By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Tikva Frymer-Kensky was an amazing biblical scholar, best known for her work “Reading the Women of the Bible: A New Interpretation of Their Stories,” which won a National Jewish Book Award. She was the director of Bible studies at the Reconstructionist Rabbinica…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
Sometimes knowing the plot details of a novel isn’t enough to give you a true understanding of the work. For example, if a reviewer says a book includes descriptions of marital difficulties, monetary problems, betrayal and writer’s block, you could be forgiven f…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
*Images are pages from Leela Corman’s “Victory Parade” (Graphic credit to Leela Corman/Reprinted with the permission of Schocken Books).
Some experiences can permanently affect people’s lives. That often causes a disconnection with their family and frien…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
There’s been a backlash against Israeli authors recently, everything from leaving negative reviews on websites because the authors are considered Zionists to the cancellation of readings and book signings. Refusing to read these authors, though, would mean missing…
By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
The essence of some novels is open to debate. Even when readers learn about the character from several viewpoints, there are questions that may never be fully answered. To be fair, some readers of Toby Lloyd’s “Fervor” (Avid Reader Press) will feel confident t…
