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Every religious community has been affected by the "sexual revolution". The conflict between contemporary attitudes and traditional practices has led to major divisions and controversies, particularly when focused on issues such as homosexuality. This is the first attempt to take abroad look at both the Jewish pioneers of modern sexual thought and the impact of the revolution on our understanding of past Jewish practices and culture. For the first time the writings of leading scholars in the field from the United States and the United Kingdom have been brought together to explore these topics, and the book is essential reading for those academically or professionally engaged in areas ranging from counseling and pastoral work, to religious and social studies.
List of contents
Glossary
Introduction
Jonathan Magonet
In the Tradition
Chapter 1. Law and Philosophy: The Case of Sex in the Bible
Tikva Frymer-Kensky
Chapter 2. Sex and Sadism in Hosea
Francis Landy
Chapter 3. Dialectics of Desire: "The Evil Instinct is Very Good"
Daniel Boyarin
Chapter 4. The Song of Songs: Eros and the Mystical Quest
Sara Sviri
Chapter 5. The Lust for Asceticism in the Hasidic Movement
David Biale
Homosexuality and Lesbianism
Chapter 6. Some Orthodox Perspectives
Alan Unterman
Chapter 7. A Strange Conjunction
Mark Solomon
Chapter 8. The Jewish Homosexual and the Halakhic Tradition
Rodney Mariner
Chapter 9. Judaism and Lesbianism: A Tale of Life on the Margins of the Text
Elizabeth Sarah
Chapter 10. What is Our Love?
Sheila Shulman
Chapter 11. Godly and Gay
Lionel Blue
Therapeutic Views on Sexuality
Chapter 12. Freud, Race and Gender Sander L. Gilman Chapter 13. Myths of Female Sexuality Sara Cooper Chapter 14. What is Special About Jewish Women's Sexuality? Sheila Ernst
Tradition and Modernity
Chapter 15. Jewish Sexual Attitudes in Eastern Europe 1850-1920
John Cooper
Chapter 16. Sexual Behaviour among Ultra-Orthodox Jews: A Review of Laws and Guidelines
Hannah Rockman
Chapter 17. Hasidic Attitudes towards Sexuality
Eduardo Pitchon
Chapter 18. Challenges to Judaism: Surrogacy and Genetic Engineering
Julia Neuberger
Chapter 19. Down to Earth Judaism: Sexuality: A Discussion
Arthur Waskow and Daniel Landes
Chapter 20. "And they both will make it..." Sexuality, Spirituality and Storytelling in the Garden of Eden
Howard Cooper
Notes on Contributors
About the author
Jonathan Magonet studied at the Universities of London and Heidelberg, where he received his PhD, and at Leo Baeck College, where he received his Rabbinic ordination and subsequently lectured and whose Principal he has been since 1985.
Summary
Every religious community has been affected by the "sexual revolution". The conflict between contemporary attitudes and traditional practices has led to major divisions and controversies, particularly when focused on issues such as homosexuality.
