Gabrielle Amoils

Rabbi Yaffa Epstein’s visit to Emanuel School

On Monday, Year 11 Jewish Studies students and Year 11 and 12 Studies of Religion students had the privilege and rare opportunity to hear Rabba Yaffa Epstein, a female Orthodox Rabbi. She received Rabbinic Ordination from Yeshivat Maharat and holds a Law Degree from Bar-Ilan University. Rabbi Yaffa has been a teacher of Talmud, Jewish law, and Liturgy at Pardes for over a decade, and has served as the Director of the Beit Midrash at the Dorot Fellowship in Israel. 

Rabba Yaffa told us about her life and what led to her becoming a female Orthodox Rabbi. Many students were puzzled with the idea of a ‘female Orthodox Rabbi’ and thought of it as an oxymoron, as we never hear of any female Orthodox Rabbis, and certainly not in the Sydney Jewish Community. She has been a strong feminist since the age of 8, when she realised how sexist the prayers she said every morning were. A prayer that changed her views was the morning prayer recited by men, saying: “Thank you God for not making me a woman”. Rabba Yaffa went on to say that there is no place in the Torah that states that women cannot be Rabbis, and it also declares that women are spiritually more mature than men. Regardless of her belief for equality for both genders, she follows Halachic laws like any other Orthodox Rabbi. She discussed her role in her community, what she is able to do, her education and teaching, and how her family and other Rabbis react when they hear she is a fully qualified Rabbi.

The talk was filled with great questions and interesting discussions and opened up a new perspective of Judaism to me. Living in a Traditional Jewish environment, the idea of a female Rabbi was never spoken of and was never an option. Hearing Rabba Yaffa talk was truly inspiring to all of us and taught us a different side to Orthodox Judaism. If there ever is another opportunity to hear this wise woman speak, I highly recommend her to everyone! This talk certainly deepened my understanding of Judaism and helped me to increase my knowledge in Studies of Relgion.

Thank you so much Rabba Yaffa Epstein for coming to speak to Emanuel School.