In JWA's first-ever online “lunch and learn” program, we’ll examine the Book of Ruth through midrash and art—just in time for the holiday of Shavuot. We will be joined by musician, writer, and educator Alicia Jo Rabins, who has composed a collection of songs about the lives of Biblical women.

2. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Documenting Jewish women’s stories,
elevating their voices, and inspiring them to be
agents of change.

3. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
POWER COUPLES
Adrienne Rich and
Erika Meitner
Writing Truth to
Power
Gilda Radner and
Abbi Jacobson and
Ilana Glazer
Making us laugh,
one Jewess joke at
a time

4. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
JEWISH TIME JUMP: NEW YORK
Adaptable, modular lesson plans and primary
sources for educators teaching grades 5-7.

5. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
RISING VOICES FELLOWSHIP
Apply by June 1, 2015

6. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Alicia Jo Rabins and Girls in Trouble

7. Ruth replied, “Do not implore me to leave you or turn away from you”—because I
intend to convert in any case, but I would rather do it through you, than at the
hands of another. When Naomi heard this, she began to teach Ruth the laws of
conversion.
“For where you go, I will go”: Naomi told Ruth: “My daughter, it is not the way of
Israel to go to theaters or to circuses, but only to synagogues and study halls.
Nor is it the way of Israel to go more than two thousand cubits on the Sabbath.”
Ruth said: “Where you go, I will go.”
Naomi said, “My daughter, it is not the way of Israel to dwell in a house without a
mezuzah.” Ruth said, “Where you dwell, I will dwell.”
“Your people will be my people”: these are the rules of punishments and
warnings.
“And your God will be my God”: these are the rest of the commandments.
Ruth Rabbah 2:22

8. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Midrash Zuta Ruth 1:12
"Return my daughters—go," (Ruth 1:13). [Naomi
repeats this] two times; from this you learn that we
deny a convert twice.

9. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Ruth Rabbah 4:4
Rabbi Yannai said, “Ruth was forty years old.”

10. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Ruth Rabbah 5:2
Ruth fell on her face and bowed to him, saying, “Why
have I been so lucky that you have chosen to single me
out [le-hakireni, literally, to know me]?” (Ruth 2:10)
This teaches that Ruth prophesied about herself, that
one day Boaz would “know” her intimately.

11. Naomi entreating Ruth and Orpah to return to the land of Moab,
William Blake, 1795, English

12. Ruth and Naomi,
Adi Nes, 2006, Contemporary Israeli

13. Ruth and Boaz,
Janet Shafner, 1999, American

14. Ruth,
Ephraim Moses Lilien, 1912, Polish

15. Ruth Gleaning,
James Tissot, 1896, French

16. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Sometimes the road chooses you and not the other way around
I don't know how but I just knew you would lead me to sacred ground
I was living in a place but it was time for me to leave
I'd lost all of my faith but I was ready to believe
In the middle of the night I went and lay down by your feet
I knew that if the time was right you would welcome me
I crept away before the break of day
By then I knew that you would come to me
And all the people in the gate and all the elders they will say
we are the witnesses today to this covenant you make
Generations pass generations come
And now our separate histories are one
“Separate Histories,” Girls in Trouble

17. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Natalia Twersky Educator Award
Honoring educators who share JWA’s commitment to
using primary sources to weave Jewish women’s
stories into their lessons and programs.

18. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Eligibility, Prizes, and Deadline
• Any Jewish educator working with students in grades
6-12
• Two cash prizes
• Winner receives $2,000 + $400 for their school/program
• Finalist receives $500 + $100 for their school/program
• Submission Deadline:
June 1, 2015

19. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
RISING VOICES FELLOWSHIP
Apply by June 1, 2015

20. Sharing Stories
Inspiring Change
Thank you Alicia, and thanks for coming!