36th Annual David W. Belin Lecture: Orthodox Jewish Wellness Influencers in the Age of Viral Politics
Ayala Fader (Fordham University)
The University of Michigan Frankel Center for Judaic Studies is pleased to announce that Professor Ayala Fader of Fordham University will deliver the 36th Annual David W. Belin Lecture, titled “Orthodox Jewish Wellness Influencers in the Age of Viral Politics.”
Over the past decade, frum (Orthodox) Jewish women wellness influencers on social media have become a significant presence. Despite attempts by some rabbis to silence them, frum influencers in the United States and Israel continue to share intimate details of their everyday lives online, earning a living through the promotion of products linked to their platforms. Professor Fader’s talk examines the seemingly contradictory worlds these influencers navigate: while claiming new forms of gendered authority, they simultaneously reinforce traditional Jewish family structures and gender roles.
Drawing inspiration from conservative Christian wellness influencers, frum influencers create content that asserts Jewish exceptionalism while fostering unexpected exchanges with conservative Christian women. The lecture will consider whether frum social media influencers are subtly promoting illiberal politics through the gendered language of wellness.
Ayala Fader is Professor of Anthropology and Jewish Studies at Fordham University. She is the author of the award-winning books Mitzvah Girls (2009) and Hidden Heretics (2020). Professor Fader’s research has been generously supported by numerous fellowships and grants, including those from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. As the founding director of Fordham’s New York Center for Public Anthropology & Sociology, she leads the Demystifying Language Project, which makes linguistic anthropology a social justice resource for public high schools.
ABOUT THE BELIN LECTURE:
The David W. Belin Lecture in American Jewish Affairs was established in 1991 through a generous gift from the late David W. Belin of Des Moines (IA) and New York to provide an academic forum for the discussion of contemporary Jewish life in the United States. As the founding chair of Reform Judaism's Outreach Commission and a founding member of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, Belin served the American Jewish community in numerous leadership roles. His commitment to the future of American Jewry inspired him to endow this annual lectureship, providing a forum for meaningful discussion of contemporary Jewish life in the United States.
Over the past decade, frum (Orthodox) Jewish women wellness influencers on social media have become a significant presence. Despite attempts by some rabbis to silence them, frum influencers in the United States and Israel continue to share intimate details of their everyday lives online, earning a living through the promotion of products linked to their platforms. Professor Fader’s talk examines the seemingly contradictory worlds these influencers navigate: while claiming new forms of gendered authority, they simultaneously reinforce traditional Jewish family structures and gender roles.
Drawing inspiration from conservative Christian wellness influencers, frum influencers create content that asserts Jewish exceptionalism while fostering unexpected exchanges with conservative Christian women. The lecture will consider whether frum social media influencers are subtly promoting illiberal politics through the gendered language of wellness.
Ayala Fader is Professor of Anthropology and Jewish Studies at Fordham University. She is the author of the award-winning books Mitzvah Girls (2009) and Hidden Heretics (2020). Professor Fader’s research has been generously supported by numerous fellowships and grants, including those from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. As the founding director of Fordham’s New York Center for Public Anthropology & Sociology, she leads the Demystifying Language Project, which makes linguistic anthropology a social justice resource for public high schools.
ABOUT THE BELIN LECTURE:
The David W. Belin Lecture in American Jewish Affairs was established in 1991 through a generous gift from the late David W. Belin of Des Moines (IA) and New York to provide an academic forum for the discussion of contemporary Jewish life in the United States. As the founding chair of Reform Judaism's Outreach Commission and a founding member of the Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, Belin served the American Jewish community in numerous leadership roles. His commitment to the future of American Jewry inspired him to endow this annual lectureship, providing a forum for meaningful discussion of contemporary Jewish life in the United States.
| Building: | Michigan Union |
|---|---|
| Website: | |
| Event Type: | Lecture / Discussion |
| Tags: | Anthropology, History, Humanities, Jewish Studies, Language, Religious, Research, Social Impact, Social Sciences |
| Source: | Happening @ Michigan from Judaic Studies |
