Pulling at threads
Rediscovering the forgotten traditions of Ashkenazi Jewish Women
In Eastern Europe – home for several centuries to the world’s largest Jewish population – Jewish women served their communities as professional ritualists and religious leaders. This website documents some of the most common and important women’s religious roles, through primary and secondary sources in English translation.
To read about a particular women’s profession, click on one of the links above. This page will show you sources containing examples of the prayers, laments and incantations they used.The Yizkor page will show you sources relating to real, remembered women.
For a summary of my research on these different women’s roles, check out my article in the Jewish Women’s Archive Encyclopedia. For more information about cemetery and grave measuring—rituals often practiced in the run up to Yom Kippur—check out my ritual guides on ritualwell.
In 2025 this website was accepted in lieu of a thesis at the Jewish Theological Seminary as part of my Masters in Jewish Studies. Unless otherwise stated, all of the translations and research on this website are my own, and should be credited accordingly to Annabel Gottfried Cohen. Scroll down to see how you can support this work.
Pulling at Threads 