Orthodox women scribes were unthinkable. Then Safed got a women-written Megillah.

Orthodox women scribes were unthinkable. Then Safed got a women-written Megillah.

Around Purim time in Israel, you’ll see ads in local WhatsApp groups for “Megillah reading by women for women.” The readings take place in community centers, shuls, and living rooms with folding chairs squeezed between coffee tables and strollers. A few women show up in costume, or at least a glittery hat or plastic crown, letting themselves get a little silly in a space that feels, for once, entirely their own. A women’s reading is often a coop…