Regarding the letter in the June 29 edition, “Connection doesn’t give women equal access,” I hope the Jewish Federation continues to host events like ‘The Connection.’ As a transgender Jewish woman, I am not always allowed to attend women’s events in the Orthodox world. When such events are held at the Federation, I am allowed to attend.
There are many Orthodox women who want greater access to the highest levels of traditional Talmudic learning than is currently available anywhere, let alone in Tucson. While I support them, I am not one of them, nor do I feel like a second class citizen. Traditional gender roles even to the extent promoted by The Connection are important to many, and I hope the Federation continues to be as welcoming to the most traditional of Orthodox men and women as it has been to LGBTQ individuals.
— Yiscah Priester
