Perhaps more than anyone, Henny Wenkart – published philosopher, writer, translator, and poet – is responsible for establishing the field of Jewish women's literature and encouraging and publishing feminist Jewish writers.

To honor Henny and continue the valuable work she has initiated, Kolot is endowing the Henny Wenkart Kolot Writer-in-Residence program.

The endowment will enable Kolot to continue in perpetuity our tradition of bringing feminist Jewish writers to enrich the community and the next generation of rabbis so that they may incorporate this literature into our liturgy. Kolot writers-in-residence have included Marge Piercy, Merle Feld, Linda Zisquit, David Ehrlich, Nessa Rapoport, Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg, Jennifer Weiner, Dara Horn, and Rachel Tzvia Back.

   Rachel Tzvia Back conducting a writing workshop for RRC students,
October 11, 2007

Kolot's commitment to support both a public reading and a learning opportunity for rabbinical students helps fulfill our mission to create an inclusive Judaism and sustain meaningful and innovative liturgy.

With $41,000 of contributions and pledges in hand, Kolot is challenged to raise a total of $100,000 to fully endow the program. To help meet this goal, contact Ruth Heiges (215) 576-0800 x149.

Henny founded the Jewish Women's Poetry Workshop in New York, which she has led for over fifteen years, and she has brought the work of Jewish women writers to public attention through her many publishing ventures, including Sarah's Daughters Sing (KTAV 1990), the Jewish Women's Literary Annual, Vols. 1-4, her co-edited collection Which Lilith? (Jason Aronson 1998), and her own book of poetry, Love Poems of a Philanderer's Wife (Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishers, Jewish Women's Resource Center, co-publisher 2005).