Every year, when we return to Parashat Vayishlach (Genesis 32:4–36:43), we encounter the painful story of Dinah. Our most sacred texts ask us to grapple with what it means — for us as women, as leaders, and as a Jewish community — to live in a world where women's voices continue to be dismissed, minimized, or silenced.
This story calls us into honest reflection about the culture we have inherited and the culture we are still shaping. The parasha coincides with the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, further reminding us that this work is both ancient and urgent.
At SRE Network, we believe deeply in the power of returning voice, agency, and humanity to those who have been silenced. We believe victim-survivors of sexual violence. Lifting up the Torah shared about Dinah over the years is one way we honor and center survivor voices, reckon with the times our own community has fallen short, and recommit to building environments where dignity, safety, and equity are non-negotiables.
Confronting this story is heavy, and profoundly necessary. As we approach the 18th of Kislev 5787 (November 28, 2026), we invite our community to pause and engage with these teachings, while also being kind to yourself.
Below is a curated selection of teachings from across the Jewish community to inspire courageous conversations this Shabbat. We also invite you to explore these additional resources to help organizations support survivors and respond to harm to strengthen your organization's gender equity work.
Thank you to our incredible partners who created these resources, and whose work champions women every day.
Have a resource to add? Email us!
TW: The following resources include discussions of rape and sexual violence. Please engage in ways that honor your well-being and care.
Dinah's Story and It's Context
- Dinah Week 2026. Gluya (2026). An opportunity to learn, talk, gather, and ask questions about Dinah’s rape in order to give voice to her story, express solidarity, and spark healing.
- Dinah: Bible. Rachel Adelman, JWA (2021). An overview of Dinah’s biblical story, its complexities, and its interpretive debates.
- Violence Against Women in the Hebrew Bible. Tamar Kamionkowski, JWA (2021). A feminist analysis of how the Hebrew Bible often portrays violence against women.
- Parashat Vayishlach Study Guide. Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein, WRJ & The Torah: A Women’s Commentary (2021). A guided exploration of the portion’s themes of struggle, identity, and gender justice.
Divrei Torah and Commentary
- Remembering Dinah: Listen to Women. Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, JTS (2023). Links Dinah’s silenced story to the call to hear and honor women’s voices today.
- Dinah’s Legacy. Rabbi Stacy Rigler, ARJE (2022). Connects Parashat Vayishlach, the #MeToo era, and the responsibility to build safer communities.
- Dinah and Women’s Lost Voice. Mijael Even David, Times of Israel (2025). Shows how every man in the story responds with his own agenda, while no one asks Dinah how she feels or what she needs.
- Kol Dinah – The Voice We Must Hear: Purple Shabbat. By Amanda Chorowski of JCADA and Rabbi Corey Helfand of Ohr Kodesh Congregation (2025).
- Reflections on Parashat Vayishlach from WRJ
- Parashat Vayishlach. Jane Taves (2022)
- Voices of WRJ: Vayishlach. Kareen Hartwig (2014)
- Voices of WRJ: Vayishlach. Rosanne Selfon (2013)
Ritual and Prayer
- A Blessing for Dina. Rabbanit Aliza Sperling, SVIVAH, Times of Israel (2022). A reflection and ritual offering that centers Dinah and honors survivors.
Hearing Survivor Voices
- Breaking Dinah’s Silence. JWI (2016). Sexual assault survivor and activist Maya Weinstein’s speech at JWI’s Women to Watch gala.
- Lessons from the Torah on Sexual Violence. Maya Weinstein, WRJ (2017).
- Hearing Survivors’ Voices when Reading About Dinah. Dr. Alissa Ackerman and Dr. Guila Benchimol, Times of Israel (2025). A reflection on, and analysis of, their recent report on sexual harm in Jewish spaces.
Webinars and Learning Programs
- Shabbat Dinah Webinar. JWI (2026). An informational webinar on Shabbat Dinah during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, with Rabbi Joshua Rabin, Rabbi Debi Shoua Haim, Rabbanit Sarah Segal-Katz, and Rabbi Menachem Creditor.
- HerTorah: Did You Hear What Happened to Dina? Responses to Abuse in the Torah + Today. SVIVAH (2022). A gathering focused on women’s voices, interpretation, and communal healing.
- Standing Up: Real Stories of Upstanding: What Happens When Women* Stand Up to Sexual Harm?. SVIVAH (2023). Dr. Keren McGinity, Dr. Alissa Ackerman, Hannah Dreyfus, and Dr. Guila Benchimol discuss standing up to harm, how it reflects their faith and Jewish values, and how it has shaped their lives.
Dinah After October 7
- Reading Dinah’s Story After October 7. Rabbi Dr. Wendy Zierler, HUC-JIR (2024). A d’var Torah weaving biblical Dinah with modern Hebrew poetry to confront sexual violence and collective silence.
- Violence Against Women In Times of War Is Nothing New, and That Scares Me. WRJ (2023).
- The Dinah Project. The Dinah Project (2025). An initiative advancing global recognition and justice for victims of October 7 sexual violence and conflict-related atrocities.
Thank you for all you do to advance gender equity and build workplaces grounded in belonging. We are so grateful to be in partnership with you.
For more resources to support your organization's gender equity journey, click here.
SRE Network mobilizes Jewish organizations to advance gender equity and cultivate inclusive workplaces and communal spaces where all individuals can thrive and drive change. We envision a Jewish communal landscape where safety, respect, and equity are lived realities, every individual belongs, and organizations thrive.