Monday, March 8, 2021
Today is International Women’s Day. Historically in the print age, women were largely excluded from Jewish scholarship. Moving into the digital age of Torah, we believe Sefaria has a unique role to play. It's our goal to not only make Jewish texts accessible to women — and others historically excluded — but to elevate the voices of women in Torah.
We are excited to announce the addition of two modern women scholars to our library!
Rereading the Rabbis: A Woman’s Voice by Dr. Judith Hauptman
This modern commentary looks at the Talmud through a feminist lens, demonstrating that the rabbis made significant changes in key areas of Jewish law in order to benefit women. Hauptman reads sources in their own literary and legal context and then considers them in relation to a rich array of associated materials. Read on Sefaria.
Dr. Judith Hauptman is a Talmud scholar and professor at The Jewish Theological Seminary. Her work and research focuses on the history of the Talmud and how it came into being, as well as women’s roles in Judaic thought, bringing evaluation of the rabbinic period into conversation with contemporary issues. Hauptman is also the founder of Ohel Ayala, an outreach project for young Jews on the margins, named in memory of her mother.
Moses: A Human Life by Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
This book, part of the prize-winning Jewish Lives series, is a vivid and original portrait of the biblical Moses. Drawing on a variety of sources, both Jewish and psychoanalytical, Dr. Zornberg explores this important figure’s history, personality, relationships, and more. Read on Sefaria or buy a physical copy.
Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg lectures on the Hebrew Bible and rabbinic thought at academic, psychoanalytic, and Jewish educational institutions around the world. In 1995 she received the National Jewish Book Award for Genesis: The Beginning of Desire. She lives in Jerusalem.
These books are available on Sefaria with a CC-BY-NC license.
Over the past year, you may have noticed some of our other women’s initiatives including the Jewish Women Scholars’ Writing Fellowship and the addition of a Women in Tech category to our upcoming Powered by Sefaria Contest. Stay tuned for even more women’s Torah, updates on the writing fellowship, and exciting events.
We hope you enjoy these new additions.
In honor of the upcoming holiday of Passover — and the role of Moses in that story — we are giving away three physical copies of Dr. Zornberg's book Moses: A Human Life. Find out how to enter the giveaway on our Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. We will be randomly drawing winners on Sunday, March 21. Due to varying international laws concerning contests and giveaways, only residents of the United States will be eligible to participate in this giveaway.
