Daughters of the King: Women and the Synagogue

Daughters of the King explains women’s involvement in and around the synagogue from its antecedents in the biblical period to contemporary times. The role of women in the synagogue is a most timely but potentially divisive issue. Grossman and Haut have demonstrated the historical diversity of women’s roles in Judaism, to record first-person accounts of the innovative practices now being introduced for and by women throughout the Jewish community, and to consider how these new realities will help to shape the religious life of Jewish women in the future. The contributors represent an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, drawing from history, anthropology, sociology, medieval studies, women’s studies, Jewish law, the Bible, the Talmud, and rabbinic thought. The book will be of interest to lay reader and scholar alike, to Jews and Christians, feminists, synagogue leaders, and clergy.