N itim

Bloomfield High School and earning a bachelor's
degree in psychology, Schwartz spent a year studying
in Israel and then completed a graduate program in
Jewish communal service at Baltimore Hebrew
ebecca Schwartz speaks out on issues that
University.
are important to her and encourages oth-
Her first professional job was as Hillel program
ers to do the same.
director at Stanford University in California, and
While attending the University of
now she is director of the Peninsula Academy for
Michigan in the 1980s, Schwartz joined in demonstra-
Jewish Education, an adult religious studies program
tions for Soviet Jewry and against nuclear weapons.
that provides her with part-time work in the same
When studying in Israel 12 years ago, she added
state.
her voice to the Women of the Wall, praying our
"Today I don't know that I would feel strongly
loud with other feminists and facing fierce reactions
identified with any particular movement," says
by male worshipers insisting that women pray in
Schwartz, married to , Roger Feigelson, a software-
silence.
marketing manager. "We do have observances in our
The young wife and mother from California helps
home, particularly Passover, which is my favorite
Jewish victims of domestic violence and arranges
holiday.
women's seders.
"I went to my first women's seder as a student in
Where did Schwartz get this strength to act on her
and got interested in the connection
Jerusalem
convictions? In part, it comes from the biblical
between women and Passover. I co-wrote a women's
All
the
Miriam, who is the subject of her new book,
Haggadah, The Dancing With Miriam Haggadah,
Women Followed Her: A Collection of Writings on
with
Elaine Moise in 1996. So much of the Jewish
Miriam the Prophet & the Women of Exodus (Rikudei
feminist movement is angry, but we wanted our
Miriam Press; $21).
[approach] to be another celebration."
"I came up with the idea for the book because I
The two women met at Stanford, where Moise
had been doing some research and writing on
was on the faculty. Schwartz invited her new friend
Miriam," Schwartz explains about her compilation
to a women's seder she was having at her home with
of essays and poems capturing the essence of Moses'
a Haggadah she had written. The inter-
sister.
est in the seder grew, and the two led
Rebecca Schwartz:
"I like the idea that Miriam repre-
`As we read the Torah, we one for 200 women the next year. This
sents the joy of celebration of women
year, they'll be doing their eighth.
see that women surround
in Judaism and that she is becoming a
As Schwartz's public seders expand-
and guide Moses like no
symbol for Jewish women. That's what
ed,
she began to notice how attention
other biblical hero."
pulled me toward her and toward
to Miriam also was expanding. She
research about who she may have really
observed how women were expressing
been and what the texts tell us about
interest in making and buying Miriam
her.
cups and plates so that there was a
"The Passover story moves forward
presence of Miriam in family services.
on the backs of women. We tend to
"I think it speaks to the popularity of
think of the Exodus tale as Moses'
Miriam that there are so many different
story, despite the absence of his name
women writing about her," says
from the Haggadah. But as we read the
Schwartz, whose anthology includes her
Torah, we see that women surround
own essay exploring the role of Miriam
and guide Moses like no other biblical
as prophet.
hero.
"[As I starred organizing the book], I
Schwartz, 34, who keeps her maiden
looked for writing with originality, a
name, developed a commitment to
new way to see Miriam that spoke to
Judaism while growing up in Michigan.
women and women's experiences. I also
Her parents, Judy and David Schwartz,
wanted pieces that were beautiful and
strongly identified with the Reform
created something that was enjoyable
movement and were members of the now
to read as well as educational."
dissolved Temple.Beth Jacob in Pontiac
Schwartz put out calls for writing
before affiliating with Temple Beth El.
through the Web, Jewish women's stud
After graduating from West

s.

C:.)Ltcrft;W
PROIITE &

ft4r

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

R

4/6
2001

74

"I think it speaks to the popularity of Miriam
that there are so many different women writ-
ing about her," says editor Rebecca Schwartz
of 'All the Women Followed Her

ies programs and magazines. She arranged her selec-
tions for the book according to topics that include
leadership, rebellion, music and bitterness.
With this book completed, Schwartz is thinking
about her next. She plans on collaborating with
Moise in developing information on Rosh Chodesh
(beginning of the Hebrew month coinciding with
the full moon) celebrations. The understanding is
that God devoted them to women in honor of their
refusal to give gold for the making of an idol, the
golden calf.
"I think I see a bit of Miriam in myself," says
Schwartz, who is raising her 2-year-old daughter,
Alyssa, with faith and the courage to assert it.
"With the Miriam book challenging the tradition-
al male interpretations of these stories, I say I have
the right to speak about [all] this, too, just as
Miriam had the right to stand up and speak and
have her voice heard. I see myself as a student of
Miriam." E

All the Women Followed Her: A Collection of
Writings on Miriam the Prophet & the1Vomen of
Exodus may be ordered through the publisher at
1676 Montalto Drive, Mountain View, CA
94040; (650) 568-7929; www.rikudei.com .