How Women Changed American Religion: A Jewish Perspective

The 2024 Padnos Lecture, delivered by Professor Karla Goldman (University of Michigan) explores how American Judaism has been shaped by general societal expectations for women's religious behavior and by new active roles Jewish women took on within their religious institutions. Major changes that took place included the restructuring of synagogue architecture with the removal of the women’s gallery, the redefinition of community through women’s volunteerism, and the introduction of women's religious leadership, which also challenged conventional theology. Historically and today, American Judaism -- in dialogue with American society and other models of religious practice -- has constantly evolved and transformed in an effort to match the ever-moving target of gendered expectations for religious behavior and practice.