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Recent years have seen an explosion of interest in spirituality and religious texts, as well as an exciting expansion of women's participation and leadership in Jewish life. This unique three-volume collaboration brings together women writers, rabbis and scholars to create the first comprehensive work on Jewish lifecycle that fully includes women's perspectives. Lifecycles, V. 2 explores the impact that biblical texts have on our lives--and the impact our lives have on those texts. It delves into the human themes found both in the first five books of the Bible, and in women's lives today, themes of: Genesis--Our roots and beginnings, family and home Exodus--Transformations to freedom, holiness and Torah Leviticus--Food and sacrifice, health and the body, sexuality, the power of words Numbers--Creating community in times of transition Deuteronomy--Leadership, law and revisioning the future With a rich diversity of voices, the contributors show us how to understand the power of biblical texts, and then how to use those texts to find our own connections of self, spirit and community. Introductions by Orenstein and Litman offer a broader context for the concepts explored in each section, and an afterword provides further advice on "Engaging with Torah," including a section on how to create a midrash. In a personal, insightful and creative style, Lifecycles, V. 2 opens opportunities for us to grow from the intersection of the texts of our heritage and the lessons of our lives. Contributors: Martha Ackelsberg * Penina V. Adelman * Rachel Adler * Arlene Agus * Meg Akabas * Rebecca T. Alpert * Amy Bardack * Barbara Eve Breitman * Esther Cameron * Nina Beth Cardin * Amy Eilberg * Dianne O. Esses * Ruth S. Fagen * Emily Feigenson * Merle Feld * Miriam Flock * Debbie Friedman * Judith Glass * Debra Orenstein * Jane Rachel Litman * Zilla Jane Goodman * Barbara D. Holender * Vicki Hollander * Margaret Holub * Beth Huppin * Shirley Idelson * Francine Klagsbrun * Gail Labovitz * Ellen LeVee * Rose L. Levinson * Jane Rachel Litman * Leah Bat Luria * Jody Elizabeth Myers * Michelle Nordon * Vanessa L. Ochs * Debra Orenstein * Alicia Ostriker * Judith Plaskow * Ora Horn Prouser * Einat Ramon * Rosie Rosenzweig * Susan Schnur * Drorah O'Donnell Setel * Alice Shalvi * Gloria Steinem * Ellen M. Umansky * Sheila Peltz Weinberg * Florence Weinberger * Shohama Harris Wiener * Elizabeth Weiss Stern * Elana Zaiman * Leora R. Zeitlin