(40) Supporting Women Through Judaism's Most Personal Questions, with Rabbanit Yaffa Setton

This podcast is powered by LSJS. Visit lsjs.ac.uk/learning to learn about our Jewish learning journeys & find something that suits you.   NEW! Talk to us at womensgallery@lsjs.ac.uk and tell us who you'd like to hear interviewed. Meet Rabbanit Yaffa Setton - Yoetzet Halacha, rebbetzen, educator and community leader serving the Syrian Sephardic communities of Brooklyn and Deal, New Jersey. Between teaching high school by day and answering halachic questions at all hours, Yaffa occupies a unique and trusted space in the lives of the women she supports.  Follow her journey through advanced Torah learning — from Nishmat's Yoetzet Halacha training to the International Halacha Scholars Program and now Ematai's groundbreaking end-of-life care fellowship. We reflect on the kinds of sensitive, complex questions women bring her: mikvah, fertility, medical decisions, and moments of real vulnerability. We explore the delicate balance between guidance and psak, the importance of creating safe spaces to ask, and why sometimes simply having someone who understands makes all the difference. We also talk about the strength and warmth of the Syrian community she serves, teaching Torah across generations of the same families, and the models of leadership that inspire her most - particularly Sarah's insight and Miriam's courage to step forward without being asked. It's a thoughtful, grounded conversation about leading with both knowledge and heart. Hear from Chana Henkin, founder of the Yoetzet Halacha programme: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6NvpCAAjrpn1iL0mXgDb8k?si=w1082KvMQ0aQKNDSWxyBSQ Book the course: Women & Mitzvot, featuring Joanne Greenaway: https://lsjs.ac.uk/women-mitzvot-2768