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Woman of the Wall founder Anat Hoffman to give talk for COC Sisterhood

Anat Hoffman

Congregation Or Chadash Sisterhood will host Anat Hoffman, executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center and founder of Women of the Wall, via Zoom on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. Hoffman will present “If You See Something — Say Something,” which she calls “an invitation to speak up when Israel strays away from its own declared vision.”

“Israel’s Declaration of Independence ensures social and political rights to all of Israel’s inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; freedom of religion, conscience, language, education, and culture; and a country that will safeguard the holy places of all religions,” says Hoffman. “There are instances where Israel goes off course. What should Diaspora Jews do?”

In her teens, Hoffman was Israel’s swimming champion, an experience she says taught her “to dive headfirst into the deep end.”

As executive director of IRAC since 2002, Hoffman has led efforts to advance religious pluralism in Israel. She won recognition for Reform and Conservative conversions by the state; and led the struggle against gender segregation in the public domain, including on public buses, airplanes and a national radio station.

Hoffman has led Women of the Wall for over three decades in their struggle toward gender equality at the Western Wall.

Registration is required for the talk, with a request to make a donation to support the work of IRAC and Women of the Wall.

For more information, contact Dana Adler at danaa@me.com.