While many holidays in the Jewish calendar cycle involve readings of different passages in the Tanach, the reading of Megillat Esther on Purim stands apart regarding the inclusion of women. In the majority of traditional Orthodox communities, most other holiday readings—such as Yonah on Yom Kippur, Kohelet on Sukkot, and the weekly parsha on Shabbat—are only read by men for the whole community. However, on Purim, many Orthodox communities and institutions host readings of Megillat Esther led by women, for women.
This year, there are several opportunities for women to attend Megillah readings led by women throughout New York and New Jersey. Additionally, there are also multiple opportunities for women who are unable to attend in-person readings to join virtual Megillah readings led by women.
In Washington Heights, there will be two different readings by women—a reading at the Beis Community, and a reading at the Mount Sinai Jewish Center. The Beis Community will be hosting morning and evening readings by women. Both of the Beis Community’s readings will be livestreamed for those who are unable to join in person. Meanwhile, the Mount Sinai Jewish Center will also host a reading for women in the evening. For more information about the readings at the Beis Community, contact Sarah Robinson at [email protected]. For information about the Mount Sinai Jewish Center’s reading, contact Davida Kollmar at [email protected].
During the evening, young professionals community group UWS//Jews on the Upper West Side of Manhattan will hold a women’s reading. When asked how community members can get involved, co-organizer Ilana Bauman explained, “We would love help from our community members to set up the rooms and the space. Beyond that, the biggest thing our community members can do is show up.” For more information or to get involved, contact Ilana Bauman and Orly Arbit at [email protected].
During the day on Purim, Netivot Shalom in Teaneck is offering a women’s Megillah reading, to which all women and girls are invited. To learn more about this reading, contact Debra Passner at [email protected].
In addition to the shul-, organization-, and institution-affiliated Megillah readings taking place this Purim, there are also independently organized opportunities to attend readings by women. On the evening of Purim, an independently organized reading in Fair Lawn will take place for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who are unable to join in person, there will also be a virtual livestream. For more information, contact Talia Goldman at [email protected]. There will be a reading held at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston on the evening of Purim. To learn more, contact Pam Greenwood at [email protected]. During the daytime, an independent reading will be held in East Brunswick for its fifth year. To learn more or to RSVP, contact Joelle Yavin at [email protected].
In the evening, there will be an independent reading taking place in a fully virtual format for women anywhere in the world who are not able to attend in-person readings. To learn more, contact Sarah Robinson, who is also organizing the readings affiliated with the Beis Community, at [email protected].
While the readings are no longer actively seeking readers for this Purim, one way to get involved with any of these readings in future years is by volunteering to read a portion of the Megillah. Even if a woman does not have plans to publicly read Megillah, coordinator Sarah Robinson still recommends that they learn the ta’amei ha’mikra (reading cantillation) due to their impacts on textual connection and understanding. According to Robinson, “Learning the ta’amei ha’mikra has been profoundly transformative for me … Now that I know the ta’amei ha’mikra, I can’t imagine ever learning Tanach without it.”
For more information about a Megillah reading or to get involved, contact the hosting institutions or, for independent readings and institution-affiliated readings, contact the point person listed above.
By Shayna Herszage
