Vashti to Ginsburg: A Tradition of Jewish Female Resistance

Together we’ll peer into the bold, complex, and often subversive ways Jewish women across time have resisted, reshaped, and reimagined the worlds they inherited. From the biblical courage of Ruth, the moral tenacity of Judith, and the defiance of Vashti, to the modern-day boundary-breakers Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Bella Abzug, and Barbra Streisand, we will trace a heritage of resistance that is spiritual, political, and deeply personal. Through text study and discussion, we’ll consider what it means to challenge authority, live as a heroine, and act with audacity and as well as how these stories might inform our lives today.

Rabbi Batshir Torchio is a ritual and spiritual practitioner who has been engaging with folks for lifecycle events and learning. She was ordained at AJRCA in Los Angeles, where she learned with rabbis and scholars from across the broad spectrum of Jewish movements. Batshir is moved by the translation and ownership of ancient ritual into contemporary meaning; to “make the old new, and the new, holy.” (Rav Kook) In addition to her role as Senior Jewish Educator at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, Batshir also guides tours through Israel and Poland, and is a life-cycle officiant, both locally and abroad.