Then and Now
Few biblical phrases have been as thoroughly parodied as the "goring ox." In fact, the entire ox-thing that the Bible has going is, for many, an ongoing source of amusement and puzzlement. Why does such a great, lofty, and divine text spend so much … [Continue reading] about The Goring Ox
Seventh-century BCE Judah is not typically thought of as a hotbed of feminism. If the Hebrew Bible is to be believed, women were very much on the economic, social, religious, and legal margins of this society. The texts portray a … [Continue reading] about Gluckel of Judah?
A couple of months ago, I sat down with an Israeli journalist to talk about my work. It turned out that she was primarily interested in the issue of when and how "Judaism" as we more or less know it today emerged from the Israelite religion of the … [Continue reading] about The Rorschach Interview
Tonight begins Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is a day that usually leaves me both unsettled and confused. Watching my children learn about the Holocaust from slick, well-designed and age-appropriate curricula has made me aware of … [Continue reading] about The Holocaust and Me
This month, for the first time in a while, the group Women of the Wall managed to pray at the Western Wall without any serious incidents (here is a news report of the gathering). The group's goal, in addition to simply conducting a meaningful prayer … [Continue reading] about The Clothes of a Woman