Jewish feminists find themselves in no-man’s land

In the days after 7 October, many Jewish women turned to the feminist spaces they had long trusted to support them and to stand against the mass rapes and sexual abuse women in Israel suffered. What they found instead has reshaped their sense of belonging ‒ or lack thereof. 

For some, the shift was gradual. For others, immediate. Across interviews, surveys, and personal accounts, a pattern emerges of support giving way to silence, and in some cases, exclusion. 

A recent study by the United States-based Jewish Women International found that nine out of 10 young Jewish American women reported experiencing antisemitism since 7 October. Many described feeling unwelcome in feminist spaces unless they distanced themselves from Israel. 

Josie Stein, a co-founder of Feminists Against Antisemitism, told the SA Jewish Report that the advocacy group grew directly out of this moment. It is a response to what members saw as silence and avoidance in mainstream feminist spaces following the 2023 attacks. 

Stein explains that the group initially organised a fringe event titled “Solidarity means all women”, bringing speakers to address the lack of engagement with the experiences of Israeli and Jewish women, and creating a space where these issues could be discussed openly. 

“It wasn’t so much political about where we stand on Israel and Palestine,” Stein says. “It’s more about why aren’t they talking about these issues? Why did they deny the violence against Israeli women?” 

The initiative expanded into an ongoing platform. Stein says the group now publishes articles, hosts discussions, and works to provide resources to feminists, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, who feel uncertain about how to engage with antisemitism in their spaces. 

Professor Karen Milner, national chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, describes what happened post-7 October as a contradiction of core feminist principles. “The very suggestion that women would lie about sexual violence feeds into misogynist sexist ideas,” she says. 

Milner adds that silence in the face of such allegations undermines long-standing feminist advocacy. “No one should be silent in the face of gender-based violence,” she says. 

The Jewish Women International study found that many respondents were aware of denial or dismissal of sexual violence related to the attacks, and reported emotional distress linked to these responses. 

Stein argues that part of the issue lies in how feminist spaces respond to conflict. “There’s this idea that somehow you’ve got to pick a side,” she says. 

She rejects that approach. “You can be a feminist and have all sorts of political opinions, but you recognise that what women have in common is oppression,” Stein says. For her, the current climate has created a sense of division that feels personal. 

“On a personal level, I feel completely betrayed,” she says. 

That sense of betrayal is echoed in many personal testimonies. Dee Moore, a lay leader from Temple Israel in Cape Town, describes a shift from early solidarity to growing tension. “The first thing I remember from liberal spaces was the support,” she says. 

She recalls clear condemnation of the Hamas attacks in the immediate aftermath. But within days, she began to notice what she calls “cracks in the responses”. Moore points to silence from organisations that had previously spoken strongly about gender-based violence. 

She also describes increasingly polarised conversations. 

“My intersectional feminist sources were firmly with the Palestinian cause, and the only way they seemed to know how to do that was to be anti-Israeli.” As positions hardened, she says, nuance became harder to sustain. “We started debating which spaces it was safe to be openly Jewish in,” she says. 

This sense of caution appears in wider findings. More than half of respondents in the survey reported feeling less comfortable expressing their Jewish identity publicly. Many also described changes in their personal relationships. Large numbers reported negative impacts on friendships, with some ending relationships entirely. 

The emotional toll is also evident. Many respondents said their mental health had been negatively affected, describing feelings of anxiety, isolation, and fear. 

Stein points to misunderstandings about Jewish identity and antisemitism shaping reactions within feminist spaces. “People are quite confused,” she says. She argues that many struggle to understand antisemitism beyond religion, which complicates discussions. Her organisation aims to address this by providing context and resources. “It’s about helping people understand why antisemitism is a problem.” 

At the same time, Moore’s account shows that the tension is not only external. “Debate became tricky in my Jewish spaces,” she says. Some people avoided difficult conversations, while others felt the need to express strong views. This made what she calls a middle ground difficult to maintain. 

While many survey respondents reported stronger connections to Judaism after 7 October, some also felt alienated from parts of the Jewish community. These overlapping pressures have left many navigating multiple forms of tension at once. 

Moore’s experience reflects this dilemma. She describes trying to hold space for different perspectives while remaining true to her values. “We occupy a middle ground, one of nuance,” she says. 

For some, that position has come at a cost. It can mean feeling out of place in both feminist and Jewish spaces. Despite this, many continue to seek dialogue. Many respondents say they want spaces for open discussion and mutual understanding. 

Stein also emphasises engagement over confrontation. She says her group is not focused on calling out individuals, but on providing tools for discussion. “It’s much more general,” she says. “It’s about helping people navigate something that is really complex.” 

For Jewish feminists, that complexity remains unresolved. Their experiences suggest a broader conversation about how feminist spaces respond to conflict, identity, and difference. What has changed since 7 October is not only the content of those conversations, but who feels able to take part in them.