In this anthology by and about Jewish women, fifteen British rabbis discuss the changing role of Jewish clergywomen in the six decades since the private ordination of Regina Jonas, the first woman rabbi. Through personal testimony and scholarly inquiry, they take note of the legacy of their foremothers and grapple with what it means to be a Jewish woman on the eve of the twenty-first century. Delving into the interpretive process from which women have traditionally been excluded, the rabbis examine female role models found in the Hebrew Bible, biblical prophecy and the feminist vision, the authorship of the Song of Songs, and the matter of canonicity from a feminist perspective. They consider such questions as why Judaism has no "sayings of the mothers" and assess contemporary gender issues including Jewish feminist theology, inclusive language, segregated seating in synagogue, and the whole issue of the feminine in Judaism.

This book addresses Judaism and Orthodox Christianity, and particularly their points of similarity and difference, congruence and conflict. The city of Jerusalem stands at the heart of both these age-old faiths, but today it is a divided city in which Jews and Orthodox Christians seem to find themselves on opposite sides of history. Must this story be one of continuing conflict, or is there scope for reconciliation and common effort? How do religions that cherish tradition face up to the challenges of a rapidly changing world? What place can they offer to women? Can they welcome lesbian and gay adherents? How do their traditional resources help them to face climate change and other environmental issues? How have they responded to the COVID pandemic? What contribution can they make to current debates about subjects like euthanasia and assisted dying? In seventeen chapters by expert theologians and historians this book examines central issues of common concern. The focus is on dialogue and deepened knowledge. The authors dispel some widely held misconceptions and identify a good deal of common ground. In this way the book aims to lay foundations for future engagement between the two religions.

How can finite minds approach an infinite and ultimately unknowable God? Is it true that Christianity is a religion of love and Judaism a religion of law? Can a Jew accept the Orthodox Christian veneration of holy images? How much do Jews and Orthodox Christians have in common when they worship God? What can be done about Christian prayers that Jews find offensive? How much responsibility do Christians carry for antisemitism? These and other questions are addressed in this book which is intended as a major contribution to encounters between Judaism and Orthodox Christianity. In seventeen chapters, expert theologians and historians examine central issues of common concern relating to theology and worship as well as to the vexed historical question of anti-Semitism. The focus is on dialogue and deepened knowledge, as the contributors s dispel widely-held misconceptions and identify a good deal of common ground.

In this book, which is a successor to Hear Our Voice: Women Rabbis Tell their Stories, published by SCM Press in 1994, women rabbis give new understanding to old liturgy by using prayer and biblical verse in new contexts, and create new rituals to cover those many circumstances in life where women yearn for a prayer and find themselves without. Taking up the Timbrel first discusses the creation of ritual. Then come 'Rituals of Home and Person', covering matters ranging from preparing an autistic boy for the Seder to how to pray when one can't pray. 'Fertility' has rituals for the beginning of menstruation, pregnancy, the moment of birth and welcoming a daughter. Infertility' responds in ritual to childlessness, the loss of a baby and the termination of a pregnancy. 'Relationships and Change' is about marriage, between men and women and between women, and the breakdown of relationships. Finally, 'In Pain and Healing' covers responses to such varied pains as depression, surgery and the death of pets. These rituals are not just for women, though they come out of women's experience. Nor are they just for Jews. Though they use specifically Jewish symbols, the experience of prayer and the use of ritual is a universal one.