Today I Am a Woman: Stories of Bat Mitzvah around the World
"A vital book that documents the revolution that has transformed the role that Jewish women play in the public life of the Jewish people in our day.... It is a joy to turn its pages." —Rabbi David Ellenson, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion"These testimonies constitute the incredible story of our people: the vast richness of Diaspora Jewry; the importance of family, community, and rabbis everywhere... ; the value of new expectations, as girls, even shy ones, rise to meet them. The book tells about the importance of bat mitzvah in an age of intermarriage, in a world of feminism, tradition, and change.... You will surely read this book as I did, through laughter and tears and the sweep of emotions about your own Jewish identity, the joy and pride and vulnerability of being a Jew." —Blu Greenberg, author of On Women and Judaism"The stories speak for themselves, putting Jewish girls and women on the center of the stage, into the limelight, and at the pulpit. By showcasing ritual innovation, they make a point about Judaism's elasticity and women's agency." —Hasia R. Diner, coeditor of Remembering the Lower East Side (IUP, 2000)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"Americans undoubtedly think they know what a bat mitzvah is. Today I Am a Woman will surprise them with its fascinating array of compelling accounts of what it meant for Jewish girls to come of age. The editors scoured the globe to find powerful, varied, and moving depictions of bat mitzvah in the contemporary Jewish world. This is a rich resource for anyone interested in understanding religious diversity, folk practices, and cultural creativity through the lens of gender." —Deborah Dash Moore, University of Michigan, co-editor of Women and Gender in Jewish History (IUP, 2010)"[Today I Am a Woman] is a worthy and inspiring read, regardless of which stream of Judaism one adheres to." —The Jewish Standard"[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