Gender and the Experience of Conversion: The Case of “Returnees” to Modern Orthodox Judaism*

AbstractIn the biblical book of Leviticus, the whole life of the Hebrew people is codified under the aspect of purity and impurity, and the reintegration into purity. When read in the light of gender, these prescriptions show that women are twice as impure as men, while their monetary value is half. Using the semiotic approach developed by A. J. Greimas, this study shows that, beneath the religious discourse obscuring this valuation, is an equally gendered ideology. The source of this valuation is not the foundational events which engender mosaic law, but its roots are to be found in deeper mythical ground. For the condition of women to change, the issue of their impurity—inferiority must be treated at this level. A striking example illustrating this argument is the persistence of purification rites related to the menstrual cycle in modern Orthodox Judaism. Over the course of centuries, the code that contains them has become obsolete. Nevertheless, they remain in place through successive reinterpretations, which do not address the real reason for their existence.

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Chapter Two: Modern Orthodox Judaism and Women’s Standing

Between Feminism and Orthodox Judaism ◽

10.1163/9789004235311_003 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 17-25

Author(s):

Yael Israel-Cohen

Keyword(s):

Orthodox Judaism ◽

Modern Orthodox Judaism ◽

Modern Orthodox

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Identity Conflict in Modern Orthodox Judaism and the Laws of Family Purity

Method & Theory in the Study of Religion ◽

10.1163/157006806776142884 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 92-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Mark Guterman

Keyword(s):

Questionnaire Survey ◽

Orthodox Jews ◽

Orthodox Judaism ◽

Identity Conflict ◽

Sample Group ◽

Dependent Variables ◽

Modern Orthodox Judaism ◽

Family Purity ◽

Modern Orthodox

AbstractThis research was designed to study the issue of observance of the ritually unclean period amongst Modern Orthodox Jews. A sample group of fifty-three congregants filled out a questionnaire survey. The sample was then subdivided into "older" and "younger" groups. Measurements of thirteen dependent variables were broken down into "strict" and "lenient" categories. The study concludes that many laws are being broken overall, that more "lenient" laws are being broken than "strict" ones, and that older congregants are more likely to break the laws than younger ones.

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