LABA Genesis Chapter 38 Judah and Tamar. School of Rembrandt. 1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. 2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; and he took her,
Elissa Strauss breaks down sexual double-standards in a Q&A I found this on the internet. Ed. note. I suggest you read Ruby Namdar’s telling of the Tamar story before or after you read this. WHAT IS SLUT-SHAMING? Slut-shaming is the phenomenon in which a woman is bashed, attacked or made to feel guilty for her sexuality. WHAT
New Music from Alicia Svigals Kadya Molodovsky For her LABA project, Svigals wove together her original settings of poetry and Biblical texts in Yiddish, Hebrew and English to create a musical work that speaks of fertility, fear and longing; and the double-edged helix of inheritance across generations of women. Here are studio-recordings of two of
Ruby Namdar on the much-ignored tragic elements of Hannah’s story “Tear” by Gideon van der Stelt Tradition reads the tale of Hannah, which includes her struggle with rival-wife Peninah and the miraculous birth of her son Samuel, as a victorious tale, celebrating the triumph of piety and faith. Few commentators, ancient or modern, pay attention
Yehuda Hyman on how he ended up dancing for his mother Sara Sara Guver Hyman We are gathered around the table at the LABA House of Study reading from the Book of Samuel: the heroine, Hannah can’t get pregnant, she pours her heart out to G-d* (see below). G-d hears Hannah’s prayers, promises
Brooke Berman on the ongoing meditation of mothers “Hotel Room” by Edward Hopper I am writing this from a plane to Aspen, on my way to premiere my first film, a digital short, at a festival. It is a dream come true. And yet I spent the morning in tears because in pursuing this dream,
Elissa Strauss on the inescapable and escapable aspects of motherhood “The Young Mother” Mary Cassatt 10 and she was in bitterness of soul–and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said: ‘O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy handmaid, and remember
Mirta Kupferminc explains the inspiration behind ‘Eve: Chair of All Mothers’
Clémence Boulouque takes a look at Regina Jonas, the first female rabbi and a mother who had no children Regina Jonas There was no rabbi at my Dad’s funeral. I was eleven when he died. A pious man and a poor salesman. My first teacher. But we did not have enough to pay for a rabbi.
Sigal Samuel on what happens when the matriarchs take a field trip to paradise “Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden” Lucas Cranach the Elder In one of my favorite Talmudic stories, four rabbis enter a mystical garden known as the pardes, with bad results: one dies, one goes insane, one becomes a heretic, and