THE AJN - “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” Nine months since leading a groundbreaking special investigation into gender inequality and harassment in Jewish organisations, has any progress ensued?

THE AJN - Noting that women who experience uncomplicated births are now sent home as early as six hours after delivery in the public system, Raizel Fogel is one woman who recognised a dire need to provide post-natal support – and she does so from her own pocket.

“There is no call here for affirmative action – just recognition that Mizrachi’s gender bias (conscious or otherwise) is real, it is dangerous, and it is contemptible.”

“The embodiment of diversity, the appointment of Harris was relished by supporters as a beacon of hope as she shatters glass ceilings at a time when a stalled trajectory of women in positions of political leadership prevails.”

New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor is one half of the reporting duo that broke the story that would expose Harvey Weinstein as a sexual predator and reignite the #MeToo movement. Three years later, she reflects.

Academic Dr Keren McGinity led the #MeToo movement in the US Jewish community. She shares her very personal story.

The Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation has announced a new endowment that will facilitate research into gender issues in the Australian Jewish community.

EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: A special investigation has revealed an alarming reality: Over one third (37 per cent) of 111 women surveyed said they have experienced gender-based bullying in a Jewish organisation, with five per cent saying it is a regular occurrence. Further, one fifth of respondents said they have encountered sexual harassment in Jewish organisations in some form.

EXCLUSIVE: In a special investigation into the experiences of women in leadership in Melbourne and Sydney’s Jewish community, the issues of career aspirations and development; culture, values and respect; board participation; bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment; work/life balance; religion and generational issues are explored.

Naomi Tucker is the co-founder of Shalom Bayit, a centre set up to support women and children fleeing domestic violence in the Jewish community in the Bay Area of the US.
“So often, we have seen women’s safety put at the bottom of the totem pole of Jewish communal priorities … [It needs to be put] on our Jewish social justice agenda, as a communal priority. We work on so many justice issues in the community, and most of the time they don’t include women – yet women are half of our population,” says Tucker.

The Victorian branch of the National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (NCJWA) has made a push to ensure that Jewish women are equally represented in positions of leadership and at events within the community.

As details have emerged of Weinstein’s alleged behaviour over the decades, one is left asking, how? How, in this age of the ever-present smart phone, eager to tweet, snap and share, has one of Hollywood’s best-kept secrets evaded the spotlight? As director Judd Apatow asks, what about the people who were signing the cheques for all these years?