Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women [Hardcover]

Jill Hammer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2001

An anthology of 24 stories about women in the Bible. Drawing from the ancient tradition of midrash, the author brings to life the inner world and livedexperiences of these haracters, weaving both rabbinic legends and her own imagination into the biblical text.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hammer breathes a woman's breath into ancient narratives ... her collection of new midrashim draws on her knowledge of the Bible, the rich tradition of classical midrash, and on her own imagination."

From the Publisher

Now available in paper! --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society of America (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0827607261
• ISBN-13: 978-0827607262
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,795,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome contribution to Judaic Studies literature., March 28, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women (Hardcover)

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 Sinai is a welcome contribution to the growing library of Judaic literature and recommended supplemental reading for students of the Torah in general, and the role of women in Israelite history in particular.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book, November 22, 2001

By 

"goljerp" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women (Hardcover)

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, both the men and the women in the stories are treated with respect and are three-dimensional. The notes section at the end of the book grounds this modern rethinking of Bible with traditional (and modern) Jewish thinking about the Bible. This is Hammer's first book, and I can't wait to see more from her fertile imagination.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Re-readings, February 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Sisters at Sinai: New Tales of Biblical Women (Hardcover)

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 The Red Tent or Queenmaker, read this instead.