For centuries the Jewish people have sought to uncover all the wonders and wisdom of the Torah by imagining the subtext of every verse. Known as midrashim, these stories of explanation were first created by rabbis more than 1,500 years ago. Today, Jewish people are still seeking meaning of G-d's holy words. In Reading Between the Lines: New Stories from the Bible, a collection of modern midrashim, contemporary writers explore both current and traditional themes through the perspective of major characters and episodes from the Bible. Selected from more than three hundred submissions, the fifty pieces in this collection take on many forms: stories and poems, a lullaby, a lawyer's oral argument, the treatment for a screenplay, and even a rap song. Many issues are covered, including women's rights, euthanasia, environmentalism, computers, family relationships, violence against women, guilt, and faith. Among the many talented contributors to this volume are renowned storyteller Howard Schwartz, Rabbi Marc Gellman, Joel Lurie Grishaver, and Lisa Lipkin. Listen to the thoughts of Moses' mother as she sends her infant son away, Eve as she tastes the forbidden fruit, and Lot's wife as she runs from Sodom. Witness the reunion between half-brothers Isaac and Ishmael at their father Abraham's funeral. Find out why animals stopped talking to people. Examine the Bible from such unusual points of view as that of a dove, a ram, the Golden Calf, and the Torah itself. In the rabbinic tradition of the elasticity of time, there are some striking anachronisms in the stories. Adam and Eve crunch numbers on computer; Noah deconstructs a chair to its electrons; a group of Israelites chants knock-offs of 1960's protest songs on the shores of the Red Sea. An entertaining and thought-provoking collection of original stories, this volume of modern midrashim highlights the relevance of the Bible as a source for modern day story telling. Within these pages, those familiar with the Bible will discover creative ways of looking at familiar characters and events. Others may uncover a unique path into biblical narrative.
by David A. Katz / Peter Lovenheim