Leaving the Garden

The emphasis in this collection of poetry is on the woman's voice in the Bible, for women, more than men, remain voiceless in the Bible's narrative. While some of the poems are in a whimsical or humorous mood, many of them display the existential aloneness at the heart of these Biblical characters, a feeling with which many of us can identify. Seventeen original line-drawings by the artist, Chana Helen Rosenberg, inspired by these poems, enhance this volume with a unique graphic dimension.

Ruth Fogelman was born in England and has lived in Jerusalem's Old City for most of her life. She was brought up on the stories of the Bible, and these stories have inspired this volume of poetry. Her "back yard," the Jewish Quarter, inspires much of her work, and the scenery of the Land of Israel is the backdrop against which these poems are set. Ruth is the author of four books. Her poems, articles, short stories and photography have appeared in anthologies and various publications in Israel, USA and India, including Arc, Back to Joy: Little Reminders to Help Us Through Tough Times, The Deronda Review, Prosopisia, Poetica, and the International Literary Review. Ruth holds a Masters Degree from the Creative Writing Program of Bar Ilan University and leads the Pri Hadash Women's Writing Workshop in Jerusalem. Besides writing, she enjoys playing games with her (to date) seven grandchildren.