Response to Melissa Raphael, 'The Impact of Gender on Jewish Religious Thought.. Exemplar: Jewish Theology

While continuing to investigate the theological and transcendent, feminist theologians cannot afford to ignore practical aspects of Jewish life, since this could risk either a retreat to an essentialist position to justify halakhic discrimination, or to anapproach that locates gender equality in the eschatological future. New trends in modern women’s midrashic writing offer opportunities for theological creativity, though much of the work being done in Israel is unknown to non-Hebrew speakers. Professor Raphael’s concern that some progressive Jewish feminist theological strands risk losing relevance may be answered by recent attempts to reclaim ancient and traditional feminine imagery and language.