Sally Frank

sally frank

Sally Frank is a Professor of Law at the Drake University School of Law.  She teaches primarily in the Legal Clinic with a clinic that focuses on family law and guardianship cases.  Frank also teaches a law school seminar in Women and the Law and an undergraduate seminar on Women in the Hebrew Scriptures.  She publishes in the area of women’s rights and has been active on issues involving women’s rights, civil rights, and civil liberties.  Over the years, Frank has served on the boards of the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Iowa, the North American Board of the Union for Reform Judaism, and the North American Board of Women of Reform Judaism among other groups.  She also frequently serves as a Legal Observer at protests and sometimes represents protesters wearing her National Lawyers Guild hat. Sally is member of Temple B'nai Jeshurun Sisterhood in Des Moines, IA.

Parashat B'reishit

Sally Frank
Wow!  We are back to Parashat B’reishit, back to the beginning.  We have just celebrated Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and finally Simchat Torah. The holidays have given us a chance to renew ourselves and commit to changes in our lives.  Restarting our Torah reading allows us to come to the text with new eyes and perhaps a new commitment.

Parashah K'doshim

Sally Frank
I could focus on so many different aspects of the portion and still not hit all of the ways in which it calls on us to be holy. However, given what is happening in state legislatures now, I decided to highlight the ways in which this week’s Torah portion requires us to care for those neediest and refuse to take advantage of others’ disabilities or difficulties. For Parashah K’doshim calls on us to be better people and to watch out for those around us.

Voices of WRJ: Vayeishev

Sally Frank

 

In a society where women lack power and influence, how can they create change and get people to follow the correct path? That is the question that confronted Tamar in this week’s Torah portion, Vayeishev.  Tamar married Judah’s oldest son, Er.

Voices of WRJ: Mishpatim

Sally Frank

This week’s Torah portion is Mishpatim, “These are the laws.” As a lawyer, I enjoy reading the range of statutes and ordinances covered in the parashah. The portion deals with both criminal and civil law.