Women and Jewish Studies

Abstract

The presence of feminist inquiry and debate is making itself increasingly visible in the field of Jewish studies. The books under consideration attest to a growing interest in women and gender as an object of study and as a theoretical principle that might revise the entire academic agenda of the field of Jewish studies. While the first three books deal with interdisciplinary and supradisciplinary approaches to Jewish studies, the fourth deals specifically with the field of Jewish history. Feminist Perspectives on Jewish Studies is by far the sharpest and least apologetic in its critique of Jewish studies. The editors, Lynn Davidman and Shelly Tenenbaum, solicited articles on Jewish history, literature, anthropology, and sociology, trying to maintain a balance between the social sciences and the humanities as well as between the more traditional fields of biblical and rabbinic studies and the newer fields of sociology and film studies. Each contributor was asked to offer a survey of the state of the art in her respective field and to assess the extent to which knowledge about women has been integrated into the field. The editors argue that a feminist perspective in Jewish studies highlights the inadequacy of disciplinary boundaries and suggest that new thematic approaches be considered. One such topic is Jewish family life. By analyzing the representation of the Jewish family in ancient sources, contemporary literature and film, philosophical debates, and social-scientific research,