Tag Archives: gender

(Religious Woman) Non-Normative (Western Wall Protest)

Posted on February 15, 2023 by zjb

There was a leak in the press about a proposal by members of the ultra-orthodox Shas party to fine and imprison women at the Western Wall who show up in “immodest” dress or who seek to pray in ways that … Continue reading →

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(Cri de Coeur) Against the Reactionary Current in Contemporary Orthodox Judaism (Rabbi Elchanan Poupko)

Posted on June 29, 2022 by zjb

It’s no news that contemporary Orthodox Judaism has cascaded into the reactionary world of rightwing politics now overwhelmed by MAGA and with no end in sight. This cri de coeur by Rabbi Elchanan Poupko posted here at the Times of … Continue reading →

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Anti-Trans, Anti-Semitism

Posted on June 17, 2022 by zjb

Falling under the rubric of Reactionary Bio-Politics, a lot of this is flying online under the radar, both the discourse of transphobic activism and critical writing pushing back against it. If any of this is to be believed, there are … Continue reading →

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Abortion =/= Murder (Jewish Law)

Posted on May 8, 2022 by zjb

While a firm line of medieval and early modern tradents and modern traditionalists rule that abortion is not permitted according to Jewish law, what we today call the right to abortion, even late term abortion, is, in fact, well grounded … Continue reading →

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(Mother & Martyr) Mistress Rachel (Mainz Anonymous)

Posted on March 28, 2022 by zjb

There was a distinguished young woman there named Mistress Rachel, daughter of Isaac, son of Asher, who said to her friend: “Four children have I. Have no mercy on them either, lest those uncircumcised ones come and seize them alive … Continue reading →

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Tough Italian Jews (Scroll of Esther) (1616)

Posted on March 17, 2022 by zjb

I’m posting the link to the Ferrara scroll of Esther (1616) here at the The Bezalel Narkiss Index of Jewish Art at the Center for Jewish Art. It has links to all two other Scrolls of Esther also illuminated by … Continue reading →

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(Esther) Rashi (Aesthetic Judaism)

Posted on March 17, 2022 by zjb

This might be my misimpression, but what seems to have most caught Rashi’s eye in his commentary to the book of Esther was not so much the vindication of Israel and the political violence that close the text, but rather … Continue reading →

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(Rashi Song of Songs) Israel is the Mother of God and Sister of Angels

Posted on April 5, 2021 by zjb

Unlike the terse commentaries to Torah and Talmud, the commentary by Rashi to the Song of Songs is effusive and full-throated. Not a miscellany, it sustains its own independent theme running alongside the biblical love poem. A precis of  Rashi’s … Continue reading →

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Judean Pillar Figurines (Probably not a Goddess)

Posted on December 1, 2020 by zjb

Excellent article here at Haaretz about Judean Pillar Figurines, thousands of which have been dug up in Jerusalem and its surroundings from the First Temple Period. The author makes reference to scholarship and speculation by Carol Meyers and Erin Darby … Continue reading →

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Women & Talmud & Daf Yomi (כדור של בנות)

Posted on January 6, 2020 by zjb

c I’m sharing two articles, here and here, about women completing the seven and a half year cycle completing, one page a day, the entire Babylonian Talmud. Neither articles does the heavy lifting that concern “the problem” of Talmud and … Continue reading →

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