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Employing Intense Study Method, Kol Isha Ponders Genesis as Interpreted by Women
Marking its 10th anniversary, Kol Isha (a woman's voice) is undertaking a study of Genesis from a women's perspective.
The Temple Micah group will use The Torah: A Women's Commentary as a guide. Recently published by URJ Press, the volume has the features of a traditional Torah--Hebrew text, English translation and commentary--except that in this version all the commentary is by women.
Along with the new text, Kol Isha is undertaking a new approach to study, chevruta, in which two people work on a piece of text together, first reading it aloud and then delving into their questions, interpretations and disagreements. This very intense approach often leads people to find unexpected and deeper meanings in the text than they had expected--or that they might have found by reading it by themselves.
At Kol Isha, each chevruta session is followed by a full group discussion so that everyone can benefit from the work of the study teams and contribute to even broader insights.
Kol Isha began as a way to explore Jewish life from the perspective of women. The group, which also is open to men, meets monthly from October through May. Over the past nine years, Kol Isha has delved into: life-cycle events and celebrations; the mikvah (ritual bath); the psalms; concepts of God; Jewish women in science, literature and other fields (for two years); Kabbalah, and the matriarchs (for two years). Sometimes the group invites outside speakers. At one memorable session, the group explored shofars, and everyone tried to blow one. Many participants at the first Kol Isha meeting this year had never before experienced chevruta study of the Torah. They found it reading it by themselves. exciting and enlightening. New participants are always welcome.
[By Genie Grohman; from December 2009-January 2010 Vine]
Kabbalat Shabbat