The Kohenet Institute Explained

The Kohenet Institute, also known as the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute, was an American Jewish neopagan organization that trained women to be Jewish spiritual leaders.[1] The institute was founded in November 2005 by Rabbi Jill Hammer and Holly Taya Shere.[2] [3] It held its first training program August 14–20, 2006, at the Elat Chayyim Retreat Center in Accord, New York. In July 2009, the institute ordained for the first time 11 women as kohanot (priestesses). As of early 2021 the institute had graduated almost 100 women as priestesses. Ordination required the completion of a three-year training and program including 13 paths which explored different "female archetypes".[4] Amidst conflict between leadership, the Institute closed in 2023.[5]

The organization was criticized by some Jewish leaders for its embrace of pagan rituals.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Rock-Singer. Cara. Fall 2020. Milk Sisters: Forging Sisterhood At Kohenet's Hebrew Priestess Institute. Nashim: A Journal of Jewish Women's Studies & Gender Issues. 37. 37 . 87–114. 10.2979/nashim.37.1.07 . 231625103.
  2. Web site: Kohenet: the Hebrew Priestess Institute, launches its first training institute in Accord, NY. 2021-12-08. Jewish Women's Archive. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20231018142123/https://jwa.org/thisweek/aug/14/2006/kohenet-hebrew-priestess-institute. October 18, 2023.
  3. Web site: Kestenbaum. Sam. 6 November 2016. Finding God — Who's a She — at the Kohenet Institute. live. 2021-12-08. The Forward. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20211208190124/https://forward.com/news/352905/finding-god-whos-a-she-at-the-kohenet-institute/. December 8, 2021.
  4. Web site: 2021-01-29. 'There's no one right way to kohenet': The Hebrew priestess movement aims to center women's voices. 2021-12-08. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20240217013340/https://www.jta.org/2021/01/29/culture/theres-no-one-right-way-to-kohenet-the-hebrew-priestess-movement-aims-to-center-womens-voices. February 17, 2024.
  5. Web site: Phillips . Noah . 2024-01-23 . After Kohenet, Who Will Lead the Priestesses? . 2024-02-29 . Moment Magazine . en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20240229014435/https://momentmag.com/hebrew-priestesses-kohenet-jill-hammer-taya-shere/. February 29, 2024.
  6. Priestly Caste: There's a growing movement of women who practice their Judaism through feminist, earth-based rituals. Jeremy. Gillick. August 20, 2010. . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207055424/https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/belief/articles/priestly-caste. December 7, 2023.

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