Why Should We Be Excluded? Access, Obligation, and Membership: The Case for an English Megillah

A virtual event presentation by Rabbanit Devorah Zlochower About The Event: The cry, “Why Should We Be Excluded,” made by those individuals who were not able to bring the Paschal sacrifice is echoed by so many disabled Jews who have been left out of our community – our shuls, our schools, our communal programming due to inaccessibility and to invisibility in the community. The laws of the megillah were designed by our Sages to make the reading of the Book of Esther accessible. In this shiur, we will learn that the halakha places a major value on comprehension of the story and allows for a megillah to be written in all languages. This serves as a model for ensuring that all Jews are full and equal members of our communities. *Source Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16fjiAIl4H416EJuwA628LOMzA7Qk6qGcCVGGFftJQq8/edit?usp=sharingAbout The Speaker: Rabbanit Devorah Zlochower is Senior Scholar and Mashgichah Ruchanit at YCT Rabbinical School. Previously, she served as Academic Dean and Rosh Kollel at Yeshivat Maharat and as Rosh Beit Midrash and Director of the Full-time Programs of Drisha Institute. Devorah has taught Talmud and Jewish Law for 3 decades at Drisha, SAR High School, Hadar, YCT, and Maharat. ★ Support this podcast ★