A Woman Of The Book
The role of 'Jewish women through the ages
goes under the academic microscope.
they serve? What teachings did they
bring such a male-dominated society?
These questions have led to the
r. Tikva Simone Frymer-
professor's 30 books and articles.
Kensky has been honing
Frymer-Kensky also recognized dis-
tinct differences between women of
her scholarship on the
the rabbinic and mishnaic (after the
Bible, particularly its por-
trayal of women.
destruction of the Second Temple)
eras.
A professor at the University of
Chicago Divinity School and past pro-
Rabbinic-era women, for example,
could be found holding more public
fessor at the University of Michigan,
Dr. Frymer-Kensky will be in town
roles. Indeed, many served as heads of
synagogues. The mishnaic era,.howev-
March 1-2 to deliver two free lectures:
"Victims, Virgins, and Victors:
er, was not as women-friendly. What's
more, men and women were typically
Reading the Women of the Bible" and
educated within a different structure.
"Women of the Bible: Jephtha's
Daughter and Dinah's Story."
Men were taught Talmud and Torah,
focusing on laws, rituals and dealings
Upon his return from war, Jephtha,
within the day-to-day life of the
a judge, sanctified his (unnamed)
daughter after
Jewish communi-
promising that the
ty.
first creature he
Women learned
encountered would
about their Jewish
be sanctified
heritage through
(become holy).
stories and para-
Frymer-Kensky's
bles; gleaning
visit is co-spon-
meaning through
sored by
examples of situa-
Congregation Beth
tions and
Abraham Hiliel
metaphor rather
Moses, the Cohn-
than facts and
Haddow Center
laws.
for Judaic Studies
. Children were
at Wayne State
groomed early
University, the
into these roles.
George M. and
Boys began
Pearl A. Leutzer
instruction at
Foundation and
about 3 years old,
the Menasche and
and were intro-
Sara Haar
duced to the
Charitable Trust.
Dr. Tikva Fiymer-Kensky• Investigating learning and
Frymer-Kensky gender roles.
obligations of
began her studies
their role.
in 1978, centering
Conversely, girls
stayed at home with their mothers and
her attention on the complexities of
learned about being a wife and moth-
biblical law. After extensive investiga-
er. Women, though rarely prohibited-
tion of Judaic culture, she discovered
from studying texts, were not obligat-
that women were portrayed within a
ed to do so.
context that was primarily male-moti-
Over the years, this was interpret-
vated and male-dominated.
ed to mean that women were not
Curiously, Frymer-Kensky found
allowed to learn in the same arena
no specific references to gender within
with men, on the same level, investi-
the text of Torah. Why, she asked,
gating the same topics. In essence,
when the Bible was written within a
the issue was not that women could-
patriarchal society, primarily by and
n't learn Torah and Talmud and men
for men, were there so many seeming-
could; rather, each held a specific
ly important accounts concerning the
function within the family unit and
lives of women? What function did
DIANA KATHRYN WOLFE
Special to The Jewish. News
D
271 West Maple
Downtown Birmingham
248.258.0212
Monday—Saturday 10-6 • Thursday 10-9
2/27
1998
22
181 S. Old Woodward Ave.
(1 Blk. S. of Maple, Next to the
Birmingham Theatre)
Mon. - Sat. 9:30.5:30
(248) 642..1690
society, passing on those teachings to
the next generation.
Traditions in family and learning
were the foundations by which Jewish
life was sustained and has thrived
today.
Frymer-Kensky says there have
been a number of changes between
the women of the biblical era and
contemporary Jewish women. Biblical
women lived much different lives.
Though they didn't have careers out-
side the home, their lives were con-
sumed with fulfilling the basic necessi-
ties of life: caring for and teaching
children, maintaining the home, mak-
ing clothing, etc.
She points out that indeed, the
ancient symbol for woman is a wood-
en spindle, used in the spinning of
wool to make cloth.
Significant changes came during
the Industrial Revolution, when
leisure time increased. Women learned
about art, languages and music. They
spent less time attending to the basic
needs of the family, as those things
were provided with greater ease by the
conveniences of a more "civilized"
society.
Additionally; the large family is fair-
ly new to Jewish culture, particularly
among the Orthodox.
During ancient times, the average
women had nine pregnancies, yet only
about two children survived.
Moreover, half of all women died in
childbirth, she noted.
In her lectures, Frymer-Kensk-y will
discuss the Jewish woman's role in soci-
ety, with additional understanding and
insights into the lifestyle of historic and
present-day Jewish women. ❑
Dr. Tikva Frymer-Kensky's lec-
ture on "Victims, Virgins and
Victors: Reading the Women of
the Bible." will be held at 3 p.m.
Sunday, March 1, at
Congregation Beth Abraham
Hillel Moses. Her second lecture,
"Women of the Bible: jephtha's
Daughter and Dinah's Story," will
be held at 3 p.m. Monday, March
2, at Wayne State University. For
•information, contact Sandy
Loeffler, (313) 577-2679.