Shabbat morning service honors 

Moms of Nafshenu

PLEASE JOIN our Shabbat morning service and potluck lunch this Saturday (May 2). We'll start at 10am, with a Torah service honoring the mothers in our lives. We'll discuss the role that women have played in the Bible and Jewish history, despite the strongly patriarchal bent in our tradition.

Look for a signup link later this week. -- Rabbi David Goodman ([email protected], 248-508-0874

Rebecca directs son Jacob to trick Isaac and steal brother Esau's birthright.

Sarah tells Abraham to expell Hagar and Yishma'el to protect Isaac's legacy

• In the generations of the "patriarchs," Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah shaped the course of the family and largely determined its direction. 
• Miriam helped her baby brother Moses find an adoptive home in Pharaoh's court. 
• Naomi and Ruth kept their family name alive aftser being widowed.
•  Bathsheba pushed her son Solomon onto the throne of Israel. 
• Esther rescued the Jews of Persia. 

Why do the stories of this male-led story cycle so often place women in the driver's seat?