Product Description

A beautiful and moving one-of-a-kind collection that draws from a variety of Jewish traditions, through the ages, to commemorate every occasion and every passage in the cycle of life, including:

Special prayers for the Sabbath, holidays, and important dates of the Jewish year
Prayers to mark celebratory milestones, such as bat mitzva, marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth
Prayers for companionship, love, and fertility
Prayers for healing, strength, and personal growth
Prayers for daily reflection and thanksgiving
Prayers for comfort and understanding in times of tragedy and loss

On the eve of Yom Kippur in 2002, Aliza Lavie, a university professor, read an interview with an Israeli woman who had lost both her mother and her baby daughter in a terrorist attack. As Lavie stood in the synagogue later that evening, she searched for comfort for the bereaved woman, for a reminder that she was not alone but part of a great tradition of Jewish women who have responded to unbearable loss with strength and fortitude. Unable to find sufficient solace within the traditional prayer book and inspired by the memory of her own grandmother’s steadfast knowledge and faith, Lavie began researching and compiling prayers written for and by Jewish women.

A Jewish Woman’s Prayer Book is the result—a beautiful and moving one-of-a-kind collection that draws from a variety of Jewish traditions, through the ages, to commemorate every occasion and every passage in the cycle of life, from the mundane to the extraordinary. This elegant, inspiring volume includes special prayers for the Sabbath and holidays and important dates of the Jewish year; prayers to mark celebratory milestones, such as bat mitzva, marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth; and prayers for comfort and understanding in times of tragedy and loss. Each prayer is presented in Hebrew and in an English translation, along with fascinating commentary on its origins and allusions. Culled from a wide range of sources, both geographically and historically, this collection testifies that women's prayers were—and continue to be—an inspired expression of personal supplication and desire.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47032 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-02
• Released on: 2008-12-02
• Format: Deckle Edge
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780385522748
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

About the Author

Dr. Aliza Lavie is a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. She is also a presenter and editor of television programs on Jewish culture. She lives in Natanya, Israel.

Customer Reviews

"A Jewish Woman's Prayer Book" A must read!
Don't let the title "A Jewish Woman's Prayer Book" stop you from buying this book. Normally that title would describe a book that is used to follow during a daily or Shabbat prayer service. But this is not a "prayer service" book. This is an intensive study by Dr. Lavie to uncover women's prayers to fit all manners of situations over the centuries: prayers written by women, prayers in ancient and modern books that were often recited by women. Many of the prayers were not previously incorporated into prayer books, rather they were handed down through the generations from mother to daughter. It is important to note that this book of women's prayers has meaning also for men and impacts the lives of Jews and non-Jews. This powerful book is a must read.

Beautiful collection of prayers, some written for women, some written by women
I love this book because it has so much history and tells you where the prayers come from, often who wrote them and why, and what situation they were in when each one was written. Some of the prayers are translations or alternate versions of standard prayers found in standard siddurim. Each prayer is written in English, and then the facing page is either Hebrew or Yiddish or Ladino! Beautifully written, beautifully collected, something to cherish and pass down to the young ladies in the family! I have been using this to extend my regular prayers, and to extend my own conversations with HaShem. Prayers for joyous occasions, troubling times, daily thoughts, etc. are all included.

There is even a beautiful, short Haggadah written on toilet paper during the holocaust by a concentration camp victim, slipped to another woman just before the author passed on! Even the way this book came about is beautiful...you really should read the inside cover.

A beautiful collection of prayers for life cycle events
This is a beautiful book to add to anyone's Judaic collection. It is written in both Hebrew and in English. I purchased copies as gifts for some special women in my life. No matter how observant the readers are, they will be moved by the poetic beauty, historic commentary, and inspiration of the prayers that apply to many life cycle events.