What does the story of building the world’s largest structure in Babel have in common with a tale of subjugation and heroism in Egypt? In exploring this question we will note the actions and motivations of a number of outstanding female characters in the Exodus narrative, whose acts of individual heroism help to repair the fractured connection with the divine and help pave the road toward redemption.
The Tower of Babel and the Midwives of Egypt: The Quest for Individuality and the Path to Redemption
Introduction
Judy Klitsner
Judy Klitsner is the Rabbi Joshua S. Bakst Chair in Tanakh and a senior educator in Bible at Pardes. A student of the renowned Bible teacher Nehama Leibowitz, Judy is known for her close textual readings that weave together traditional commentary, modern scholarship and original interpretation. Her book Subversive Sequels in the Bible: How Biblical Stories Mine and Undermine Each Other received a National Jewish Book Award.
Judy has taught generations of students at Pardes, many of whom now use her methods in Jewish educational settings around the world. An internationally sought-after lecturer, she has taught Bible to Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious leaders. Judy is also the founding board chair of Sacred Spaces, an organization dedicated to preventing and addressing abuse in Jewish institutions.