The Invisible Thread: A Portrait of Jewish American Women

Bletter, Diana and Lori Grinker

ISBN 10: 0827603347 / ISBN 13: 9780827603349

Published by Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1989

About this Item

An interesting oral history of American Jewish women, started when the authors started an article on Jewish women returning to using the mikveh, or ritual bath. From there, they started interviewing other Jewish women on all aspects of their connection to Judaism (one doing the interviews, the other the photos). Interviews with dozens of Jewish women, young and old, Ashkenazi & Sephardi, from different parts of the U.S., with an amazing range of occupations and Jewish experiences. Each woman's story is presented in a spread ranging from 2 to 4 pages, with both interview text and photos.

Seller Inventory # 000935

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Invisible Thread: A Portrait of Jewish American Women
• Publisher: Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia
• Publication Date: 1989
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0827603347
• ISBN 13: 9780827603349
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Women
  • Oral History
  • Judaica

About this title

Synopsis

A unique, inspiring, and vibrant portrait of sixty women exploring how they blend their faith and/or sense of Jewishness in their lives, their families, their expectations, and their commitments.

Reviews

This photo essay of 60 Jewish American women of all ages and backgrounds--wealthy, on welfare, orthodox, assimilated, in prison, in banking, in government--forms a tapestry of connections among a most diverse group. Those interviewed include a veterinarian in Montgomery, Alabama, the granddaughter of a black Jewish slave in New York, a Holocaust survivor and her daughter, and a Jew by choice. The authors show how these women balance two competing forces--change and tradition--as they combine feminism with Judaism. Irrespective of their wide cultural, religious, and social differences, they all express an involvement in collective Jewish conscience while at the same time showing that Judaism is not a monolithic structure. The fine photos and evocative text provide an "invisible thread" of its own. Of value to general and special collections.
- Molly Abramowitz, Silver Spring, Md.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.