DOCSLIB.ORG

Ebook Download Standing Again at Sinai Judaism from a Feminist

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ebook Download Standing Again at Sinai Judaism from a Feminist STANDING AGAIN AT SINAI JUDAISM FROM A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Judith Plaskow | --- | --- | --- | 9780060666842 | --- | --- Standing Again at Sinai Judaism from a Feminist Perspective 1st edition PDF Book Rachel rated it really liked it Nov 05, Oct 27, Katherine Stanley rated it it was amazing Shelves: feminism , judaism , theology , non-fiction. She wonders whether a system based on law can be harmonized with a feminist emphasis on relationship and whether the rigidity and abstractness of the traditional The legal corpus of Jewish laws and observances as prescribed in the Torah and interpreted by rabbinic authorities, beginning with those of the Mishnah and Talmud. No trivia or quizzes yet. Reading this book, aspects of my childhood and young adult experience of Judaism suddenly make sense in ways they never did before. Student presentations on readings begin the second week of class, and will be scheduled during the first week. Jewish canonical texts were written by men for a male audience, and until the contemporary era, the centuries-long conversation interpreting these texts took place entirely among men. She wants a thoroughgoing and ideological revamping of the whole shebang, and she makes it sound both possible and impossibly far-reaching. Not only does their writing profoundly challenge traditional understandings of authority, but it also explores and extends problems of authority, law, God, and human selfhood that are central to liberal Judaism. Categories :. It's so easy to reject and disengage from a tradition once you realize how much dirty laundry it has. I particularly liked how Plaskow added [sic] after writers she quotes refer to God as 'he' or use 'he' or 'man' to refer to the whole of humanity. Marcia Falk, a poet, liturgist, and artist who lives in Berkeley, California, is the author of a prayer book that is simultaneously a work of feminist theology. Some of her descriptions of how oppressions interlink and how the liberation of white, middle-class women must not come at the expense of other groups of women are pretty familiar territory for those who are familiar with feminist theory. But worthwhile--five stars for ideas, three stars for style. Plaskow's central thesis with which I agree is that Jewish tradition is fundamentally male centered and rooted in patriarchal culture, and she does a good job of showing how--from the texts, to halakha, to the very language we use. More like, okay, so what else is new? The lowest-priced item in unused and unworn condition with absolutely no signs of wear. Search by title, catalog stock , author, isbn, etc. Judith Plaskow is one of the most infamous scholars of feminist theology. See details for description of any imperfections. Students who do this project as part of a group are required to write an additional brief individual essay on the project topic. Additional Information. With your help, JWA programs and resources can enrich lives, build resilience, and sustain hope for a better world. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Apr 15, Doris Raines rated it it was amazing Shelves: doris-shelf. Project MUSE Mission Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. In response to this challenge, Ross develops an account of revelation through history that draws on certain strands in The esoteric and mystical teachings of Judaism Kabbalah and on the thought of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. Nov 18, Jasper rated it liked it Shelves: for-school , judaism. Judith Pella Hardcover Books. Standing Again at Sinai Judaism from a Feminist Perspective 1st edition Writer With similar contradiction, Jews believe that God is neither male nor female, but the images used to describe the Jewish divinity in prayer are almost exclusively male. Were this passage simply the record of a historical event long in the past, the exclusion of women at this critical juncture would be troubling, but also comprehensible for its time. As the regular reappearance of certain names in the above discussion suggests, it is possible to approach Jewish feminist theology through discussing the small number of women doing work in the field, as well as through exploring certain themes. There is something wonderful about a clear, beautifully reasoned argument. Plaskow rehearses now familiar examples of women's exclusion, first citing 84 SHOFAR Exodus , the passage in which Moses warns the people that in preparation for receiving the law at Sinai no one should "go near a woman" p. Is there a feminist, morally just hierarchy? Some of her descriptions of how oppressions interlink and how the liberation of white, middle-class women must not come at the expense of other groups of women are pretty familiar territory for those who are familiar with feminist theory. The evidence we do have of women's religious practice in the past, such as the tkhines she Plaskow's central thesis with which I agree is that Jewish tradition is fundamentally male centered and rooted in patriarchal culture, and she does a good job of showing how--from the texts, to halakha, to the very language we use. It raises meta-questions about Jewish tradition. And can one construct a human- based hierarchy that is in fact just? Instead of turning away and creating something from scratch, she thanks her tradition for where it's brought her, then takes its hand to lead it, in turn, to a better version of itself. Jewish canonical texts were written by men for a male audience, and until the contemporary era, the centuries-long conversation interpreting these texts took place entirely among men. Its goal is to move Jewish religious law, history, practice, and communal institutions in the direction of the full inclusion of women. Michael Brenner. Institutional Login. Plaskow is ambivalent about The legal corpus of Jewish laws and observances as prescribed in the Torah and interpreted by rabbinic authorities, beginning with those of the Mishnah and Talmud. Your presentation will be improved if you make it easier for others to participate. Search by title, catalog stock , author, isbn, etc. This book has had a huge influence on my work as a rabbi. Meine Mediathek Hilfe Erweiterte Buchsuche. It still seems pretty forward thinking now. Also, if you use any web pages, not only should these be listed on the outline with the rest of your bibliography, but you are also required to turn in a printout of all web pages used in preparing the presentation. No ratings or reviews yet No ratings or reviews yet. Talmud Women in Rabbinic Literature The rabbis of the Talmud designated specific female roles and activities, and were wary of women's nature, but they also tempered biblical laws that caused hardships for women. Judith Plaskow has emphasized the historiographical aspect of broadening Jewish memory. It's so easy to reject and disengage from a tradition once you realize how much dirty laundry it has. Regarding the content, however, this is a This book was assigned to me in in a class on Modern Jewish Thought, but I never had a chance to read it. Instructor presents on Buber's philosophy. Halakhic observance, she noted at the first conference, rests on certain theological premises that seem to be threatened by feminism, chief among them the notion of Torah she-bi-khetav : Lit. Plaskow has a variety of ideas, but at times, she risks essentializing women's experience, such as her questioning of women's relationship to law or motherhood. You may shake your head and laugh at language about the Goddess, or her somewhat slapdash treatment of how rabbinic Judaism is only the survivor, not the only branch of Judaism. Standing Again at Sinai Judaism from a Feminist Perspective 1st edition Reviews Account Options Anmelden. Standing Again at Sinai: Judaism from a Feminist Perspective is a book remarkable for its clarity and its comprehensive account of feminist responses to Jewish life and thought. Plaskow defends her argument that Judaism can and should be reformed and that reforms to Jewish memory, Jewish community and Jewish language for God are interconnected and mutually reinforcing well, and she has included some interesting information to back up her points. In an article first published in but circulating earlier, Rita Gross argued that Jewish failure to develop female imagery for God is the ultimate symbol of the degradation of Jewish women. The human person philosophical anthropology 2. How many of us will fight for years to change the institutions in which we find ourselves only to achieve token victories? No trivia or quizzes yet. Read The Jew in the Lotus. Regarding the content, however, this is a This book was assigned to me in in a class on Modern Jewish Thought, but I never had a chance to read it. Access options available: Download PDF. But you'll have to think about your answers. Plaskow concludes her book by urging women to claim their rightful place in every aspect of Jewish life and to no longer accept the role of others. Reading this was a long time coming. San Francisco: ; Ross, Tamar. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: Volume 9, No. She critiques the ethic of domination that pervades many texts on sexuality and still finds in them trajectories toward mutuality and intersubjectivity. Comprised of the Mishnah and the Gemara, it contains the opinions of thousands of rabbis from different periods in Jewish history. Listen to Our Podcast. Since the s, feminist reflections on and experiments with God-language have broadened and deepened. Late to the party as I am, the book is also interesting in the ways it illuminates the "why" of Jewish feminist practice.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Expanding the Jewish Feminist Agenda Judith Plaskow
    Expanding the Jewish Feminist Agenda Judith Plaskow ewish feminists have succeeded in changing the task of religious feminists in the new millennium is to face of Jewish religious life in the United States end this counterproductive division of labor. How can J beyond the wildest dreams of those of us who, in we hope to soli* the gains of the last decades with- the late 1960s, began to protest the exclusion of women out sophisticated analyses of power in the Jewish com- from Jewish religious practice. Thirty years ago, munity and in the larger society? How do we begin to who could have anticipated that, at the turn of the theorize and act on the ways in which creating a more century, there would be hundreds of female rabbis just Judaism is but a small piece of the larger task of representing three Jewish denominations, untold creating a more just world? numbers of female Torah and Haftorah readers, and Jewish feminists have diffidtytransforming Jew- female cantors and service leaders in synagogues ish liturgy and integrating the insights of feminist throughout the country? scholarship into Jewish education not simply because Who could have imagined that so many girls of religious barriers but also because of lack of access would expect a full bat mitzvah as a matter of course, to power and money. A 1998 study commissioned by or that Orthodox women would be learning Talmud, Ma’yan, The Jewish Women’s Project in New York, mastering synagogue skills, and functioning as full documented the deplorable absence of women from participants in services of their own? the boards of major Jewish organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Tifereth Israel
    THE TIFERETH ISRAEL January/FebruaryFORUM 2019 | Teiveit/Sh’vat/Adar I 5779 Tu Bishvat: The Birthday of the Trees Monday, January 21, 2019 Inclusion Shabbat Shabbat Service Schedule Jan. 4 & Feb. 1 I 7:30 pm I Katz Chapel Va’era January 4-5/28 Teiveit A warm and meaningful Kabbalat Friday Evening Service 6:00 pm Shabbat for people and families with Inclusion Shabbat 7:30 pm special needs. All are welcome. For more Shabbat Warmup – ShabbaTunes 9:00 am information, contact Helen Miller at Shabbat Morning Service 9:30 am 614-236-4764. Young Peoples’ Synagogue 10:30 am Boker Tov Shabbat 11:00 am Bo January 11-12/6 Sh’vat Boker Tov Shabbat Friday Evening Service 6:00 pm Jan. 5 & Feb. 2 I 11:00 am I Katz Chapel Shabbat Warmup – Torah Talks Parsha Study 9:00 am A special Shabbat celebration for children Shabbat Morning Service - Gabrielle Schiff, bat mitzvah 9:30 am up to age 5 and their grown-ups. For more Young Peoples’ Synagogue 10:30 am information, contact Morgan at 614-928- 3286 or [email protected]. B’shalach - Anniversary Shabbat January 18-19/13 Sh’vat Wine & Cheese Oneg 5:30 pm Shabbat Neshamah: Friday Evening Musical Mindfulness Service 6:00 pm Shabbat Neshamah Shabbat Warmup – Shabbat Stretch: Light Yoga & Mindfulness 9:00 am Shabbat Morning Service - Shabbat Shira & Chelsea Wasserstrom, 9:30 am Jan. 18 & Feb. 15 I 6:00 pm I Katz Chapel bat mitzvah Nurture your spirit with Kabbalat Young Peoples’ Synagogue 10:30 am Shabbat. We start getting in the Shabbat mood in the Atrium at 5:30 pm with some Yitro - Scholar-in-Residence Shabbat January 25-26/20 Sh’vat wine and cheese, generously sponsored Friday Evening Service 6:00 pm by Fran & Steve Lesser, before moving Shabbat Dinner - by reservation 7:15 pm into the chapel for a service filled with Shabbat Warmup – Mah Chadash: What's News in Israel 9:00 am Shabbat Morning Service - sermon by Scholar in Residence 9:30 am singing, poetry, prayer, and meditation.
    [Show full text]
  • Is Judaism 'Sex Positive?'
    Is Judaism ‘Sex Positive?’ Understanding Trends in Recent Jewish Sexual Ethics Rebecca Epstein-Levi Introduction hen I tell people that I am a scholar of Jewish sexual eth- Wics, I am sometimes asked just what Judaism has to say about the matter. I usually give the unhelpful academic refrain of “well, it’s complicated…” or I tell the well-worn joke about “two Jews, three opinions.” The fact of the matter is that Jewish thinking on sexual ethics, as with most other things, is conten- tious, multivocal, and often contradictory. However, there are actually two levels on which this question operates. The first level is what the multiplicity of classical Jewish traditions have offered directly on matters of sexual conduct—what “Judaism says about sex.” The second level is the way modern and con- temporary thinkers have presented classical sources on sex and sexuality—what “Jewish thinkers say Judaism says about sex.” In the past seventy years or so, as the academic study of Jewish ethics has gained an institutional foothold and as rab- bis and Jewish public intellectuals have had to grapple with changes in public sexual mores and with the increasing reach of popular media, both of these levels of the question have, at least in Jewish thought in the U.S. and Canada, exhibited some clear trends. Here, I offer an analysis and a critique of these trends, especially in academic Jewish sexual ethics as it cur- rently stands, and suggest some directions for its future growth. I organize literature in modern and contemporary Jewish sexual ethics according to a typology of “cautious” versus “ex- pansive,” a typology which does not fall neatly along denomi- 14 Is Judaism ‘Sex Positive?’ national lines.
    [Show full text]
  • Sexuality in Jewish Terms
    Danya Ruttenberg, ed.. The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism. New York: New York University Press, 2009. ix + 294 pp. $19.95, paper, ISBN 978-0-8147-7605-6. Reviewed by Evyatar Marienberg Published on H-Judaic (January, 2011) Commissioned by Jason Kalman (Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion) The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism is a articles assembled in her volume express the delightful book. As with any publication com‐ same balanced opinion. prised of articles by various authors, not all parts Sarra Lev’s article “Sotah: Rabbinic Pornogra‐ can be honestly considered of equal importance phy?” is a remarkable analysis of the rabbinical or quality by any reader. Nevertheless, the writer description of the ritual performed on a woman of this review--who considers himself more or less suspected of unfaithfulness to her husband. Al‐ conversant in the study of Judaism and sexuality though Lev hints at the fact, and scholars such as (and who, by the way, does not know the volume’s Ishay Rosen-Zvi showed, that this ritual is proba‐ editor or the vast majority of contributors)--found bly an imaginary construct of the rabbis (using an the majority of the contributions to be, on his sub‐ actual biblical text), for readers of the Mishnah jective scale, between good and superb. for close to two millennia, the ritual was very The short introduction by Ruttenberg is a nice real. Lev, using fascinating insights from studies piece by itself. It shows clearly her intention to of pornography, forcefully shows that the text is a avoid producing yet another one-sided book on sad example of a literary pornographic descrip‐ sexuality in Judaism, in which Jewish stance on tion of an imaginary public rape--not less--pro‐ the matter is presented as simple and, not surpris‐ duced by men for consumption by men.
    [Show full text]
  • Gender in Jewish Studies
    Gender in Jewish Studies Proceedings of the Sherman Conversations 2017 Volume 13 (2019) GUEST EDITOR Katja Stuerzenhofecker & Renate Smithuis ASSISTANT EDITOR Lawrence Rabone A publication of the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester, United Kingdom. Co-published by © University of Manchester, UK. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this volume may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, the University of Manchester, and the co-publisher, Gorgias Press LLC. All inquiries should be addressed to the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester (email: [email protected]). Co-Published by Gorgias Press LLC 954 River Road Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA Internet: www.gorgiaspress.com Email: [email protected] ISBN 978-1-4632-4056-1 ISSN 1759-1953 This volume is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standard for Permanence of paper for Printed Library Materials. Printed in the United States of America Melilah: Manchester Journal of Jewish Studies is distributed electronically free of charge at www.melilahjournal.org Melilah is an interdisciplinary Open Access journal available in both electronic and book form concerned with Jewish law, history, literature, religion, culture and thought in the ancient, medieval and modern eras. Melilah: A Volume of Studies was founded by Edward Robertson and Meir Wallenstein, and published (in Hebrew) by Manchester University Press from 1944 to 1955. Five substantial volumes were produced before the series was discontinued; these are now available online.
    [Show full text]
  • The Emergence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality
    Sacred Heart University Review Volume 12 Issue 1 Sacred Heart University Review, Volume XII, Article 6 Numbers 1 & 2, Fall 1991/ Spring 1992 February 2010 The meE rgence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality Michael F. Drummy Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/shureview Recommended Citation Drummy, Michael F. (2010) "The meE rgence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality," Sacred Heart University Review: Vol. 12 : Iss. 1 , Article 6. Available at: http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/shureview/vol12/iss1/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the SHU Press Publications at DigitalCommons@SHU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Sacred Heart University Review by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@SHU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The meE rgence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality Cover Page Footnote Michael F. Drummy is a graduate student in the Religious Studies program at Sacred Heart University. This article is available in Sacred Heart University Review: http://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/shureview/vol12/iss1/6 Drummy: The Emergence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality MICHAEL F. DRUMMY The Emergence of a Jewish-Feminist Spirituality* Recent books and articles by Jewish-feminist authors have helped to lay the groundwork for important breakthroughs in contemporary Jewish spirituality. Women such as Rachel Adler, Susannah Heschel, Marcia Falk, Ellen Umansky, Judith Plaskow, Rita M. Gross, and Tamar Frankiel have attempted to introduce into the traditions of Jewish life, culture, and law new ways of relating to God, self, and others, based primarily on their involve-ment with and understanding of contemporary feminist thought.
    [Show full text]
  • RE Final Draft
    Connected to Community: Jewish Ritual, Meaning, and Gender at Brandeis University Master’s Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Brandeis University Hornstein Program for Jewish Professional Leadership Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Sylvia Barack Fishman, Advisor Amy L. Sales, Reader In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Jewish Professional Leadership and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies by Rachel Elizabeth Eisen May 2016 Acknowledgements One of the first classes I took as a graduate student was called “Half-Jews, Queer- Jews, and Bu-Jews: Mapping Jewish Identities in America,” taught by then-PhD-candidate Emily Sigalow. I went into the class intrigued by intersectional identities and I came out intrigued by qualitative research. Although I had no idea what I wanted to study for my (then still so far off) master’s thesis, I knew how I wanted to study it. This thesis has truly been a labor of love, emphasis on labor. Beyond Emily’s class, I had very little idea of what goes into sociological research, and, in my typical fashion, I dove straight in, and asked questions later. I am grateful to Emily not only for introducing me to this field of research but also for introducing me to her dissertation advisor, Sylvia Barack Fishman. Professors Fishman and Amy L. Sales, my advisors in this thesis, have offered me guidance and support throughout, encouraging me all along. I am also indebted to Harry Abrahams, Jewish Student Life Associate at Brandeis Hillel, Rabbi Peretz Chein of Chabad House Brandeis, Rabbi David Pardo of the Jewish Learning Initiative at Brandeis, and Rabbi Elyse Winick, the Jewish Chaplain at Brandeis, along with multiple student leaders at Brandeis Hillel, for their assistance in recruiting research participants.
    [Show full text]
  • Goddess and God in the World
    Contents Introduction: Goddess and God in Our Lives xi Part I. Embodied Theologies 1. For the Beauty of the Earth 3 Carol P. Christ 2. Stirrings 33 Judith Plaskow 3. God in the History of Theology 61 Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow 4. From God to Goddess 75 Carol P. Christ 5. Finding a God I Can Believe In 107 Judith Plaskow 6. Feminist Theology at the Center 131 Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow 7. Answering My Question 147 Carol P. Christ 8. Wrestling with God and Evil 171 Judith Plaskow Part II. Theological Conversations 9. How Do We Think of Divine Power? 193 (Responding to Judith’s Chapters in Part 1) Carol P. Christ 10. Constructing Theological Narratives 217 (Responding to Carol’s Chapters in Part 1) Judith Plaskow 11. If Goddess Is Not Love 241 (Responding to Judith’s Chapter 10) Carol P. Christ 12. Evil Once Again 265 (Responding to Carol ’s Chapter 9) Judith Plaskow 13. Embodied Theology and the 287 Flourishing of Life Carol P. Christ and Judith Plaskow List of Publications: Carol P. Christ 303 List of Publications: Judith Plaskow 317 Index 329 GODDESS AND GOD IN THE WORLD Sunday school lack a vocabulary for intelligent discussion of religion. Without new theological language, we are likely to be hesitant, reluctant, or unable to speak about the divinity we struggle with, reject, call upon in times of need, or experience in daily life. Yet ideas about the sacred are one of the ways we orient ourselves in the world, express the values we consider most important, and envision the kind of world we would like to bring into being.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Theology in Feminist Perspective* Judith Plaskow
    JEWISH THEOLOGY IN FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE* Judith Plaskow Jewish feminist theology is not an academic field in the same sense that feminist history or literature is. Rather, it is a triple outsider to Jewish studies: first, because the place of theology in the academy is complex and controversial; second, because theology has never had an esteemed role within Judaism; and third, because it is feminist. In this chapter, I explore the implications of each of these aspects of marginality, the first two for the sake of laying to rest shibboleths that might otherwise get in the way of discussion, the third as my central concern. What is Jewish feminist theology, and what are its implications for Jewish studies? Theology and the Academy The place of theology within Jewish studies is part of a larger debate con- cerning the place of theology in the academy, a debate that emerged with the rapid growth of religious studies in the 1950s and 1960s. The founders of new religious studies programs, especially in state universities, were anxious to locate and justify these programs in the context of a religiously pluralistic culture. Arguing that they held no brief for any particular reli- gion but were simply exploring religion as a human phenomenon accord- ing to accepted norms of university scholarship, many departments named themselves religious studies specifically in contradistinction to theology. The point of the distinction was that religious studies is serious, objective, and scholarly—concerned with a significant dimension of human thought and experience, with a clear impact on many aspects of life—while theol- ogy is particularistic, engaged, and unscholarly.
    [Show full text]
  • The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women
    Rollins College Rollins Scholarship Online Master of Liberal Studies Theses Spring 2020 The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women Risa Cole Rollins College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls Part of the Arts and Humanities Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Cole, Risa, "The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women" (2020). Master of Liberal Studies Theses. 92. https://scholarship.rollins.edu/mls/92 This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by Rollins Scholarship Online. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master of Liberal Studies Theses by an authorized administrator of Rollins Scholarship Online. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Liberal Studies By Risa Cole May, 2020 Mentor: Dr. Sharon Carnahan Reader: Dr. Wendy Brandon Rollins College Hamilton Holt School Master of Liberal Studies Program Winter Park, FL The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women By Risa Cole May, 2020 Project Approved: Sharon Carnahan, Ph.D Mentor Wendy Brandon, Ph.D Reader ______________________________________ Director, Master of Liberal Studies Program ______________________________________ Dean, Hamilton Holt School 3 The Gender and Sexuality of Jewish Women Practices and Experiences of Traditional Judaism Personal Experience of Being A Non-Religious Jewish Female in the United States This paper explores the intersection of traditional, Orthodox Judaism and modern lives of Jewish women. Drawing from the author’s personal experiences and research on Judaism and modernity, our thesis is that all Jewish women are affected by both world views in ways that are complex and multifaceted.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Examining Eve and Lilith in Jewish Feminist Thought
    University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 6-1-2009 Woman Has Two Faces: Re-Examining Eve and Lilith in Jewish Feminist Thought Diana Carvalho University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Jewish Studies Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Carvalho, Diana, "Woman Has Two Faces: Re-Examining Eve and Lilith in Jewish Feminist Thought" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 115. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/115 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. WOMAN HAS TWO FACES: RE-EXAMINING EVE AND LILITH IN JEWISH FEMINIST THOUGHT ____________ A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities University of Denver ____________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts _____________ by Diana Carvalho June 2009 Advisor: Gregory Robbins Author: Diana Carvalho Title: WOMAN HAS TWO FACES: RE-EXAMINING EVE AND LILITH IN JEWISH FEMINIST THOUGHT Advisor: Gregory Robbins Degree Date: June 2009 ABSTRACT Throughout the religious history of American feminism, Jewish feminist biblical interpretation shifted attention away from Eve as a viable example of women’s identities. Instead, Lilith, the independent, “demon” and “first wife” of Adam is praised as a symbol of female sexuality for “Transformationist” Jewish feminists. Re-claiming Lilith as the “first Eve,” “Transformationist” Jewish feminists turn scripture on its head.
    [Show full text]
  • Menstruation in the Jewish Tradition,” Was Written As a Part of Dr
    February 25, 2021 To Whom It May Concern: The following essay, entitled “Menstruation in the Jewish Tradition,” was written as a part of Dr. Jeffrey Haus’ Women and Judaism in Fall 2020. It is in compliance with Kalamazoo College’s Honor System. All work is originally my own, and all research is cited both within the essay in Chicago Manual Style footnotes and in the Bibliography. This essay is written for the Voynovich Essay Contest in the Religion category. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Addissyn House she/her/hers Kalamazoo College ‘22 Menstruation in the Jewish Tradition 1 In the fight for a feminist Judaism or a Jewish feminism, feminists have come to understand the complicated systems that are in place, systems that are often coupled with religious customs. In questioning one’s own belief system, it can be difficult to discern where religious obligation ends and where contemporary adaptation can begin; this is especially true for Jewish traditions surrounding niddah, the state describing a menstruating woman. While there ​ ​ are rabbinical texts written about menstruation customs prevalent in various time periods, the Talmud and even halakhah often tell different stories. Jewish law today must conduct its own preservation and adaptation of customs based on what is most helpful to the congregation, the same way rabbis have conducted their people in various historical moments. While customs surrounding niddah have been contested over the last century, especially since the 1960s feminist ​ ​ movement and the increasing s’micha or ordination of female rabbis in the U.S. since 1972, new ​ ​ conversations defending, challenging, and adapting these religious rituals to the modern age have been developed.
    [Show full text]