Orthodox feminism is one of the most vital and vibrant social forces in Israel today. That was the message of Tuesday's conference marking Kolech's ten year anniversary. Kolech has changed the discourse and the dynamic of Israeli society, one speaker after another said. Dr. Hana Kehat, the founder and original fighter behind this movement, deserves every ounce of credit that she was given, and more. 

Although Kolech has had some remarkable achievements on issues ranging from women's education to sexual harassment, the focus of the evening was on challenges for the future rather than resting on their laurels. 

The most important issue on the agenda is still, undoubtedly, the issue of divorce, argued Rivka Lubich, religious court advocate working for the Center for Women's Justice whose weekly Hebrew column on YNet is a must-read. But Lubich, who is always intelligent, provocative and convincing, pushed the envelope even further: "We must change the way marriage is done in Judaism," she said. "We have to take kinyan [purchasing] out of the ritual. Without that, we will never solve the problem of agunot."

Lubich's argument is that the issue of agunot is "not just about agunot, not just about women getting divorced, and not even just about married women. It's about the entire way women are viewed in halakha. It's about the status of women under the law. And that needs to change at the core." I couldn't agree more. 

A major step towards changing the status of women under the law is to create an alternative religious court, argued Kolech Chair Chana Pasternak. One of the major initiatives of the next few years is creating this alternative beit din, in collaboration with Mavoi Satum and Ne'emanei Torah Va'avodah. Pasternak also believes that there need to be women religious judges, a goal that seems far off but is indispensible for the future of gender equity in Judaism.

The discourse about gender in society at large must also change, argued Dr. Gili Zivan, Director of the Yaakov Herzog Center for Jewish Studies. "We have to aim to reach a point where a rabbi cannot get up and make anti-women statements and think that it's fine," she said. Zivan compared the situation to race in America, where it is politically incorrect to even slightly hint at racist ideas. "We are nowhere near that situation when it comes to women in Israel," she said. The fact that Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar could make the most blatantly misogynistic statments at last week's rabbinic conference was case in point, she said. 

Evelyn Zikri, the founding director of the Kolech Ashdod branch, reminded the audience to look towards Sephardic women. "Everyone has to be seen," she said. "Seek women out in their spaces, in their homes, where they dwell, where they feel comfortable. Do not leave them out."  

Naomi Safrai-Cohen, neice of the late Hanna Safrai, spoke on behalf of the "young women" (though I found myself asking whether I am still considered "young"). She said that the status of women has deteriorated in religion. "I grew up in the Kibbutz Hadati," she said, "learning Gemara -- without the Steinzaltz, participating in women's zimmun, and staying far away from the symbol of women's oppression -- i.e., head covering." That was quite a bold statement to make in a crowd full of hats and scarves. (Not quite as bold as her assertion that Kolech does not attract young people -- "Look at this audience!" she said, as people shifted in their seats. It was, of course, 6:30 PM, not the easiest time for parents of young children to sit for a leisurely three-hour conference....nevertheless). "Today, in ulpanot and Bnei Akiva, women no longer have those opportunities," she said. "I am thinking about the bat mitzvah of my daughter, and I am filled with worries," she said.

Ultimately, though, people should not be afraid of change, according to Prof. Noam Zohar, one of the men on the panel. "The idea that there is a such thing as halakhic boundaries is just wrong," he said. "When you study the history and philosophy of halakha, is becomes obvious that halakha has always shifted and moved, sometimes very radically. There is no such thing as 'halakhic boundaries.' They don't exist." A radical statement in itself, but he was lauded by the other panelists for making this argument.

Overall, it was an inspiring evening, reminding me that one person can, truly make a difference. Hanna Kehat built a remarkable institution that has many challenges ahead but has undoubtedly changed the fabric of Jewish life in Israel. Onward and upward, from strength to strength! As Elie Holzer said, See you in another ten years!