Esther from Bucher der Bibel, E. M. Lilien Munich, Germany, 1923
Collection of Spertus Museum. Gift of Anna Elisabeth Cohn Hirschland (Hill), Eleanor Amalie Cohn Pagener (Page), and Ernst Joseph Cohn Hirschland (Hill), in memory of their parents Julius Cohn and Bertha Hirschland Cohn.
Lectures, Discussions, Panels
Lunch & Learn
Two Models of Women in Ancient Judaism: Esther and Judith
- Thursday, February 8, 2007
- $18 | $15 members
- Kosher lunch included.
- Reserve by February 6 to guarantee a lunch. Call 312.322.1743 or email rsvp@spertus.edu
Two models of women are depicted in ancient Jewish literature: the biblical Esther and the apocryphal Judith. When contrasted, it is evident that Judith surpasses Esther in piety and courage. However, the Book of Esther became canonical and Esther herself a model for a Jewish heroine, while the Book of Judith was cast into oblivion. Author and scholar Adolfo Roitman explores why.
Adolfo Roitman, a native of Argentina, is an ordained rabbi with a PhD from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University. He has served as a visiting scholar at institutions throughout Israel, the U.S., and Latin America. His fields of research include early Jewish literature, biblical interpretation, and comparative religion.
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