What Happens To Sexually Active Observant Singles?

"Many singles today feel that it's their right to express their sexuality," said panelist Rabbanit Chana Henkin of the Nishmat seminary for women, calling sexuality among Orthodox singles the "elephant in the room." "Despite our discomfort with the topic, educators and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inForward (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 118; no. 32054
Main Author Katsman, Hannah Wacholder
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York, N.Y The Forward Association, Inc 20.02.2015
Subjects
Jewish Americans
Jewish law
Marriage
Sexual behavior
Sexuality
Single persons
United States > US
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Summary:"Many singles today feel that it's their right to express their sexuality," said panelist Rabbanit Chana Henkin of the Nishmat seminary for women, calling sexuality among Orthodox singles the "elephant in the room." "Despite our discomfort with the topic, educators and community leaders must be prepared to discuss these issues openly." "The problem is only going to become more acute," said Naomi Marmon Gramet of Jerusalem's Eden Center, a not-for-profit initiative that works to "transform" the mikveh into an empowering experience for women. "People have higher expectations and want to accomplish things, like travel and education, before they settle down. Also, when they have done these pursuits, they aren't necessarily willing to come back and marry the boy or girl next door. It is likely to take more time to find someone." Not every woman feels she can get advice on Jewish law from within the community. A divorced woman who wished to remain anonymous said, "I am not shy and did not have a problem discussing this issue [of going to the mikveh] with people that I respect that are very learned in Torah, some rabbis and some just super-smart talmidey khakhomim (Torah scholars)." Others don't ask, but still want to observe. "I went to the mikveh for a long time after my divorce while being sexually active," another woman said. "I don't do that anymore. But I did."
ISSN:1051-340X