Over 500 women from at least 25 countries convened Monday night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Jerusalem, for the opening session of the first International Conference on the Empowerment of Jewish Women.
Earlier in the day, several of the participants held a demonstration outside the Knesset, protesting the much-discussed suggested amendment to Israel’s Law of Return.
Speaking at the demonstration was former U.S. Rep. Bella Abzug, who also addressed the gathering at its opening session Monday night. She called on Jewish women to work on the problem of self-expression as Jews and feminists.
The conference, which continues through Thursday, will include sessions on such topics as the status of Jewish women in various cultures and the controversial “Who Is a Jew” issue.
The conference is sponsored by the American Jewish Congress. Its prominent participants include Abzug, South African Member of Parliament Helen Suzman and Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman.
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