Supreme Court confirmation hearings are not for the faint of heart. To get through them, the candidate surely has to rely on the strength of her convictions. So it is fitting that Solicitor General Elena Kagan took a very powerful stance toward her religion at an early age. Kagan asked for – and got – a Bat Mitzvah. It was the first one held at her childhood synagogue. Challenging faith traditions in this manner can pave the way for larger changes in religious practice. And over the past few decades those changes have included a growing role for women within organized faith – especially in terms of leadership. Though some would say organized religion has a long way to go. Dr. Frida Furman dicusses the changing roles of women in religion. She’s a professor of Religious Studies at DePaul University.