THE JEWISH WOMAN: New Perspectives

by Elizabeth--Ed. Koltun ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 9, 1976

This collection of articles concerned with the need to liberate the Jewish woman from her traditional role in religion is essentially addressed to those women who accept the central imperatives of Judaism and the basic importance of the family. The bulk of the material, which includes examples of liturgies, confronts rabbinic, community, and self images of the Jewish female. Carol Christ offers a new version of an Eli Weisel God-man dialogue in which a man's anger leads to a new relationship and love; here the woman in her dialogue frees God from ""bondage to patriarchal history."" There are also models for new life-cycle rituals--the birth of a daughter, Bat Mitzvah, and holidays. However, the major emphasis is on what Rachel Janait calls a ""dialectical tension"" between Jewish values and the mores of modern society in the light of women's liberation. This scholarly direction is followed further by Phyllis Trible, who offers intricate and imaginative Biblical exegeses, and Anne Goldfeld who Finds a few examples of women in the Talmud as ""sources of Torah."" For many this will represent a shocking, revolutionary approach; others who have been following the gradual, still small, but persistent movement for more female participation in central worship, ritual, and study, will find this a valuable resource.

Pub Date: July 9, 1976

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Schocken

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1976

Categories: NONFICTION