Edited by Pamela S. Nadell and Jonathan D. Sarna, Women and American Judaism: Historical Perspectives explores how Jewish women have shaped and redefined their religious roles from the colonial era to the present. Through twelve insightful essays, this volume examines the evolving status of Jewish women in their homes, synagogues, and communities, highlighting pivotal moments such as the rise of feminist seders, the ordination of female rabbis, and the transformation of traditional ceremonies. A groundbreaking gendered history of American Judaism, this book sheds light on the dynamic interplay between faith, culture, and identity.
Jonathan D. Sarna is a leading scholar of American Jewish history, serving as the Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor at Brandeis University and Chief Historian of the National Museum of American Jewish History. A prolific author and commentator, he is best known for American Judaism: A History, which won the Jewish Book Council’s “Jewish Book of the Year Award.”
