why

Halahka in Action is Maharat’s program that enables learned women to be halakhically and pastorally-informed advocates and guides for women navigating sensitive life cycle events.

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what 

Beginning its second cohort in Fall 2023, Halakha in Action is a one-year fellowship  designed for women with advanced Jewish educational backgrounds to gain expertise in halakhic topics related to life cycles. This year, we are focusing on beginning of life issues.  Fellows will learn from medical and halakhic experts and are exposed to organizations and individuals already engaged in advocacy work so that they can develop resources, build expertise, and share best practices to help individuals. They will contribute to our communal effort to create lasting and systemic change in this area.  

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 Halakha in Action will focus on the following issues:

• Birth Control

• Genetic Testing/Screening

• Pregnancy

• Fertility 

• Halakhic Infertility

• Miscarriage

• Stillbirth

• Sperm and Egg Donations

• Gestational Carrier

• Abortion

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The 2023-2024 Halakha in Action Program has completed.

Halakha in Action, a signature program of the Center for Lived Torah, has the following goals:

• Fellows will engage in high-level halakha learning with expert teachers;

• Fellows will learn how to advise and advocate for people dealing with beginning of life issues;

• Fellows will get to know organizations and individuals already engaged in beginning of life advocacy work;

• Fellows will become important resources for people who are encountering beginning of life issues  or who are struggling with these issues;

• Fellows will contribute to the communal effort to improve the experiences of Jewish women and men who struggle with “beginning of life” issues. 

 

All participants will receive a $1,000 stipend upon completion of a final project and attendance in all classes.  Final projects can be a written teshuvah or paper, essays, social media campaigns, communal projects, support groups, etc. Additional funds are available for 5 participants who choose to write high-level halachic papers or teshuvot for inclusion in a journal that Maharat will produce on this topic.

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Fellows are expected to engage in chevruta learning in order to prepare for each class.