Tools, Masters, and Houses: Exploring Leveraging as a Strategy Used by Religious Women Seeking Change

Abstract: Religious women see their faith as an important component in their lives and want it to be a positive and constructive force. However, at times they wish to bring about change that affects the religious sphere. Such changes—even if they are minor—require actions that are not always accepted favorably by religious authorities. Religious women must devise strategies to bring about the change they wish to see. Using a typology of strategies employed by religious feminists when dealing with religious systems and the role the state plays in this relationship, this article explores the strategy of leveraging based on two case studies. The first, focusing solely on Jewish women in Israel, examines the issue of ritual immersion in state-owned baths. The second explores marriage captivity in Israel and the Netherlands and involves Jewish Orthodox and Muslim women in both countries (as well as others). The article demonstrates the strategy of leveraging and discusses its potential as a tool for change, concluding with suggestions for future research.