by Eve Markewich and Reena Sigman Friedman
“Even in the best (Orthodox) shul, there is still no ritual women can perform if men are in the room.” Thus, Rivkeh Haut, a Talmud teacher, explained her motivation in co-founding an Orthodox women’s prayer group in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The group is one of several that have sprouted up in recent years seeking to offer Orthodox women more active and direct involvement in Shabbat services.