Gender, gioer en gebedssjaals

Abstract

This article analyses the use of a prayer shawl by Liberal Jewish women who did a giyur (‘conversion’) in the Netherlands. One of the defining features of Liberal Judaism is the renewed interpretation of certain commandments in Jewish law. In these communities women are permitted to take on certain roles and tasks traditionally reserved for men. A symbol of this change is the use of a prayer shawl, a tallit, during services on Shabbat. However, the practice of women wearing a tallit is disputed and was often discussed amongst the newcomers I interviewed. For some wearing a prayer shawl marked the full inclusion in Judaism after a long and challenging conversion process, whilst others were hesitant or even opposed to wearing a tallit for various reasons related to gender norms. This article analyses the different uses of a prayer shawl by my research participants as an illustration of the varying gender norms in Liberal Judaism as well as the role of gender in giyur trajectories.