Belda Kaufman Lindenbaum

(1938-2015)

Lindenbaum, her husband Marcel, and Shlomo Riskin co-founded Midreshet Lindenbaum, a post high school institute in Israel for students which combines service in the Israeli Defense Forces with religious studies (similar to the Hesder program for men).

Lindenbaum and Marcel have also funded a series of lectures on the role of women in Judaism given by David Hartman at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Israel.

Lindenbaum "was a revolutionary leader, passionate advocate, knowledgeable in Torah and a staunch feminist. It is because of her vision that Torah has flourished and institutions, individuals and communities have grown in knowledge and commitment to Torah." 

Lindenbaum served as a founding board member of Yeshivat Maharat, on the Board of Directors of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, President of the American Friends of Bar-Ilan University, a Board Member of Ramaz Day School, and a past President of the Drisha Institute of Jewish Education.

Family

Lindenbaum is the daughter of Rita Kaufman, who passed away on November 30th of 1999.

Lindenbaum has three siblings, Carol Kaufman Newman, Judith Kaufman Hurwich, and Gerald Kaufman.

Lindenbaum and her husband Marcel are the parents of five children, Nathan, Matthew, Bennett, Victoria Feder and Abigail Lindenbaum Tambor, all of whom are active participants in the Jewish community and 18 grandchildren.

JOFA

In 1999 Lindenbaum setrved as the Vice President of Development and sat on the Board of Directors of JOFA, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, "a grassroots non-profit organization established in 1997 to educate and advocate for women's increased participation in Orthodox Jewish life and to create a community for women and men dedicated to such change."

Lindenbaum is featured in JOFA’s Mission Statement YouTube saying: “Orthodox shuls are some of the un-friendliest places in the world” and in regards to JOFA’s first  International Conference of February 1997, “A crew came in together from St. Louis, another from Detroit. I think there was somebody from Alaska there. The nicest thing about it was, I didn’t feel lonely anymore.. We are 51% of the population, we’re important… We want to make change as we always say within halacha (in regards to the Agunah crisis), it’s halacha it has to move.”

On August 6th Lindenbaum attended the JOFA co-sponsored  Modern Orthodox Siyum Hashas at Congregation Shearith Israel, which marked the completion of the twelfth cycle of daf yomi. She said, “I was very moved by the inclusion of women as participants in the evening...and by their role as a significant group of those who presented shiurim (classes)... I am very pleased that JOFA was one of the sponsors.”

Lindenbaum said, “My mother, myself, and my two daughters represent the ‘chut hameshulash,’ the threefold chain that cannot be broken, that chain of feminist thought and action which will extend to future generations until equity and justice for women become a Jewish religious norm.”

In February of 1997 Lindenbaum attended JOFA’s  “International Conference on Feminism and Orthodoxy: Exploring the Impact of Feminist Values on Traditional Jewish Women’s Lives.”

On December 19th of 2004 Lindenbaum attended JOFA's  "From Strength to Strength: Shaping our Jewish Experience" regional conference in Baltimore, Maryland and lead the opening plenary, “Where Have You Come From and Where Are You Going? The Impact of the Women’s Movement on Contemporary Orthodox Life.”

Agunah Crisis

Lindenbaum commented on the Agunah crisis, “This is an issue that burns very deeply...There is no issue quite like agunot to make you second guess the ethical quality of the religion.”

Yeshivat Maharat

Lindenbaum was on the Board of Directors of Yeshivat Maharat, the first yeshiva to ordain women as Orthodox clergy, which strives to offer an exceptional education in Jewish law and pastoral counseling, preparing it’s graduates to inspire and lead Orthodox communities.

On June 2nd of 2016 at  Yeshivat Maharat’s Semikha Ceremony, hosted at Ramaz Lower School, Lindenbaum was mentioned  by Rabba Sara Hurwitz in her “A Message from the Dean speech,” in which she commented “It has been over a year since Belda Lindenbaum zt’l passed away-- there have been many days that I hear her voice in my head. I only hope that we are succeeding in fulfilling her dream of a more open minded, yet committed Orthodox Judaism.”

Death

Lindenbaum passed away in 2015.

In 2015 Hadran Alach, through Drisha Institute for Jewish Education, JOFA, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, and Yeshivat Mahara, invited visitors of their website to unite as organizations and individuals, to honor Lindenbaum through learning Torah in her memory.

In an article for Jewish Women's Archives Rabba Sara Hurwitz writes, "Because she was passionate about tradition, halakhah, and ritual, she refused to accept the status quo: that women were left out of our rich tradition. And so she transformed her anger into action and, together with her husband Marcel, changed the course of the modern Orthodox community by building Jewish institutions where women’s Torah scholarship, authority, and leadership have become part of the fabric of the Jewish communal landscape."

In an article entitled “Belda Lindenbaum, z”l: Our Founder and Superhero” for The JOFA Journal of the Spring of 2015 Laura Shaw-Frank wrote, “Nothing was impossible if Belda was involved. She was undauntable. Whether it was organizing a conference or a dinner, obtaining a large financial gift from a reluctant donor, or going to speak with an important rabbi about a controversial subject, Belda was the one you wanted on your side. Scholar, teacher, philanthropist, fundraiser, mentor, and leader, she lived her life with dignity, integrity, and vigor, always striving to chart a new and brighter future for Orthodox girls and women.”

Lindenbaum was honored at JOFA's 18th Anniversary Tribute Dinner in November 2015 in a video by Elena Lefkowitz.

in an article entitled “The Biggest Question: Whom to Ask?” for The JOFA Journal of the Spring of 2015 Judy Heicklen wrote, “Many of these programs (as well as JOFA itself) would not be here today without the vision, support, passion, and energy of Belda Lindenbaum, z”l. Our community is diminished by her loss. On a more personal note, I will miss her sharp sense of humor, her willingness to speak truth to power, and her friendship.”