About • Deracheha

Deracheha is an initiative of Yeshivat Har Etzion
in partnership with the Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash
and the Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash For Women – Migdal Oz

Deracheha’s name was inspired by a pasuk in Mishlei: “Deracheha darchei no’am, ve-chol netivoteha shalom.” “Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace.”

In this pasuk, the Torah’s ways are “her ways.” Deracheha.org is the meeting point of the Torah’s ways and a woman’s.

Purpose

Jewish women, and our communities as a whole, need greater understanding of halachot pertaining to women.

Understanding Halacha has a positive impact on halachic commitment and practice, and raises the level of our communal discussion.

Halacha is a guide for living, rich in nuance and alive to its adherents. It is responsive to religious intuitions and spiritual aspirations. It is much more than a black or white bottom line.

Deracheha presents Halacha accurately and respectfully, in a woman’s voice.

We explore a range of halachic voices as clearly and thoroughly as possible, leaving room for each reader to find a place within it.

We don’t advocate, we educate. We are passionate about informing you about Halacha, without telling you what to think.

Read more about why we think its important for women to engage directly with halachic texts in our Introduction.

Goals

To grant women access to halachic discourse.
To build a community of learners.
To raise the caliber of halachic discussion and mitzva observance.

This Site

Our content grows regularly, with topics organized in four sections:

Concepts: Halachic Foundations

Constants: Daily Practice

Seasons: The Jewish Calendar

Passages: The Life-Cycle

For each topic, the IN BRIEF tab provides a summary.

The IN DEPTH tab presents guided source study and textual analysis to help readers understand the issues on a deeper level. By clicking on highlighted questions, readers access discussion of different perspectives on the issues, to help relate the sources under discussion to real life practice.

The SOURCES tab provides a source sheet to further facilitate learning.

Q&A contains common questions and answers.

The PODCAST tab provides an audio shiur and related episodes from our Kol Deracheha Podcast.

Our Ask and Q&A pages provide opportunities for visitors to the site to add to this discussion and learn from each other. Stay tuned for more interactive features to come…

Unless otherwise noted, site content has been drafted by Site Director and Head Writer Laurie Novick, and reviewed by at least one member of our editorial team and by Halacha Editor-In-Chief Rav Ezra Bick.

To learn even more about the thinking behind Deracheha, check out this video podcast with Aish Uk!

Deracheha Team

Laurie Novick, SITE DIRECTOR and HEAD WRITER

Laurie Novick, Director and Head Writer of Deracheha, has worked as a Yoetzet Halacha since Fall 5763 and teaches at Migdal Oz. Laurie is also a Yoetzet Halacha Fertility Counsellor, a member of a pilot cohort of Yoatzot Halacha who have received advanced training in fertility issues and Halacha and taught for many years at Nishmat. She has degrees in Bible, Jewish Education, and Talmud and has also done graduate work in Counseling.

Leadership

Yeshivat Har Etzion

Rav Baruch Gigi, Rosh Yeshivat Har Etzion
POSEK

Rav Mosheh Lichtenstein, Rosh Yeshivat Har Etzion
POSEK

Rav Yaakov Medan, Rosh Yeshivat Har Etzion
POSEK

The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash

Rav Ezra Bick, Ram Yeshivat Har Etzion, VBM Director
HALACHA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Rav Reuven Ziegler, VBM Editor-In-Chief
SERIES EDITOR

The Stella K. Abraham Beit Midrash for Women – Migdal Oz

Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg, Rosh Beit Midrash Migdal Oz
ADVISOR

Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg established the Migdal Oz Beit Midrash for Women in 1997 and has served as the Rosh Beit Midrash since its establishment. Prior to Migdal Oz, she served as Rosh Beit Midrash of the Midreshet Lindenbaum Israeli Program. She holds a B.A. from Hebrew University in Hebrew Literature, and is a graduate of Michlalah Jerusalem in Tanach Studies. She is an active member on the board of Bnei Akiva, a mother of seven, and lives in Alon Shvut.

Supporters

Deracheha is supported by a grant from the Arev Fund.

FOUNDERS

Anonymous

The Adlerstein Family

Drs. Isaac and Etta Novick, in memory of Maria Siegelstein and Miriam Novick

Lynn Sykes, in memory of Gene Sykes

The Silverman Family, in memory of Mrs Anita Hirsch Silverman ob”m

PILLARS

Anonymous

Daniel Adlerstein

David Adlerstein

Elise Peter-Apelbaum, in memory of Tserl bat Menachem veFradel

Lee Berlman

Betzalel Ganot

Shayna and Judah Goldberg

Karen Kadish

Stacy and Eli Lansey

Rachel and David Leshaw

Ilana Vichness, in memory of Yehuda & Zehava Boudrehem

Elka and Eli Weber

BUILDERS

Anonymous

Lucie Chaix

Atara and Rafi Eis

Sonya M. Davis

Micki Lavin-Pell

Devora Pister

Albert and Batsheva Ruback In Honor of our dear friend Laurie Novick

James Schwartz

Tikva Shore, in honor of Rachel Weber Leshaw

Nancy Weissman

CHARTER SUBSCRIBERS

Anonymous

Sarina Aarenau

Rachel Abrahams

Ilana Bauman

Adam Breiterman

Zahava Bogner

Esther Caroline

Leah Caroline

Regina Comins

Joanne Doades

Shoshana Drimer

Daniel Ehrenreich

Ilana Elzufon

Amira Felsenthal

Tammi Forman

Sarah and Haim Garfinkel

Linda Gradstein

Claudia Graff

Debby Graneviz

Barbara Greenberg

Sarah and Noam Greenberg

Frank Gruno

Kenneth Kleinerman

Jessica Kupferberg

Ruth Kutnicki

Zoe Lang

Sandra Leshaw

Dina Mann

Harriet Mark

Sylvia Orenstein

Chani Rabinowitz

Rachel Schwarz

Barbara Shaw

Shira and Avi Shmidman

Yael and Eric Sunshine

Lior Toledano

Renee Wallace

Miriam Weed

Support Deracheha

Help Deracheha make a difference!

Our ability to maintain and develop this site depends on you!

Please support us by making a donation.

For tax-deductible donations in the United States, click here.

For tax-deductible donations in Israel, click here.

Share Feedback

Please share feedback with us here!