Yitro 5781: “Do Not Go Near a Woman”: But Didn’t We All Stand at Sinai?

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.