"I was told years ago that I should make kiddush before I eat Shabbos morning. Recently, someone told me that this was not necessary. What should I do?"
"I recited the after bracha on the cake, but forgot to include al hagafen for the wine I drank. I didn’t know whether I was supposed to recite the bracha acharonah again, in order to say the al hagafen, or whether I should do nothing."
On the Sabbath before the New Moon there is a custom to announce the day (or days) of the week on which it will fall, and to recite a blessing, "that God should renew this coming month for us and the entire Jewish people for goodness and blessing."
As a rule, women are obligated to observe the commandments of the Torah just like men, with the exception of positive time-bound precepts. Yet, if a woman wishes to voluntarily perform a positive time-bound commandment, she receives merit for this.
Essentially, men and women are created equal and both are graced by the divine image through which every human being is created. Likewise, the unalterable chosenness of the Jewish people and their innate holiness embraces men and women alike.
According to most authorities, women are no less obligated to pray than men. Therefore, they must pray “Amida” in the morning and the afternoon (“Shacharit” and “Mincha”). The evening Amida prayer (“Maariv”), on the other hand, is voluntary.