I’ve had the terrific HBO documentary, “Gloria: In Her Own Words” on my list for a while.  With the political atmosphere this week, it seemed especially appropriate.

It’s hard not to be aware of Gloria Steinem and her impact on American society over the last 30 years.  Intelligent, beautiful and ground-breaking, she is also considered by some to be abrasive, radical, and anti-family.  Director Peter W. Kunhardt’s picture takes an unflinching look at the early days of feminisim, the fight to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, and the launch of the sometimes controversial Ms. magazine.  Feminism is one of those topics you may think you know a lot about, but you will undoubtedly learn more about the history of women in the U.S.

Give it a try and see if it doesn’t provoke your thinking about the role of women in the home, at work, and throughout society.  Especially if you’re a woman, you’ll want to remember the advice of Rabbi Sofer, “No woman is required to build the world by destroying herself.”