Newsletter
volume 1, number 1
November 9, 1998

This week's Torah portion is Chaye Sarah (the life of Sarah). In her honor, the following are some books that feature interpretations about her and other women in Torah:

The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman's Commentary on the Torah by Ellen Frankel

Biblical Women in the Midrash: A Sourcebook by Naomi M. Hyman (Editor)

Lifecycles V2: Jewish Women on Biblical Themes in Contempory Life by Debra Orenstein (Editor), Jane Rachel Litman (Editor)

The Women of the Torah: Commentaries from the Talmud, Midrash, and Kabbalah by Barbara Thaw Ronson

Ancient Sisterhood: The Lost Traditions of Hagar and Sarah by Savina J. Teubal

Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis by Savina J. Teubal

These and more can be found at:
http://www.jew-feminist-resources.com/b_torah.html

As always, submit your own Torah commentaries at:
http://www.jew-feminist-resources.com/torahform.html

NEW BOOKS:

The Little Space: Poems Selected and New, 1968-1998 (Pitt Poetry Series) by Alicia S. Ostriker

The Path of Blessing: Experiencing the Energy and Abundance of the Divine by Marcia Prager

In The Path of Blessing Rabbi Marcia Prager guides us through the opening words of a Hebrew blessing--six words which embody the depth of Jewish spirituality--revealing how the letters and words combine to promote joy and appreciation, wonder and thankfulness, amazement and praise. Each word becomes a stepping stone inviting us to discover the infinitely abundant Presence of God flowing through even the smallest actions of our lives.

Voices of the Matriarchs: Listening to the Prayers of Early Modern Jewish Women by Chava Weissler

Chava Weissler provides the first look at non-Hebrew Jewish source materials: the vernacular women's devotional prayers called tkhines. These Yiddish prayers open a window into early modern Ashkenazic women's lives, beliefs, devotion and relationships with God.

Sex, God and Women of the Bible: Discovering Our Sensual, Spiritual Selves by Shoni Labowitz

Shoni Labowitz explores the lives of eight key women and reveals their relevance today. With impressive scholarship, Labowitz makes a compelling case that, contrary to popular notion, these women were in fact passionate, confident and unashamed of their bodies.

Small Miracles I and Small Miracles II by Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum (editor).

Although not a specifically Jewish book, or a feminist one for that matter, these two books are a wonderful collection of the inspirational in our lives. When we integrate both the experience and the meaning of coincidences into our own lives, we open ourselves to the enriching possibilities, the blessings, and the sense of harmony with the universe that they offer. These remarkable coincidences -- often containing profound teachings, important moral lessons, and even divine messages -- draw us out of the ordinariness of everyday life.