Jen Taylor Friedman is a soferet ( Jewish ritual scribe). On September 9, 2007, she became the first woman known to have completed a Torah scroll. Taylor Friedman's sefer Torah was commissioned by United Hebrew Congregation, a Reform temple in St. Louis, Missouri. [1]
Taylor Friedman was born in Southampton, England, and educated at Oxford. [2] While studying at Oxford, she became interested in halakha (Jewish law) and calligraphy, and by a "chance combination of happy circumstances" she met a sofer (a male scribe) who helped her realize that becoming a soferet would allow her to pursue both interests. [3] Taylor Friedman continued her scribal studies in Jerusalem and New York City, where she now resides. [2] [4]
Taylor Friedman's first project as a soferet was Megillat Esther, a scroll of the Biblical Book of Esther that is traditionally read in synagogue on the holiday of Purim. She completed the project on Purim 2004 (March 6). [5] Since that time she has prepared six more megillot, [5] including one for Congregation Ansche Chesed, a synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side. [6] Friedman oversaw the work of scribes involved with the Women's Torah Project, completed in 2010. [7] In May 2010 she completed her third Torah scroll for Congregation Dorshei Emet, the first synagogue in Canada and the third in the world to receive a Torah handwritten by a woman. [8] [9] In 2018 she completed the first full Torah written in Texas by a woman. [10] Austin's Congregation Agudas Achim requested her to do it for them. [10] [11]
Taylor Friedman is one of a small, but growing, number of soferot (female scribes). [12] [13]
Taylor Friedman is also known for her Tefillin Barbie, which has been featured in a number of prominent Jewish publications.
Those associated with the project said they are not aware of any other Torah completely written by one woman.
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Jen Taylor Friedman is a soferet ( Jewish ritual scribe). On September 9, 2007, she became the first woman known to have completed a Torah scroll. Taylor Friedman's sefer Torah was commissioned by United Hebrew Congregation, a Reform temple in St. Louis, Missouri. [1]
Taylor Friedman was born in Southampton, England, and educated at Oxford. [2] While studying at Oxford, she became interested in halakha (Jewish law) and calligraphy, and by a "chance combination of happy circumstances" she met a sofer (a male scribe) who helped her realize that becoming a soferet would allow her to pursue both interests. [3] Taylor Friedman continued her scribal studies in Jerusalem and New York City, where she now resides. [2] [4]
Taylor Friedman's first project as a soferet was Megillat Esther, a scroll of the Biblical Book of Esther that is traditionally read in synagogue on the holiday of Purim. She completed the project on Purim 2004 (March 6). [5] Since that time she has prepared six more megillot, [5] including one for Congregation Ansche Chesed, a synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side. [6] Friedman oversaw the work of scribes involved with the Women's Torah Project, completed in 2010. [7] In May 2010 she completed her third Torah scroll for Congregation Dorshei Emet, the first synagogue in Canada and the third in the world to receive a Torah handwritten by a woman. [8] [9] In 2018 she completed the first full Torah written in Texas by a woman. [10] Austin's Congregation Agudas Achim requested her to do it for them. [10] [11]
Taylor Friedman is one of a small, but growing, number of soferot (female scribes). [12] [13]
Taylor Friedman is also known for her Tefillin Barbie, which has been featured in a number of prominent Jewish publications.
Those associated with the project said they are not aware of any other Torah completely written by one woman.
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)