Nehirim East National Retreat – Workshop
One of the most poignant stories in the Hebrew Bible is the little known saga of Sisera’s mother in the Song of Deborah (Judges 4-5). Along with Deborah herself, and Jael, the text presents an extraordinary trio of women who run the gamut from magnificent to tragic to disturbing, set against the backdrop of war. The Song of Deborah is as old as the very ancient Song of the Sea (Ex 15:1-19) and Song of Miriam (Ex. 15:20-21), with which it is paired as haftarah. Penina Weinberg, Master of Jewish Studies and teacher of Hebrew Bible, will lead a lively study and discussion of the Song of Deborah. Be prepared for a provocative (and queer) look at motherhood, manhood, and war.
Category Archives: Biblical Women
READING RUTH AS TAPESTRY (Pesach to Shavuot 2013)
Brookline Community Beit Midrash 4 week series.
Close reading of the Book of Ruth, making meaning as though weaving a tapestry. Warp consists of the major themes: Ruth and Shavuot; David’s ancestors; individuals in relationship to community and the divine. Woof contains the modes of interpretation: our own reading; the Sages; modern – including feminist, queer and traditional; woodcut art.
THE FIVE REMARKABLE WOMEN WHO GAVE MOSES HIS START IN LIFE (Jan, Apr and June 2013)
Nehirim Gathering and National Retreat East – Workshops
Keshet – Beit Midrash
A Queer Look at Issues of Female/Feminine Identity in Exodus 1-2 and in Ourselves
Despite contrary decrees by the powerful Pharaoh of Egypt, five women midwifed, mothered, and sistered Moses. A study of the first two chapters in Exodus in order to learn what what the text says about female/feminine identity, strength, and power. Wrestling with what identity definitions may mean to us personally.
JUDGES 4-5 (May 2011)
Workshop at Temple Hillel Bnei Torah, W. Roxbury, MA
“When I/you arose, a Mother in Israel.” The story of Deborah – woman of
fire, prophet and judge.
ELUL STUDIES: Genesis 21 and 1 Samuel 1-2:10 (2008)
Classes at Congregation Eitz Chayim
Three part series in preparation for Rosh Hashanah, studying Sarah, Hagar, Abraham, Hannah and Elkanah, whose stories are contained in the Torah and Haftarah portions for the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
ANCESTORS OF RUTH AND BOAZ (2008)
Classes at Congregation Eitz Chayim
Ten part series on biblical women, culminating in an in depth study of Ruth in preparation for Shavuot. Focus on the relationship of Tamar, Lot’s daughters, Rachel and Leah to Ruth and Boaz. Six class members went on to teach at Shavuot.
Reading Ruth as a Tapestry
I am very excited to be teaching at Brookline Community Beit Midrash
5 week series between Pesach and Shavuot
4/8/13, 4/15/13, 4/22/13 (self-study on 4/29/13), 5/6/13, 5/13/13
I’m calling the series Reading Ruth as Tapestry. We will engage in a close reading of the Book of Ruth, making meaning as though we were weaving a tapestry. Our warp consists of the major themes: Ruth and Shavuot; David’s ancestors; individuals in relationship to community and the divine. Our woof contains the modes of interpretation: our own reading; the Sages; modern – including feminist, queer and traditional; woodcut art. Study will be multi level and accessible to all.
The Brookline Community Beit Midrash (BCBM) is a warm and welcoming, non-denominational community of engaged and committed learners who meet weekly at Congregation Kehillath Israel on Monday nights, 7-9pm. BCBM believes that an energized learning atmosphere leads to a stronger community, new friendships, and a deeper connection to our Jewish tradition. BCBM is centered on the principle that Torah should be accessible to all who wish to learn.
For information on the Brookline Community Beit Midrash, you may
- Visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/477732815625747/
- Join their email list by visiting https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/brookline-community-beit-midrash or emailing them at brooklinebeitmidrash@gmail.com
II Samuel 12-14: Tamar and the Wise Woman of Tekoa
On February 14, 2013, we studied 2 Samuel 14. With the help of the wise woman of Tekoa, King David has to face a tough decision about his sons. Who is this woman, and is she really wise? What are the stakes for King David at this point?
“The Tekoan woman helps him reach a decision concerning the great struggle that was going on within him: the struggle between his personal feelings and his moral obligations. The parable provides David with a ladder with which to climb down from ‘the moral tree’ which he had climbed following Avshalom’s flight. This justification, however, has no grounding in concrete reality. As he had done in earlier stories, David once again makes an erroneous decision, one for which he will yet be forced to pay a heavy price. https://www.etzion.org.il/en/88-chapter-14-i-woman-tekoa
On February 6, 2013, we studied 2 Sam Ch 12:3-12 – the tragedy of Tamar. It’s an emotional roller coaster, and an amazing look at the corruption of power. We compared with the story of Dinah (Gen 34).
“In this new monarchy, the weak can still be victimized by the powerful, girls are vulnerable to violence, and violence against them still spreads unchecked until it culminates in civil war. The monarchy does not solve the problem that is its only reason for being: it cannot govern society so that outrage will not occur.” – Tikva Frymer-Kensky Reading the Women of the Bible
How Six Women gave Moses His Start in Life – January 6 at Eitz Chayim
Consider the six powerful women who midwifed, mothered, and sistered Moses and gave him his start in life. Despite contrary decrees by the powerful Pharaoh of Egypt, they used their wits to gain power when they lacked authority and launched Moses as a prophet and leader.
Eitz Chayim member Penina Weinberg, who is both student and teacher of Hebrew Bible, will guide us on reading selected passages from Exodus and entering a lively discussion relating our texts to current politics, philosophy, or challenges of life.
Marc Chagall, “Pharaoh’s Daughter and Moses
from The Story of Exodus
Study session is participatory and accessible to people with no experience studying biblical texts, while providing an intellectual challenge to those with a broad background. Everyone is an expert at something; we will combine our insights and knowledge to unpack the biblical texts and to wrestle with questions such as: what is the meaning of our texts? What is authority vs power? Is living by our wits relevant today?
Please join us for bagels and coffee at 10am. Study and discussion at 10:30am.
Congregation Eitz Chayim is at 136 Magazine Street in Cambridge, MA.
II Samuel Ch 11-12: Bathsheba
“The story of David’s taking of Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (chaps. 11-12) and the subsequent story of rape, murder, and rebellion (chaps. 13-20) tell us….it is a threat from within, a corruption that grows from within himself and his own family, that most menaces David’s exercise of power. From this point on, despite enlivening moments, David’s story becomes increasingly bleak.”
–The HarperCollins Bible Commentary, 2000. David M. Gunn “II Samuel”. pp 267-8)
Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast,
With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts-
O wicked wit and gifts, that have the power
So to seduce!- won to his shameful lust
The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen.
But that I am forbid
To tell the secrets of my prison house,
I could a tale unfold whose lightest word
Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood,
Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres,
Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand on end
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine.
—-Hamlet Act I, Scene 5