Sarah Laughed: Modern Lessons from the Wisdom & Stories of Biblical Women Hardcover - 2005

From the publisher

Just as Anita Diamant's The Red Tent spoke to hundreds of thousands of women by expanding and re-envisioning the Biblical story of Dina, Sarah Laughed retells the stories of other Biblical women, including Miriam (sister of Moses), Leah, Rachel, Naomi, Esther, Vashti (Queen Esther's predecessor), Eve, and of course, Sarah, wife of Abraham and eventually mother of Isaac (whose name means laughter). as well as what life was really like for women during Biblical times to created her own kind of midrash (a tradition in Judaism of expanding Biblical stories) so that the women's voices are unleashed and can resonate with today's women. She then writes a reflection on the lesson each woman's story has to offer and how that lesson can illuminate aspects of our lives, then offers a ritual for each. Eve's lesson is, of course, wisdom, and how it's learned from living life and experiencing life's ups and downs. The ritual is to invite friends to share a cake on your birthday (apple cake, of course) and share something that each has learned in the past year. Miriam's lesson is inspiration, and the ritual is to keep a list, or even photos, of your own Miriams who inspire you in different ways, and to make a conscious effort to be a Miriam for others.