Yakira Gischen

Theology of Feminism

Within the religion of Judaism, the Torah (the Holy Book) conveys the laws and therefore the expectations, or mitzvot that the Jewish people must follow. It is the very foundation upon which this religion is built.

There are 613 laws in which the Torah contains, of which only three pertain directly to women. Of the remaining 610, there are 30 laws which women are forbidden from performing. This imbalance of laws demonstrates how infrequently the Torah mentions women as well as their innate lack of presence within their own religion.

Having been raised in an Orthodox Jewish household, I have only now started questioning the conventions of my religion, with a particular interest in the treatment and recognition of women within Judaism

The Theology of Feminism explores the male-oriented conventions of Judaism through a feminist lens. The work portrays various garments which contain a form of symbolism within the Jewish faith, such as a pair of Tzitzit, an undergarment worn every day by Jewish men and my mother’s wedding dress. I disrupt these garments through the use of embroidered Hebrew inscriptions, thereby inscribing these objects with a new meaning and symbolism. Such inscriptions include lyrics of the song ‘Eshet Chayil ’(Woman of Valour), a traditional song sung by men to their wives on a Friday night, as well as various Torah inscriptions which refer directly to women and the lack of respect pertaining to them.