How Jewish women's practice of the dietary laws compares with rabbis' ideas about it

What is it about?

I look at the differences between the way in which Jewish women think about and practise the Jewish dietary laws, and the way in which rabbis have traditionally decided how they should be observed. There seem to be two almost parallel traditions, with some links between them, and I look at the possible significance of this in other areas where women's practice may not match rabbinic rules.

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Why is it important?

Little research has been done on Jewish women's daily practices, and even less has been done on how they compare with 'official' rabbinic views on daily practice. Uncovering the differences reveals a lot about the way in which Jewish women understand themselves and their religious practice.