In this mother-daughter conversation, Rabbi Hartman speaks with the esteemed Cantor Sarah Sager, a feminist pioneer and inspiring Torah scholar. Cantor Sager was the first invested cantor at Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple, and has served there for over 40 years. Listen as she shares insights from this groundbreaking career, including the story of how Cantor Sager’s words galvanized the creation of The Torah: A Women’s Commentary.
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Show Notes
I remember when you were dreaming up this women’s commentary on the Torah, back in the early 90s when I was just a girl. And now that book sits in this and so many other congregations, with your preface written in it.
Yes, my involvement with The Torah: A Women’s Commentary was probably the proudest moment of my career. I received an invitation from Region 3 of what was then the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods (NFTS), and is now the Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). They asked me to speak at their regional convention in '91 or '92 on the topic of the Torah from the perspective of Reform Jewish women. I received that call during the week with the Torah portion containing Akedat Yitzchak, the binding and almost-sacrifice of Isaac. Before the call came, I had been thinking about the portion for a d’var Torah I was giving at the board meeting that month. For some reason, maybe because I was a relatively new mother, it occurred to me that if Sarah had been asked to sacrifice her child, the story would have stopped right there. She’d have just said no; this is not my God; this is not possible.
Welcome to Temple Talks, a new podcast from Temple Israel in Minneapolis, where Jewish wisdom meets our ever-changing world. Join us as we talk with our favorite partners and thought leaders, from around town and around the world. We hope these talks will inspire you, challenge you, and give us all new ideas about Judaism, religious life, and social justice. Join us for services, learning, and community at TempleIsrael.com.
What is Temple Talks?
Welcome to Temple Talks, the podcast of Temple Israel in Minneapolis, where Jewish wisdom meets our ever-changing world. Join us as we talk with our favorite partners and thought leaders, from around town and around the world. We hope these talks will inspire you, challenge you, and give us all new ideas about Judaism, religious life, and social justice. Join us for services, learning, and community at TempleIsrael.com.
Join the conversation with Rabbi Zimmerman, Rabbi Klein, Rabbi Hartman, Rabbi Moss, and Cantor Abelson.
Join us for services, learning, and community at TempleIsrael.com.
We welcome questions and comments directed to TMoss@templeisrael.com