Life on the Fringes: A Feminist Journey Toward Traditional Rabbinic Ordination

by Haviva Ner-David

Part memoir, part commentary, Life on the Fringes charts a startling Jewish feminist journey both solitary and engaging. Haviva Ner-David draws us into the many facets of her life's story: a complex modern Orthodox childhood (including a battle with anorexia); adherence to a unique combination of Jewish observances; the emergence of her feminist commitments and support of gays and lesbians in Jewish life; a serious engagement with Jewish texts -- and now, studying for rabbinic ordination with an Orthodox rabbi in Israel, where Ner-David and her family have made their home. Over time, we see Ner-David take on both traditionally male practices -- donning a tallit and tefillin every day, wearing tzitzit at all times -- as well as those of traditional Jewish women -- covering her head, and observing in great detail the laws of niddah which govern a woman's separation from her husband in the days surrounding her menstrual period. Her personal wrestling and her halakhic analysis help us see Jewish tradition in new, more textured ways -- and lets us see new possibilities for our own lives.

Writing with warmth, vision, and passion, Ner-David unwraps her often startling package of Jewish choices, inviting readers into her many worlds, even as she challenges us to examine and deepen our own allegiances and Jewish feminist journeys. No one who takes seriously the intersection of feminism and traditional Judaism will be able to ignore this book.

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction, Religion, Feminism, Jewish

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2000

About the author

Haviva Ner-David is an ordained rabbi and interfaith-interspiritual minister, with a doctorate in philosophy and an M.F.A in Creative Writing. She runs Shmaya: A Mikveh for Mind, Body and Soul, where she officiates ritual immersion ceremonies and offers group workshops. A certified spiritual director with a specialty in dreamwork, she works with individuals and couples. Rabbi Ner-David is the author of two published spiritual journey memoirs (Life on the Fringes: A Feminist Journey Towards Traditional Rabbinic Ordination; and Chanah’s Voice: A Rabbi Wrestles with Gender, Commandment and the Women’s Rituals of Baking, Bathing and Brightening) and has a third, Dreaming Against the Current: A Rabbi’s Soul Journey, on the way. She is also the author of a soon-to-be published guidebook for engaged couples, Getting (and Staying) Married Jewishly: Preparing for Your Life Together with Ancient and Modern Wisdom. Hope Valley is her debut novel. Rabbi Ner-David is involved in peace work, promoting a shared society of Jews, Christians and Muslims in Galilee, where she lives with Jacob, her life partner of thirty years, their seven children and their dog and cat. She also lives with a genetic degenerative muscular disease called FSHD, which has been one of her greatest teachers.

Reviews

[Caroline]

Ner David's memoir is fascinating. While I don't always agree with her conclusions (especially her dismissal of Masorti Judaism), I loved her combination of in-depth halachic evidence and lived experience. She opened my eyes to other ways of being Jewish, and I really appreciated her struggle to remain true to herself, her beliefs, and her Judaism.

[Ari]

Autobiographical work structured around Jewish law and the author's personal feminist journey toward Orthodox rabbinic ordination. While I'm not sure the author and I see completely eye-to-eye on a few things, I appreciated her honesty and boldness in writing. I wonder what this one would be like if it were written today, 17 years later. Ner-David has a number of excellent points, and I think this should be required reading for Conservative and Modern/Open Orthodox rabbinical students, or anyone who wrestles with women taking on traditionally 'male' mitzvot.

[Orna Taub]

“Dreaming against the current” tells the story of Haviva Ner David’s spiritual journey from Orthodox Jewish Rabbi to post-denominational inter-spiritual rabbi minister. Weaving psychology and dream-work, she takes us with her deep into her soul, as she honestly and candidly searches for her inner calling. But Ner David’s poignant memoir is much more than that. It is also the story of a woman’s struggle to make peace with a degenerative muscular disorder. Ner David has never let it stop her. Her courage and inner strength leave us inspired and full of hope.

[Ada]

A must read for any Halachic Jewish feminist. I learned Halacha has evolved so it must also adapt and evolve now. It is a system in which we can find answers while also being frustrated. I wish she would write an updated version of this book…