Perfect for women's studies courses, adult study groups, Confirmation classes and book groups, this exceptional anthology of 24 stories about the women in the Bible is now available in paperback. Drawing from the ancient tradition of midrash, the author brings to life the inner world and the experiences of these women, weaving rabbinic legends and imagination into the biblical texts. Readers will discover Lilith - not as the night demon alluded to in Isaiah, but as another aspect of Eve herself. Sarah is a moon priestess and as great a prophet as Abraham. Miriam was not merely a figure of song and dance, but also one of revelation, a source of Torah. These new stories were written to give biblical women the honor they deserve - due them as prophets, rulers, and teachers. The introduction to Sisters at Sinai offers the rationale and the need for midrash - the writing in the margins - expressing how it can be liberating as well as deeply comforting. Rabbi Jill Hammer is a senior associate at Ma'yan: The Jewish Women's Project of the JCC in Manhattan.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Great Midrash:
This is a wonderful book. Each story is carefuly crafted writing and very good reading. The Introduction and the Notes to the reader help give backround in Midrash for the unintiated and make the tales themselves more understandable. Havdala was terrific. The concept of pale Eve meeting dark Lilith in the Garden of Eden on the eve of shabbat and discovering her "womanhood" transported me. Reading Naamah was like chatting with and listening to the wise women who helped me through the rough times in... more info
A welcome contribution to Judaic Studies literature.:
Sisters At Sinai: New Tales Of Biblical Women by Jill Hammer (licensed clinical psychology and an ordained Conservative rabbi) is a collection of 24 fascinating, illuminating, and inspiring short stories based on the women of the Torah, and the men they shared their lives with. These original and engaging stories reveal a new look at Lilith and Eve, Sarah, Hagar, Rachel and Leah, Miriam, Lot's Wife, and many more. A unique, amazing anthology that reinterprets ancient parables in a new light, Sisters At... more info
Fantastic Re-readings:
This is an amazing book, a must-read for all fans of Biblically-based fiction. Hammer's readings are wildly creative and revisionist but at the same time grounded in classical Jewish Biblical interpretation. Her background in Midrash gives this book a depth rarely seen in modern rewritings of Biblical stories. The stories work as stories, though - the Midrashic grounding is almost invisible unless you know the works she's quoting from. Her Biblical characters are compelling and memorable. If you are reading... more info
An amazing book:
I loved Sisters at Sinai. The book consists of 23 short stories with a wide range of themes. But these aren't just any short stories; these are Midrashim, tales which weave in and around the text of the Bible. With some, Hammer takes a well-known passage in the Bible (Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt) and brings it to life. Others take a passage which even close readers of the Bible have probably overlooked and turns it into a gripping narrative. While Hammer writes from a woman's perspective,... more info
