Rabbanit Shira Mirvis didn’t set out to make history. But she was selected by her community to become their spiritual leader, the first-ever woman spiritual leader elected to an Orthodox synagogue in Israel.

A graduate of the prestigious Women’s Institute of Halachic Leadership at Midreshet Lindenbaum in Jerusalem, Rabbanit Mirvis’ leadership emerged in a most organic way.

“The people in the community started a new synagogue and they knew I was studying Jewish law, so they started asking me questions.”

At first, most of the questions came from women. Gradually, more and more people from the community started asking her questions on a broad variety of topics.

“Many times in my life I missed having a female Torah figure. And then something finally clicked — I can be that figure for other women.”

In April 2021, 83% of the voting members of her community Shirat HaTamar in Efrat asked her to assume leadership of the community.

But Rabbanit Mirvis is well-aware that this development is even larger than her personal story and this specific synagogue.

“Many times in my life I missed having a female Torah figure. And then something finally clicked – I can be that figure for other women.”

Creating public spaces for female leadership is critical to the health and vitality of the entire Orthodox Jewish community, Rabbanit Mirvis emphasizes.

“The price that we are paying, if we do not include these voices, is that we are losing. It’s not just my generation, but I am worried about my kids – and it’s not just my daughter. I have four boys!”

The Honey Foundation for Israel

Leading a revolution in Israeli Judaism… for the benefit of Jews everywhere.