The sacred scroll and the researcher’s body: an autoethnography of Reform Jewish ritual

בתי תפילה זהות יהודית-ישראלית יהדות ישראלית מגדר מסורת וחידוש פמיניזם יהודי בישראל

This autoethnographic study explores the physical and emotional interactions between the human body and the Torah scroll within the context of Reform Jewish liturgy in Israel. Ben-Lulu, acting as both a researcher and a participant, analyzes the ritual of "Hagbahah" (lifting the Torah) and other physical encounters with the sacred text to understand how bodily movements shape religious meaning.The research highlights how the Reform movement in Israel challenges traditional gender roles and physical boundaries by encouraging women and LGBTQ+ individuals to hold, dance with, and lift the Torah. Through personal reflections and observations within a Reform congregation, the author demonstrates that the "sacred scroll" is not just an object of study but a dynamic partner in a ritual dance that negotiates identity, inclusion, and the sense of the sacred in a modern, liberal setting.