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Lea Abramowitz
Publisher: Gefen
This question is thoroughly and lovingly explored in Tales of Nehama, by Lea Abramowitz. The result is a fascinating, in-depth exploration of a leading bible scholar, and renowned and revered teacher. Through hundreds of anecdotes and memories, told by Leibowitz’s students, colleagues and friends, Tales of Nehama outlines Leibowitz’s profound personal impact on thousands of people, and on Jewish learning and biblical criticism.
Nehama Leibowitz had requested only one word to be inscribed on her tombstone: ‘teacher’. This comprehensive volume details her personal qualities that contributed to her outstanding success as an educator – her devotion to people and acts of kindness, her modesty, her tolerance and openness to all, and her sense of humor. But Tales of Nehama goes further, to explore Leibowitz’s teaching methods, in which actualization and entertaining played a major role.
From an intimate analysis of her character and beliefs – her stand on feminism and Zionism, her views on Hareidim, the secular world, and on education – to the central chapter, which recounts dozens of ‘Tales of Nehama’, concise, true stories that serve to outline the tremendous impact and inner workings of this great scholar, Tales of Nehama also comprises comprehensive sections exploring many aspects of her intellectual endeavors. These include her studies of the weekly Torah portions; an appraisal of her teaching methods; a review of her pedagogical approach; her commentaries on certain Psalms; her essay entitled "Active Learning in the Teaching of History"; an exchange of letters between Nehama Leibowitz and Professor Hugo Bergman, portraying a fascinating dialogue between two very brilliant and committed Jewish scholars; and a section exploring published articles that recognize Leibowitz’s unique contribution to Jewish thought and study.
Tales of Nehama not only answers the question "Who was Nehama Leibowitz?." but also creates a vivid portrayal of a genius whose impact on Judaism was unparalleled, and will reverberate for generations to come. |
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