First-ever Jewish Australian women’s speakers bureau
The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Australia has established the first-ever national Jewish women’s public speaker’s bureau.
“JOFA Australia is excited to create a public resource that will be helpful for many Jewish community organizations seeking to better include women,” said JOFA Australia president, Nomi Kaltmann. “We are thrilled that 60 women from four Australian states and territories signed up to the bureau.”
The bureau aims at solving a long-term problem that synagogues and community organisations have in finding suitable and qualified women for public speaking opportunities.
“Many organisations and synagogues have previously expressed interest in having a centralised bureau that will allow them to find women who are qualified to speak at events or on panels and JOFA Australia hope that by creating this resource we will multiply the opportunities available for Jewish women in communities across Australia,” said Kaltmann.
A group of highly talented women have signed up to the bureau including doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, Rabbanits, professors, Kallah teachers and advocates. “This important resource is publicly available on the JOFA Australia website and we look forward to sharing the incredible wealth of knowledge that these women bring forth,” said Kaltmann.
The Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Australia is the second international branch of original Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, which was created in New York City in 1997, with the first international branch created in the UK in 2013. JOFA Australia aims to provide Jewish women across Australia with opportunities promote leadership and support women’s Torah learning, public speaking, teaching and engagement in all areas of Orthodox life.
JOFA Australia is keeping the expression of interest form to join the bureau open and has an option allowing people to both self-nominate or nominate other qualified women. Women from all states and territories across Australia are invited to continue to apply to the bureau,
“Sometimes women have a hard time putting themselves forward for opportunities,” said JOFA Australia board member, Chaya Herszberg. “Overseas we have seen that the American JOFA speaker’s bureau has allowed many women to be considered for speaking opportunities and we are keen to replicate this success in Australia.”
President Nomi Kaltmann noted, “Australia has shown itself to be ready for greater women’s involvement in all Orthodox areas of life with many women seeking to participate in learning and teaching Torah. JOFA Australia intends to promote existing initiatives as well as actively promote women to positions of leadership in Orthodox institutions across Australia.’
Chaya Herszberg added: “We encourage anyone interested in participating in the Speaker’s Bureau to fill in the form, or visit the JOFA website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page where they can find more information and join the alliance.”
Chaya Herszberg added: “We encourage anyone interested in participating in the Speaker’s Bureau to fill in the form, or visit the JOFA website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page where they can find more information and join the alliance.”
To get in touch with JOFA Australia please contact: jofaaus@jofa.org
