Transformative Women
Jan 16, 2012 By Daniel Nevins | Commentary | Vayeshev
Male characters and voices dominate biblical literature, yet the near-absence of female characters is particularly striking in Parashat Va-yeishev. Here is the story of Jacob (his wives don’t appear) and his 12 sons (his daughter doesn’t appear) exploring the world of men—in the field, on the road, in the city, and in prison. These narratives are rough and even violent, and this tone carries over to the two stories in which women do appear: Judah’s coarse treatment of Tamar and Joseph’s encounter with Potiphar’s unnamed wife, who physically accosts him.
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And the Gates Opened: Women in the Rabbinate
Oct 5, 2012 By The Jewish Theological Seminary | Documentary
“And the Gates Opened” investigates the legacy that women are creating for Jewish religious and lay leaders. This program explores the rich history behind the move to ordain women and the current status of female religious leaders.
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Biblical Waterboarding
May 29, 2015 By Raysh Weiss | Commentary | Naso
A representation of the sotah (suspected adulteress) ritual from this week’s parashah (Num. 5:11–31).
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Deeper Than the Skin
Apr 24, 2015 By Yitzhak Lewis | Commentary | Metzora | Tazria
Your body is a map of roads
To be taken,
And not taken
Alone.
Your skin enfolds what
Your eyes shut behind them,
All your past is bored into it
Every day with the awl of time.
Head Covering: An Interreligious Discussion
Mar 11, 2012
Kippot, Hijaabs, Sheitels, and other head coverings. What do different religious head coverings symbolize, how are they all similar, and how are they different?
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Clothing and Adornment: Sartorial Insights on Gender Definition in the Talmud
Mar 11, 2012 By David C. Kraemer | Public Event video
How does the Talmud define Gender? Dr. David Kraemer seeks the answer to this question by looking into how the Talmud discussed clothing and adornment.
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