New Jewish Feminism: Probing the Past, Forging the Future

by Anita Diamant (Foreword), Donna Berman (Contributor), Ellen Bernstein (Contributor)

Jewish Feminism: What Have We Accomplished? What Is Still to Be Done?

"When you are in the middle of the revolution you can't really plan the next steps ahead. But now we can. The book is intended to open up a dialogue between the early Jewish feminist pioneers and the young women shaping Judaism today.... Read it, use it, debate it, ponder it."
--from the Introduction

This empowering anthology looks at the growth and accomplishments of Jewish feminism and what that means for Jewish women today and tomorrow. It features the voices of women from every area of Jewish life--the Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative, Orthodox and Jewish Renewal movements; rabbis, congregational leaders, artists, writers, community service professionals, academics, and chaplains, from the United States, Canada, and Israel--addressing the important issues that concern Jewish women:

Women and Theology
Women, Ritual and Torah
Women and the Synagogue
Women in Israel
Gender, Sexuality and Age
Women and the Denominations
Leadership and Social Justice

Contributors: Beth Cooper Benjamin, EdD - Rabbi Donna Berman, PhD - Ellen Bernstein - Marla Brettschneider, PhD - Shifra Bronznick - Anita Diamant - Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson - Ruth Andrew Ellenson - Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell, PhD - Rabbi Tirzah Firestone - Idana Goldberg, PhD - Rabbi Elyse Goldstein - Jodie Gordon - Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb - Rabbi Jill Hammer, PhD - Sara Hurwitz, Madricha Ruchanit (Religious Mentor)- Rabbi Jill Jacobs - Rabbi Valerie Joseph - Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar - Rabbi Naamah Kelman - Rabbi Gail Labovitz, PhD - Lori Hope Lefkovitz, PhD - Anne Lapidus Lerner, PhD - Rahel Lerner - Rabbi Jane Rachel Litman - Rabbi Dalia Marx, PhD - Rabbi Joseph B. Meszler - Rabbi Haviva Ner-David, PhD - Cantor Barbara Ostfeld - Rabbi Barbara Penzner - Judith Plaskow, PhD - Rabbi Irit Printz - Rabbi Einat Ramon, PhD - Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael - Rosie Rosenzweig - Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg - Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi - Rabbi Rona Shapiro - Margalit Shilo, PhD - Rabbi Alana Suskin - Wendy Zierler, PhD

Genres: Jewish, Feminism, Judaism, Judaica, Religion

480 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2008

About the author

Anita Diamant is the author of thirteen books -- including THE RED TENT. Based on the biblical story of Dinah, THE RED TENT became a word-of-mouth bestseller in the US and around the world, where it has been published in more than 25 countries.

Her new book, a work of nonfiction. PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. A NEW CHAPTER IN THE FIGHT FOR MENSTRUAL JUSTICE will be published in May 2021., As different as they are, this book returns to some of the themes of THE RED TENT -- including the meaning and experience of menstruation.

Anita has written four other novels: GOOD HARBOR, THE LAST DAYS OF DOGTOWN, DAY AFTER NIGHT, and THE BOSTON GIRL. She is also the author of six non-fiction guides to contemporary Jewish life, which have become classic reference books: THE JEWISH WEDDING NOW, THE JEWISH BABY BOOK, LIVING A JEWISH LIFE, CHOOSING A JEWISH LIFE, HOW TO RAISE A JEWISH CHILD, and SAYING KADDISH..

An award-winning journalist, Diamant's articles have appeared in the Boston Globe, Real Simple, Parenting Magazine, Hadassah, Boston Magazine and Yankee Magazine. PITCHING MY TENT, a collection personal essays, is drawn from twenty years worth of newspaper and magazine columns.

Reviews

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A variety of essays from female luminaries in the Jewish community, covering theology, history, and politics. Some of the points, if one is already a member of a feminist-oriented Reconstructionist community, will perhaps seem overfamiliar, but there are some very thought-provoking pieces presented here and I recommend the volume.

[Joelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read a few of the essays but I found this interesting. I wanted more potentially about gender but I admit that I might have been better served by a book about LGBT Jews.