Esther and Herstory

Newsletter March 10th, 2025 Together, we're #keepingitsacred...

Melissa and I met at Wellesley College, an institution of higher learning that welcomes the education of women, non-binary, and genderqueer people.

Environments like this are critical as the weight of misogyny inhibits the full potential of people in these communities. And wow, was Wellesley a beautiful place for us to flex our leadership skills, delve deep into subject matter, and study free from the heavy influence of the patriarchy.

And so, when Melissa and I were wed in a spiritual ceremony in 2012 in Santa Monica, CA, so many of our nearest and dearest friends from our days at Wellesley showed up for us to champion our love just as we had championed so much about one another over the years (and continue to do so). The energy was as electric as you can see in this epic photo.

Something magical happens when women and gender non-binary and genderqueer folks champion one another. And it is so important that men celebrate us as well. The invisible weight that we face is heavy--and it is important for everyone to understand the iniquities we face as a first step toward building a work where over half of the population can strive. Starting with the idea that women earn cents other than the dollar that men earn in income, and our leadership is often devalued. But also we are subject to the male gaze, assumptions about how much we know about certain subjects (especially hard sciences), and our voices are often disregarded when we speak about our own health. We endure active discrimination, and the erasing women's contributions to society. For all of these reasons that it is important to celebrate Women's History Month (this month) and International Women's Day (this past Saturday). To remember to value women's and genderqueer and nonbinary people's contributions to society-- because otherwise it would be happily forgotten or worse, erased.

Coming from a community like Wellesley, throughout rabbinical school, I actively noted contributions to Jewish life coming out of these communities. I studied women's experiences of the Holocaust. I read about women's ethical opinions as related in the Talmud. I delighted in feminist and queer readings of Torah through modern midrash. I collected prayers and rituals written by us for us. And, I appreciated the active roles of our matriarchs in the Tanakh, including Esther who we celebrate this week during the holiday of Purim.

Esther was one of a kind as her story (or, we might say: "Herstory!") doesn't pretend to celebrate her role in saving the Jewish people from the wicked Haman (boo!). (Please join us Thursday as we explore her amazing courage; register HERE).

There is so much to appreciate coming from men in Jewish life, and from the rest of us as well. At Keeping It Sacred, we celebrate it all because we regard all as sacred. This is how we're keeping it sacred.  

Together, we’re #keepingitsacred…

Rabbi Heather Miller,

Founder, Keeping It Sacred

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The above is an excerpt from a Keeping It Sacred newsletter. If you want to read the entire newsletter or any from our archives, please head over to: keepingitsacred.com/news 

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Thanks for your interest, and thanks for #keepingitsacred...