Writing

Writing

Elana writes about language, power, gender, and culture, often with a focus on Jewish life and Israel and Palestine. Elana's work has appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, The Independent, Everyday Feminism, The Forward, Lilith, the Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, Tablet, the Times of Israel, The Jewish Chronicle, The Jewish Independent, eJewish Philanthropy, and many other outlets. She also writes regularly on her Substack, The Roar.

Elana Sztokman's essay in The Atlantic, Gaza: It's a Man's WarElana in The Atlantic
Selected work
A few pieces to start with, from more than fifteen years of writing.
Writing by topic
Elana has written hundreds of articles, op-eds, blogs, chapters, book reviews, and academic articles. Below is a collection of her pieces. Choose a topic and scroll to explore,.
How words are used to control, demean, and abuse, the questions at the heart of Toxic Tactics.
Everyday Feminism7 tactics of emotional abuse used by Trump supporters post-electionEveryday Feminism9 tactics of abuse that you can find in Trump's sexual assault videoEveryday Feminism10 emotional abuse tactics that Trump blatantly used in the first debateThe ForwardEric Schneiderman is a 'feminist.' Because they, too, can be abusers.The ForwardSeriously, 92Y, Ari Shavit should never have been invited in the first placeThe ForwardWhen domestic abuse leads to murderThe ForwardJewish child brides, why the practice of marrying off young girls persistsThe ForwardOn Elon's indictment and other religious leaders facing chargesThe ForwardThe Super Bowl and the sex-trafficking connectionThe ForwardWhy Jewish feminists should care about the murder of David KatoThe ForwardDon't let men get the last wordThe ForwardFormer Israeli president Katsav convicted of rapeThe ForwardMale doula charged with sexual assaultThe ForwardIsrael's incitement laws applied to incitement of sexual violenceThe ForwardWhen workplace sexual harassment charges are ignoredThe Forward'How much do women cost?' Taking a stand against traffickingThe ForwardEnd Israel's private tribunals for sex-abuse casesThe ForwardPaying off recalcitrant husbandsThe ForwardMurder of young mother brings issue of domestic abuse to the foreThe Jerusalem PostClinton forced to treat narcissistic bully like an equalThe Jerusalem PostA woman's honorThe Jerusalem PostMurder in the familyLilithWhen Rabbis Abuse, a Q&A with Elana SztokmanLilithWhat I posted on Facebook about the Freundel caseThe Times of IsraelRaviv Drucker and prime-time himpathy for rapistsThe Times of IsraelA woman is murdered every nine days in IsraelThe Times of IsraelDon't use 'antisemitism' to protect sexual abusersJTAWhat the Freundel scandal says about OrthodoxyeJewish PhilanthropyMeToo in the Jewish communityHuffPostSometimes it's not 'balancing,' it's just abuseHuffPostDeciding to speak out about religious misogynyMediumOn Marc Gafni, the New York Times, and how sexual-predator rabbis get communal support
Women, ritual, power, and the exclusion of women in Jewish religious life.
LilithWhy are women dropping out of synagogue life?LilithStop asking 'Why are you still Orthodox?'LilithJewish women in India have a powerful new role modelLilithA woman's view of circumcisionLilithWhen Rabbis Abuse, a Q&A with Elana SztokmanLilithGod's Girlfriends, a reviewLilithDoes Judaism generate eating disorders?LilithChoosing not to fast, eating disorders and Yom KippurLilithPassover, freedom for women now, not 3000 years agoLilithVoyeurism and the yeshiva girlThe ForwardAlice Shalvi pioneered religious feminism in Israel. Everyone else is still catching up.The ForwardHow Israeli colleges are discriminating against ultra-Orthodox womenThe ForwardWhy Israel funding non-Orthodox mikvehs is a step forward and backwardThe ForwardDon't blame mikveh attendants for a broken system created by menThe ForwardWill there be Orthodox women rabbis in Israel?The ForwardRabbi Elyashiv's legacy of women's painThe ForwardKeeping young women hidden, at the expense of their bodiesThe ForwardDid a rabbi permit self-mutilation to promote 'modesty'?The ForwardOrthodox marriage prep on the agenda at Kolech conferenceThe ForwardIn Israel, a call to end anonymous sperm donationThe ForwardThe Modern Orthodox case for gender segregation on public busesThe ForwardWith Yom Haatzmaut festivities, a gender barrier is brokenThe ForwardWhat's in a name? Choosing 'Rabba' over 'Rav,' and whyThe ForwardOn Passover's role in fostering female friendshipsThe ForwardOn Passover, rethinking liberationThe ForwardWhen religious girls become beauty queensThe ForwardJewish child brides, why the practice of marrying off young girls persistsThe ForwardOn Purim wigs, 'modesty,' and Rabbi Broyde's defense of the sheitelThe ForwardThe case against the sheitelThe ForwardWatching sunsets, davening mincha, celebrating treesThe ForwardSome scholarly looks at women's hair coveringsThe ForwardResponse to the rebbetzinsThe ForwardRosh Hodesh, Maui-styleThe ForwardAt yeshiva, shielded from 'I Am Woman'The ForwardProtesters of extreme gender segregation report personal threatsThe ForwardOrthodox women, stunted ambitionsThe ForwardThe competitive sport of barking at Torah readersThe ForwardWhat I learned from making a Mauian minyanThe ForwardWhere Judaism meets Hawaiian loreThe ForwardThe problem with 'balebuste'The ForwardFor the first time since the leader's arrest, Women of the Wall gather amid angry protestsThe ForwardThe masculinization of all things religiousThe ForwardFired for being a religious feminist?The ForwardChoosing to cover my hair, then not toThe ForwardAnger over arrest at Kotel of woman carrying TorahThe ForwardWoman arrested for carrying Torah speaks with The SisterhoodThe Jerusalem PostThe 'truth' about Judaism?The Jerusalem Post'Geeky' is the new coolThe Jerusalem PostRacism in the name of religionThe Times of IsraelTheocracy in Israel? The halakhic state is hereThe Times of IsraelKicking women outThe Times of IsraelThe new, old religious war on women in IsraelThe Times of IsraelThe erasure of women in the name of religionThe Times of IsraelJews who attack liberals as 'bad Jews' are not keeping the TorahJTAMy feminist struggles with Yom KippurJTAWhat the Freundel scandal says about OrthodoxyHaaretzTefillin-gate, on sexism and OrthodoxyThe Australian Jewish NewsSaying no to the back of the busThe Australian Jewish NewsPain of a journey towards OrthodoxyThe Australian Jewish NewsNew year singing that reached the heavensHuffPostDeciding to speak out about religious misogynyMy Jewish LearningParshat Vaera, what the Torah leaves outMy Jewish Learning7 places where religious radicalism threatens women's well-being in IsraelMy Jewish LearningThe many-flavored wellspring that is Orthodox feminismTabletOrthodox man refuses to sit next to feminist activist on airplaneFathom JournalFeminism and the melodies of JudaismMediumOn Marc Gafni, the New York Times, and how sexual-predator rabbis get communal supportFacebookThe dynamics of the Jewish patriarchyUnion for Reform JudaismLaunching my journey from Orthodox feminist to Reform rabbiThe Jewish ChronicleI'm joining Reform, but not taking sidesMy Jewish LearningWelcome to JOFA's new blog, The Torch!
Women in politics, the professions, the economy, and the public square.
The Jerusalem PostA woman's work is never doneThe ForwardAs Israel moves farther to the right, women are paying the priceThe ForwardMiriam Isserow selflessly fought for survivorsThe ForwardFor women, gender bias continues even in deathThe ForwardReversing Israel's chronic underrepresentation of women in politicsThe ForwardWhen social workers strikeThe ForwardIn Israel, are professional women 'regressing'?The ForwardBreaking the drywall ceiling, Israel's contracting pioneerThe ForwardYouth groups take on LGBT bullyingThe ForwardThe sex-assault allegations against the man who could be Israel's next police chiefThe ForwardAre women or communal structures to blame for economic disparities?The ForwardIn Israel, attempts to remove women from the public sphereThe ForwardBill seeks to make Israel's paternity leave more generousThe ForwardIsrael's dismal gender-gap index ranking, and what it meansThe ForwardOrthodox women, stunted ambitionsThe ForwardIsrael roundup, 'Mothers need not apply'The ForwardA woman on the shekel?The ForwardNCJW campaigns for inclusion of women in peace talksThe ForwardFired for being a religious feminist?LilithImagining a lost Jewish past, Janice Weizman's Our Little HistoriesLilithMore women making decisions in IsraelThe Times of IsraelWomen are ready to lead. Are Israelis ready to follow?The Times of IsraelPushed out and pushing back, everyday sexismThe Times of IsraelGender equality in Israel is getting worseeJewish PhilanthropyBringing women into the fundraising and grant-making foldseJewish PhilanthropyThe implications of the tent protests for the third sector in IsraeleJewish PhilanthropyIsraeli society through the lens of the GAThe Australian Jewish NewsWhere are all the top women writers?The Australian Jewish NewsFrustrations of working in IsraelHuffPostWomen shaking up elections in IsraelMy Jewish Learning10 ways you can promote gender equality in your local schoolMy Jewish Learning10 inspiring ways that women are fighting for justice in IsraelMy Jewish Learning7 places where religious radicalism threatens women's well-being in IsraelMy Jewish LearningIt's not just for feminists anymoreTabletShulamit Aloni, one of Israel's first feminist leaders, dies at 85Jewish Women of WordsSafeguarding her storyJewish Women of WordsNo gender revolution in Israel yetThe IndependentOn sexism and women in Israel's parliament

Elana also blogs regularly at the Times of Israel. Browse the full blog archive ↗

The Roar

Elana's Substack

Essays on language, power, gender, and the fight for a more humane world.

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Press and media

Elana in the press

Interviews, features, reviews, and video of Elana on television and on stage, gathered on the press page.

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