Jewish and

Islamic histories have long been interrelated. Both traditions emerged from

ancient cultures born in the Middle East and both are rooted in texts and

traditions that have often excluded women. At the same time, both groups have

recently seen a resurgence in religious orthodoxy among women, as well as

growing feminist movements that challenge traditional religious structures. In the

United States, Jews and Muslims operate as minority cultures, carving out a

place for religious and ethnic distinctiveness. The time is ripe for a volume

that explores the relationship between these two religions through the prism of

gender.







Gender in Judaism and Islam brings together

scholars working in the fields of Judaism and Islam to address a diverse range

of topics, including gendered readings of texts, legal issues in marriage and

divorce, ritual practices, and women's literary expressions

and historical experiences, along with feminist influences within the Muslim

and Jewish communities and issues affecting Jewish and Muslim women in

contemporary society. Carefully crafted, including section introductions by the

editors to highlight big picture insights offered by the contributors, the

volume focuses attention on the theoretical innovations that gender scholarship

has brought to the study of Muslim and Jewish experiences.

At a time

when Judaism and Islam are often discussed as though they were inherently at

odds, this book offers a much-needed reconsideration of the connections and

commonalties between these two traditions. It offers new insights into each of

these cultures and invites comparative perspectives that deepen our

understanding of both Islam and Judaism.