Jen Taylor Friedman

{{Short description|American calligrapher}}

Jen Taylor Friedman is a soferet (Jewish ritual scribe). On September 9, 2007, she became the first woman known to have completed a Torah scroll. Taylor Friedman's sefer Torah was commissioned by [http://www.unitedhebrew.org United Hebrew Congregation], a Reform temple in St. Louis, Missouri.{{cite news |url=http://www.stljewishlight.com/news/287447651551753.php |title=Torah Alive! is celebrated at United Hebrew |access-date=2007-07-24 |author=Jill Kassander |date=November 2006 |newspaper=St. Louis Jewish Light |quote=Those associated with the project said they are not aware of any other Torah completely written by one woman. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927214226/http://www.stljewishlight.com/news/287447651551753.php |archive-date=2007-09-27 }}

Taylor Friedman was born in Southampton, England, and educated at Oxford.{{cite web |url=http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/2055_women_writing_torah.htm |title=Women writing Torah |access-date=2007-07-24 |author=Leslie Bunder |date=2006-11-03 |publisher=Something Jewish |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304135329/http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/2055_women_writing_torah.htm |url-status=dead }} While studying at Oxford, she became interested in halakha (Jewish law) and calligraphy, and by a "chance combination of happy circumstances" she met a sofer (a male scribe) who helped her realize that becoming a soferet would allow her to pursue both interests.{{cite web|url=http://www.geniza.net/about/press.shtml |title=FAQ, in detail |access-date=2007-07-24 |author=Jen Taylor Friedman |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705074738/http://www.geniza.net/about/press.shtml |archive-date=2007-07-05 }} Taylor Friedman continued her scribal studies in Jerusalem and New York City, where she now resides.{{cite news |url=http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=13692 |title=Barbie On The Bima? |access-date=2007-07-24 |author=Randi Sherman |date=2007-02-23 |newspaper=The Jewish Week |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517031505/http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=13692 |archive-date=2011-05-17 }}

Taylor Friedman's first project as a soferet was Megillat Esther, a scroll of the Biblical Book of Esther that is traditionally read in synagogue on the holiday of Purim. She completed the project on Purim 2004 (March 6).{{cite web|url=http://hatam-soferet.livejournal.com/204746.html |title=a purim story - my first megillah |access-date=2007-07-24 |author=Jen Taylor Friedman |date=2007-02-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121225165055/http://hatam-soferet.livejournal.com/204746.html |archive-date=2012-12-25 }} Since that time she has prepared six more megillot, including one for Congregation Ansche Chesed, a synagogue on Manhattan's Upper West Side.{{cite web|url=http://www.anschechesed.org/info/bulletins/acb0603.htm |title=Ansche Chesed March 2006 Bulletin |access-date=2007-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070606044142/http://anschechesed.org/info/bulletins/acb0603.htm |archive-date=2007-06-06 |url-status=dead }} Friedman oversaw the work of scribes involved with the Women's Torah Project, completed in 2010.{{Cite news|url=http://www.jta.org/2010/10/15/life-religion/female-scribes-finish-writing-torah-scroll|title=Female Scribes Finish Writing Torah Scroll|last=Fishkoff|first=Sue|date=15 October 2010|work=JTA|access-date=3 June 2016}} In May 2010 she completed her third Torah scroll for Congregation Dorshei Emet, the first synagogue in Canada and the third in the world to receive a Torah handwritten by a woman.[http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16953&Itemid=86 "Female scribe to pen Reconstructionist shul’s new Torah"], Canadian Jewish News, May 21, 2009.[https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/woman-scribes-history-making-torah-1.513043 "Woman scribes history-making Torah"], CTV Montreal website, May 16, 2010. In 2018 she completed the first full Torah written in Texas by a woman.{{cite news |author= |date=February 11, 2018|url=http://kxan.com/2018/02/11/austin-jewish-congregation-celebrates-new-torah-first-in-texas-written-by-a-woman/ |title=Austin Jewish congregation celebrates new Torah, first in Texas written by a woman |website=KXAN.com |access-date=2024-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212054324/http://kxan.com/2018/02/11/austin-jewish-congregation-celebrates-new-torah-first-in-texas-written-by-a-woman/ |archive-date=February 12, 2018 |url-status=dead}} Austin's Congregation Agudas Achim requested her to do it for them.{{cite news|last=Perchick |first=Michael |url=http://www.kvue.com/news/local/austin-temple-to-dedicate-first-female-written-torah/516909803 |title=Austin synagogue to dedicate first female-written Torah |website=KVUE.com |date=2018-02-09 |access-date=2024-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210061936/http://www.kvue.com/news/local/austin-temple-to-dedicate-first-female-written-torah/516909803 |archive-date=2018-02-10 |url-status=dead}}

Taylor Friedman is one of a small, but growing, number of soferot (female scribes).{{cite news|url=http://www.columbiatribune.com/2006/Sep/20060905News021.asp |title=Female Torah scribes begin work in St. Louis |access-date=2007-07-24 |agency=Associated Press |date=2006-09-05 |publisher=Columbia Daily Tribune |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070224034817/http://www.columbiatribune.com/2006/Sep/20060905News021.asp |archive-date=2007-02-24 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishFeatures/Article.aspx?id=286912 |title=Torah, she wrote |date=2012-10-07 |author=Amy Spiro |publisher=Jpost.com |access-date=2012-10-10}}

Taylor Friedman is also known for her Tefillin Barbie, which has been featured in a number of prominent Jewish publications.