Today I Am a Woman
Stories of Bat Mitzvah around the World
Shulamit Reinharz editor Barbara Vinick editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Indiana University Press
Published:7th Nov '11
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Celebrating bat mitzvah in diverse Jewish cultures
Celebrating Bar Mitzvah in diverse Jewish cultures
Recollections of the first bat mitzvah at the only synagogue in Indonesia, a poignant bat mitzvah memory of World War II Italy, and an American bat mitzvah shared with girls in a Ukrainian orphanage—these are a few of the resonant testimonies about the transition from Jewish girl to Jewish woman collected in Today I Am a Woman. Introduced by brief biographical notes and descriptions of Jewish communities around the world, these stories reveal how Judaism defines this important rite of passage in a girl's life in widely disparate settings. The contributions are from bat mitzvah girls of the past and present, their parents, communities, and religious leaders. Including evocative family photos—some recent, some from decades past—this rich compilation is an ideal gift for bat mitzvah celebrants, their families, and friends.
The narratives may center around the bat mitzvah itself, but in the process we learn about Jewish life in widely different Jewish communities around the world, about what it means to become an adult woman, and most important, about the power of a ritual that far too many American Jewish families understand as simply an opportunity to have a party. The photos scattered throughout are endearing.
* USCJ Bookshelf *[Vinick and Reinharz] capture the amazing tales of Jewish girls on six different continents who celebrate the Jewish ritual of becoming a woman. Illustrated with over 100 black and white family photographs, readers will enjoy the accompanying narratives of each woman's unique journey and celebration into womanhood.
* The Jewish Journal *Today I Am a Woman is filled with lyrical accounts of being a bat mitzvah in such exotic places as Cochabamba, Bolivia, and Tegucigalpa, Honduras. . . . All the vignettes are accompanied by a well-researched history of the Jewish community in the area.
* Jewish Book Council *[Today I Am a Woman] is a worthy and inspiring read, regardless of which stream of Judaism one adheres to.
* The Jewish Standard *'Today I Am A Woman' would not only be a lovely gift for a bat mitzvah girl or a useful purchase for anyone preparing for a bat mitzvah celebration in the family; it will also be a welcome addition to the libraries of readers seeking to understand variations in bat mitzvah practices among Jewish communities
* Nashim: Jrnl Jewish Wmns Std & GenderISBN: 9780253356932
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 612g
296 pages