Being Deborah

Who is Deborah? Deborah was one of the earliest female change-agents in Jewish history. She was the only female judge mentioned in the Torah and is known for issuing authoritative and fair judgments over an entire nation. She, and her words, earned the highest respect from the Jewish people.

Like Deborah, this exhibit profiles the stories of 25 change-making female Jewish Los Angelenos as well as several female-led Jewish organizations benefitting both Jewish people and all Los Angelenos. In the exhibit, audiences will meet historical luminaries like Sarah Vasen, who in 1905 became the first woman to supervise Kaspare Cohn Hospital which went on to became Cedars Sinai Medical Center, and contemporary female trailblazers such as civil rights and discrimination attorney Gloria Allred and the first female media executive of a major entertainment studio, Sherry Lansing.

Being Deborah recognizes a few but not all of the incredible women who have changed the landscape of our city. We hope that in their stories we inspire women, both young and old, to follow their dreams and continue to lead the way forward, transforming both the world and the City of L.A. as they go.