Four Centuries of Jewish Women's Spirituality: A Sourcebook
by Ellen M. Umansky and Dianne Ashton
Brandeis; Revised edition: 2008
ISBN: 1584657308
Description of Book:
This is a collection of Jewish women's writing, through the ages, with one section devote to works penned between 1560 to 1800.
Much has changed for Jewish women since the first edition of Four Centuries of Jewish Women's Spirituality appeared in 1992. Associations of Jewish women--academic, religious, secular--have proliferated, making the women's voices heard. In collecting material for this completely revised edition, the editors drew upon sources that express the diversity of Jewish women, mainly from 1560 to the present. They sought material by Jewish women of different ages, sexual orientations, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds, and nationalities. Reflecting a wide variety of literary genres, sources include spiritual works (sermons, addresses, ritual blessing, prayers) as well as letters, sisterhood minutes, and committee reports that also express the spiritual concerns of their authors. Writings by women rabbis and contemporary Orthodox women, along with documents from Latin America, bring the volume up to date.
About the Authors
ELLEN M. UMANSKY is Carl and Dorothy Bennett Professor of Judaic Studies, Department of Religious Studies, Fairfield University. DIANNE ASHTON is Professor of Religion and Director of the American Studies Program at Rowan University.
