, Chair, Yoatzot Halacha Ben Rieder, Treasurer Harriet S. Schimel, Chair, Miriam Glaubach Center AFN Board of Directors Nicole Schreiber Agus Michael G. Jesselson Lisa Septimus Susan F. Charendoff Tamar Kahane Liora Stein Laurie Cooper Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Bethia Straus Maria Finkle Matthew J. Maryles Robyn Tsesarsky Stephen M. Flatow Linda Goldenberg Mayman Judy Tuchman Rose Gerszberg Rochelle Stern Major Linda Belfer Weiner Felix Glaubach Jeanie Schottenstein Rachel Weiss Miriam Herlinger Glaubach Sandy Seligsohn Roselyn Weitzner Karen Heilig

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF NISHMAT 274 Madison Avenue, Ste. 504, , NY 10016 212 983 6975 — www.afnishmat.org NISHMAT. Not just an institution, but a vision.