Backsliding (Season 6 Episode 9)
Would more women in Israel’s coalition change its policies? Who knows, but they’d make a more representative government. Shoshanna and
Israel’s Judicial Reform: What Is Going On?!? (Season 6 Episode 8)
The Israeli public is deeply divided over legislation aimed at dramatically changing the judicial system in Israel, specifically the relationship
Rate My Beit Din: “How It’s Going” (Season 6 Episode 7)
It was a brand new Chochmat Nashim project when Shoshanna and Anne first told you about it back in August,
The Good, the Sad, the Ugly, and the Inspiring: Chochmat Nashim “Shorts” (Season 6 Episode 6)
When there’s so much going on that each story demands our attention, in brief, Anne and Shoshanna bring you 5
Leadership… Or the Lack Thereof (Season 6 Episode 5)
What are we to do when those who hold positions of responsibility don’t rise to the occasion of their office?
Modern Orthodoxy’s Many Moral Challenges (Season 6 Episode 4)
Ben Shapiro’s recent article posed a challenge for Anne, Shoshanna, and their guest, Dr. Yardaena Osband: Where can Modern Orthodoxy
Separate Is STILL Not Equal (Season 6 Episode 3)
Israel’s presumptive new government may legalize sex segregation where Israeli law had prohibited it. Shoshanna and Anne tackle just how
What’s Worse Than Antisemitism? (Season 6 Episode 2)
Shoshanna and Anne host guest Elisheva Rishon, a Black Jewish woman, who weighs in on the most recent spike in
Extremism Moves Mainstream: Who Will Govern Israel? (Season 6 Premiere)
Yes, it’s another Israeli election. This time, political extremism is in the running. Anne and Shoshanna try to understand the
‘Rate My Beit Din’ – What’s It All About? (Season 5 Episode 17)
Protests, prenups, and, still, so many women are chained in marriage. Now, a new Chochmat Nashim project encourages transparency and
The Horse Isn’t Dead Yet (Season 5 Episode 16)
For nearly a decade (!), Chochmat Nashim has been exposing and explaining the damage caused by erasing women – that
Being Hasidic: Loving My Community, Despite Its Limitations and Lies(Season 5 Episode 15)
The ultra-Orthodox world is banning the internet for women, cutting them off from their livelihoods, their social networks, and their
That Time Shoshanna Nearly Got Kicked Out of the Knesset (Season 5 Episode 14)
Anne and Shoshanna take the pulse of how Israel’s complex (and teetering) coalition government has improved some of the systems
It’s Not about Abortion, It’s about Abortion Law (Season 5 Episode 13)
Abortion. Everyone has an opinion, including those who will never face it. Shoshanna and Anne discuss why, as Orthodox Jews,
Taking a Seat at the Seder Table (Season 5 Episode 12)
Pesach prep can take your time, energy, and attention away from the spiritual aspects of seder. Anne and Shoshanna went
Saving Refugees’ Lives, and Then Complicating Them (Season 5 Episode 11)
When the news is filled with war and terror, it’s hard to focus on the lasting issues, but that’s exactly
This Won’t Be London’s Final Aguna Day (but we’re working on it) (Season 5 Episode 10)
Shoshanna went to England, but not to see the queen. Rather, she brought Chochmat Nashim tools to a new locale,
Our Reactions to Your Reactions to Daf Reactions(Season 5 Episode 9)
Y’all had a lot to say about our last podcast! We’ve collected some of your responses as well as the
Up Close & Personal with Miriam Anzovin, of TikTok #DafReactions (Season 5 Episode 8)
From the controversy of her colorful videos to why she’s learning Talmud every day, to her connection to Judaism –
The Kind of People Who Would Censor “Maus” (Season 5 Episode 7)
Art Spiegelman’s “Maus” is a profound treatment of both the Holocaust itself and the experience of the “second-generation.” It also,
Lashon Hara Doesn’t Speak to Me (Season 5 Episode 6)
The Chaim Walder affair is off the front page, but still reverberating in the Orthodox world. One strong response is
“If Only We Were Parsley!” (Season 5 Episode 5)
“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?!” In Hebrew, this famous rhetorical question is
Not Surrendering Jewish Marriage (Season 5 Episode 4)
Shoshanna and Anne critique the disturbingly popular marriage ploy of the “Surrendered Wife” (or “Kesher Wife,” for the Jewish version)
Putting Women Back in the Picture: The Jewish Life Photo Bank (Season 5 Episode 3)
Chochmat Nashim set out to represent Orthodox life as it really is, but that doesn’t come without controversy. Shoshanna and
When a Beloved Children’s Author is Really a Predator (Season 5 Episode 2)
The “canceling” of Chaim Walder, why it is necessary, and what happens next. Are we looking at a sea change
We Need YOU to Help Prevent Agunot! (Season 5 Premiere)
The more things stay the same, the more they change. Here’s Shoshanna and Anne, on agunot and how to make
Ask Us Anything: Season Finale (Season 4 Episode 18)
We opened the floodgates, and your questions poured in. In this season finale, you asked us about our work, our
The Lone Woman in Court: An Interview with Yael Braun (Season 4 Episode 17)
– In which we discuss the Olympic gold medalist who can’t marry in Israel and the Bnei Menashe who did.
Don’t Women Belong in Shul?! (Season 4 Episode 16)
– In which we discuss a shul’s hiring of a woman as their rabbi.– In which we talk about a
Whose ‘Unorthodox Life’ Is It, Anyway? (Season 4 Episode 15)
Join us for this special crossover episode with Rabbi Scott Kahn and Talli Rosenbaum of Intimate Judaism and the Orthodox
Can Feminism and Orthodoxy Coexist? (Season 4 Episode 14)
– In which we, with special guest Rachel Stomel, discuss the closure of a group dedicated to Orthodox feminism and
Does the Jerusalem Day Flag March Go Too Far? (Season 4 Episode 13)
– In which Israel has a new government (with ample opportunity to erase women, no less)!– In which we reflect
A Perfect Storm: Misinformation, Jew Hatred, & Social Media (Season 4 Episode 12)
– In which an agunah gets her get from the man who had left her for dead. And the Onion’s
30% of Women Are Assaulted in Their Lifetimes (Season 4 Episode 11)
NOTE: We recorded this more than a month before its release. But then the Meron tragedy happened, and we didn’t
The Rockets’ Red Glare (Season 4 Episode 10)
In this impromptu and somewhat raw special edition of The Chochmat Nashim Podcast, Shoshanna and Anne reflect on the situation
A Work of Heart: Rabbi Johnny Solomon and Why He’s on Our Board (Season 4 Episode 9)
– In which some rabbis are caught organizing underage marriages and an amusement park won’t let a father chaperone his
Fallen Heroes (Season 4 Episode 8)
-In which we update you on the long-awaited divorces, and why Nikki Haley wasn’t featured in Mishpacha magazine.– In which
Will the Frum Women of Instagram Succeed Where the Beit Din Did Not? (S4 E7)
– In which we discuss the shameful response of some to the Supreme Court’s decision on non-Orthodox conversion.– In which
You’re So Male, Betcha Think the Torah’s About You: Shlomo Lieberman On Men and Hypermodesty (S4 E6)
– In which we discuss how a near-murder got an agunah her get– In which we consider how erasing women
When the Best Man for the Job Is A Woman (Season 4 Episode 5)
– In which we rejoice in Malka Leifer’s extradition. And (lehavdil) in women taking part in Israeli politics (well, sometimes).
Get Vaxxed: Ethicist Corinne Berzon, PhD on the Moral Imperative of the COVID-19 Vaccine (S4, Ep. 4)
-In which we update on the Beer Sheva erasure scandal – In which we explain why Israel is #1 in COVID-vaccination, why
Introducing Chochmat Nashim’s Seal of Respect (Season 4 Episode 3)
– In which we note 3 “wins” for the good guys, including Malka Leifer’s extradition order and an order to
Stuff People Go Through: Shira Lankin Sheps and the Layers Project (Season 4 Episode 2)
– In which we consider efforts to decry violence against women (including Bibi’s flubbed speech).– In which we understand the
The Trayf in Your Home and ‘Hood (Season 4 Premiere)
In which we introduce The Chochmat Nashim Podcast 2.0.In which we review the great UK kosher cheese saga and how
The “Ask Me Anything” Episode (Season 3 Episode 16)
Now it’s YOUR turn to lead the conversation! In this double-length season finale, Chochmat Nashim answers questions submitted by listeners,
(Men Discussing) Orthodox Women’s Roles: A Follow-Up and Interview with Chochmat Nashim
Is it ever okay for men to have a conversation about women without women present? In a special crossover episode
Talking About Talking About Race (Season 3 Episode 15)
Chochmat Nashim sits down to have the uncomfortable conversation that needs to be had. But can three white women in
Who Was That Masked (Wo)man? Social Responsibility During COViD-19 and Beyond (Season 3 Episode 14)
How do the coronavirus guidelines tap into Jewish traditions of looking out for one another? Anne, Rachel, and Shoshanna navigate
Faith and Flexibility: What Happens to Judaism When You’re Stuck at Home (Season 3 Episode 13)
After two months of lockdown, we’re finally talking about the impact of quarantine – specifically, on religious life, from belief
Up, Up and Away: Aliyah Stories (Season 3 Episode 12)
In honor of Israel’s Independence Day, Rachel, Anne, and Shoshanna share stories of their respective moves to Israel — the
What’s With All The Hand Washing? (Season 3 Episode 11)
With the Corona crisis, hand washing is suddenly on everyone’s mind. But in Jewish tradition we do it often. Why
Art: Not Just for Artists (Season 3 Episode 10)
Whether you can’t draw a straight line or you live and breathe art, everyone has a creative soul bursting to
Tznius Without the Trauma (Season 3 Episode 9)
How can we relate to tznius in healthy ways, without the baggage, shaming and mixed messages that are so prevalent
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (Season 3 Episode 8)
Hair covering is so much more than a personal mitzvah. For better or for worse, it becomes a public statement
Are You Honest or Are You Frum? (Season 3 Episode 7)
Rabbi Yosef Blau, mashgiach ruchani of Yeshiva University, has witnessed the evolution of the Jewish world, both in Israel and
We Siyum, But Do We Believe ‘Em? (Season 3 Episode 6)
It seems almost unbelievable that a convention center hall was packed with 3,300 women celebrating women’s daf yomi- the daily
Raising Awareness, Saving Lives, Changing the World: The Chochmat Nashim Campaign (BONUS EPISODE)
In this special episode, join Shoshanna Keats-Jaskoll as she is interviewed by Scott Kahn about the Chochmat Nashim campaign, and
The DNAysayers (Season 3 Episode 5)
It may sound like science fiction, but it’s happening right now in Israel: the Rabbinate has begun using DNA tests
The Taboo that is Killing Women (Season 3 Episode 4)
Women living in insular communities are dying of a disease they cannot name: breast cancer. Responding to the crisis, one
Activism Unlocked (Season 3 Episode 3)
Activism isn’t magic; it’s something anyone can do. Rachel, Anne, and Shoshanna outline the unexpected pitfalls and means to success
Shall we dance? (Season 3 Episode 2)
Simchat Torah is a holiday of joy and celebration, but also of conflict and misconceptions when it comes to women’s
New Year’s Revolutions (Season 3 Premiere)
Standing at the cusp of a new year and a new season of the Chochmat Nashim podcast, we ask ourselves:
The Ask Us Anything Episode (Season 2 Episode 17 – SEASON FINALE)
“What inspires you?” “Why do you stay Orthodox?” “What about single-sex spaces — aren’t they legitimate?” You asked, we answer.
Halachic Prenups: Make Love, Not War (Season 2 Episode 16)
Flowers, check. Dress, check. Band, check. Wait, what about your halachic prenup? Chochmat Nashim explains why a halachic prenuptial agreement
What’s a nice religious girl like you doing at a SlutWalk like this? (Season 2 Episode 15)
SlutWalk – which protests sexual violence and victim blaming – makes an important statement. But the attire of many participants
Canceling Cancel Culture (Season 2 Episode 14)
What happens when we declare people, rather than positions, as beyond the pale in Orthodoxy? Chochmat Nashim challenges the notion
Like Talking to a Wall (Season 2 Episode 13)
What’s the connection between the raging battles over women’s prayer at the Kotel (Western Wall) and Chochmat Nashim’s unlikely origin
AntiSemitism: This Time It’s Personal (Season 2 Episode 12)
“In every generation, they arise to kill us.” We say these words every year at the Passover Seder, but this
Sentenced to Leifer (Season 2 Episode 11)
Alleged pedophile Malka Leifer has evaded extradition for years due to a complex web of community cover-ups, abuse of rabbinic
What America Gets Wrong about Jewish Abortion (Season 2 Episode 10)
Does Jewish law have a definitive stance on abortion? What happens to the real life Jewish women & couples who
The Amazing Vanishing Act: Women (Season 2 Episode 9)
Where have all the women gone? Shoshanna, Anne, and Rachel put a finger on the pulse of the dangerous trend
Content advisory: Women’s Voices! (Season 2 Episode 8)
How kol isha – the restrictions on hearing a woman’s voice – affects the way Jewish women sing, speak, and
On the Path to a More Welcoming, Comfortable Jewish Community (Season 2 Episode 7)
What happens when you’re on the outs of the Jewish community? When your demographic excludes you from the pale? What
Can Israel Be a Jewish State? (Season 2 Episode 6)
Rabbi Dr. Seth Farber of ITIM understands the complex workings of religion and state in Israel better than most. He
Chochmat Nashim Cleans Up Flatbush Girl’s Mess (SPECIAL TO THE CHOCHMAT NASHIM PODCAST)
Adina Miles, AKA “Flatbush Girl,” started a business and soon found herself knee deep in what people thought a good
Anything Boys Can Do, Girls Can Do In Heels (Season 2 Episode 5)
The documentary 93Queen tells the story of Judge Ruchie Freier and her all-women ambulance corps, an unlikely story of women’s
Que Serara Serara (Season 2 Episode 4)
Local elections in Israel brought a record number of women to positions of authority. With the Rambam saying women can’t
Between Moms and Mamzers (Season 2 Episode 3)
Artificial Reproductive Technologies have made all kinds of things possible – starting with children who would not have been born.
“I Don’t Know of a Modest Way to Die”: Breast Cancer Screening in the Haredi World (Season 2 Episode 2)
The Haredi world has a 70% lower incidence of breast cancer than the general population, but a 30-50% higher mortality
The Devil’s Triangle (Season 2, Episode 1)
Shoshanna, Anne and Rachel make use of the popular conversational technique (that’s what it meant in our high school) to
Chochmat Nashim Classic: There Are Jews, and Then There Are Jews
Chochmat Nashim is still on summer hiatus, but we’ll be back after the chagim with brand new episodes of the
Two Agunot Cases SOLVED! (But Not Really) (Episode 18)
In some ways, it’s a cause for celebration: an aguna for 18 years is finally released by a religious court.
By Air, By Land, By Court Demand (Episode 17)
What happens when women are tired of conceding to the sensibilities of men? We get cranky, that’s what… or at
When Your Spouse Joins the KKK (Episode 16)
It’s one thing to combat extremism in theory, but what should we do when the extremist is someone whom we
Defying Conventions
A recent Religious Zionist conference was women-free, by design. Chochmat Nashim asks whether we are ready to reevalute the premise
Changing Hearts and Minds: A Case Study in Dialogue When You Thought the Conversation was Closed
When a member of the RCA and the US Yeshiva community questioned the validity of Yoatzot Halacha, Chochmat Nashim engaged
That Time (well, another one) When Women Saved the Jews (Pesach Episode)
The salvation of the Children of Israel, no less, came about because women were heard. This is, of course, Chochmat
Agunot: Whose Problem Is It? (Episode 12)
You’ve probably heard of the halachic prenup as a solution to the agunah problem, so why are we still stuck
Make ‘Em Laugh (Episode 11)
Humor, satire and snark are favorite Jewish pastimes. Chochmat Nashim explores why humor packs such a punch. Happy Adar!
Separate But Equal? (Episode 10)
When is segregation okay – if ever? Anne, Shoshanna and Rachel explore a hot topic in Israel: state sponsored sex
Zion and Liars and Scares, Oh My! (Episode 9)
Will Israel really name a train station at the Kotel for US President Trump? Chochmat Nashim weighs in at the
Episode 8 -Changing Signs of the Times: Modesty Notices in Beit Shemesh
When “modesty signs” instructing women how to dress were used as justification for assault against women and girls in Beit
Episode 7 – Entering 5778 with Signs and Wonders
On Rosh Hashanah, we dip apples in honey for a sweet new year, and some have the custom to include
Episode 6 -Extremism
Extremism is a growing phenomenon in Orthodox Judaism, and this is perhaps most obvious in the Israeli city of Beit
Episode 5 – There are Jews, and Then There Are Jews
Rabbi Chuck Davidson explains to Chochmat Nashim the ins and outs of conversion in the State of Israel, with its
Episode 4 -A Rabbi By Any Other Name
Chochmat Nashim discusses women in Jewish leadership positions, and the unnecessary controversy over their titles. Music: “Misery” by The Whips
Episode 3 – Feminism
Feminism. What is it? Do we need it as an independent value? Does it have a essential role in Torah
Episode 2 – The Agunot Crisis
The Chochmat Nashim Podcast is hosted by Rachel Stomel, Anne Gordon, and Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll. In episode 2, to mark
Episode 1
The Chochmat Nashim Podcast is hosted by Rachel Stomel, Anne Gordon, and Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll. Episode one is an introduction to
Chochmat Nashim
Subscribe: iTunes / SoundCloud / Stitcher / RSS Chochmat Nashim was founded to fight injustice in the Orthodox Jewish world