“Lesma”: For Gender Equality and Empowerment – Gender Studies

“Lesma”: For Gender Equality and Empowerment – Gender Studies

The need:

• In spite of the progress of legislation and social leadership over the last few decades, there are still gaps between men and women in Israeli society.

• Among the female and male students of the Mechinot it would appear that the awareness regarding the issue of gender inequality is far from being adequate. Over the last few years has arisen the need in the Mechinot to contend with the issue of gender.

The solution:

• As part of their Jewish identity, and as future leaders of Israeli society, the JCM wishes to bring about a significant change in the awareness of the Mechinot alumni who will become social leaders in the future toward the issue of gender inequality.

• In addition, the JCM will act to promote female representation in key positions in the world of the Mechinot with the aim of inculcating this world view in Israeli society.

• In light of the satisfaction with gender studies program among the Mechinot that have implemented it, JCM has opted to expand the program and implement it nationally.

Inception of the program: 2012.

Gender Studies started in one Mechina and gradual expansion to four more Mechinot. In 2016, the JCM wishes to extend the program to the national level.

Data:

• Currently just 6 Mechinot directors (out of 52) are women

• 2 out of 9 executive board members are women

• Women hold auxiliary, counseling and assistant positions

• The number of female Talmud teachers and female Beit Midrash heads as well as female teachers of other content subjects is low

• There is numerical gender equality among the Mechina students

Goals:

• Focusing on the area of gender in all the general Mechinot in 10 years

• Numerical equality among senior position holders within the organization in 10 years

• Numerical equality among the Mechinot teachers in 10 years

The amount needed: $52,000 to operate the program in 20 Mechinot