Gallery of Biblical Women
Welcome to the Gallery of Biblical Women, where you can add your own voice to the ongoing interpretation of Biblical women, and see what others have created!
Many of the works below were created as part of the Girls in Trouble Curriculum, which includes an opportunity to create artwork in each session. Others are by independent creators who share our love of making art about women in Torah. Try searching by character to see a wide range of contemporary interpretations of a single story. Please consider contributing your own work! Whether it’s a polished piece or simply a sketch, we would love to include your voice in the Gallery.
Fine print: you can share your name, or post anonymously. We do not curate submissions; professional artists appear alongside elementary school students, which is part of our goal in creating this open-source repository of commentary. We do vet submissions for appropriateness before publishing. Please note that while we are anti-censorship, in order to keep this website usable as an educational resource in a wide variety of settings, we do ask that submissions be appropriate for all ages.
Ruth
Imagery RuthContributed by Russel Neiss I wrote a program that given any image and a textual reference, returns a micrography inspired copy. That code can be found here: https://github.com/rneiss/micrography The original image for this piece comes from Alexandre Cabanel: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruth_glanant_par_Alexandre_Cabanel_09792.jpg…
he sleeps
Writing Sarahhe sleeps smelling like today’s strawberries snoring between mommy and daddy I am at the edge of the bed still, he inches closer, happily mashed into my side one minute, absolute peace in his body and face, arms flung out…
The Buried Rib Cage
Writing EveBy Eve Grubin Eve slipped from its arced ridge— the only body part you don’t do evil with: the eye, the hand, might beg corruption; the ribs are modest shy crests, ticklish, an open fan, not quite sexual, yet not…
Desire
Writing EveBy Eve Grubin God unpoured the wine out of Eve to create delay, the gap between wanting and the wanted. Before, with the wine pouring through her, desire for touch blazed simultaneous with touch, flame to flame. My desire lags,…
Shabbat Beha’alotecha 2013 d’var on Miriam
Writing MiriamBefore I start, I want to make a disclaimer. As some of you may know, I have always questioned the nature of God. I am putting that aside for now and moving into the study of Torah. I am going…
Twitter Fight
Writing EstherVashtiby Penelope Gould, Teen Art Connect intern, Contemporary Jewish Museum Vashti @notthequ33n When your husband dumps you because you say no to being objectified in front of his friends and gets a new girl#sorelatable #mylife Esther @thequeen If you’re trying…
Chayei Sarah
Writing Sarahby Stacey Zisook Robinson I followed you Through vast deserts and over mountains Into lush valleys and across years I followed you Though you did not follow me, Offering me instead to strangers and angels I followed you Into the…
The Book of Esther
Writing EstherBy Stacey Zisook Robinson That blush on my cheek? It’s paint, And I have glittered my eyes And robed myself in the finery of silk and gossamer, lapis and gold– And whored myself for your salvation. You asked for…
Miriam and her Timbrels
Imagery MiriamBy Nancy Flanders Lockspeiser “Miriam and her Timbrels” leading the Jewish people across the sea the power of music and art to initiate positive action to surround yourself with energy and beauty in mind body spirit to see and testify…
Vashti Says No
Writing VashtiVashti Says No, by Trisha Arlin Ladies, get me some water. What happened? I’ll tell you. He summoned me, That old drunk, He wants to show me off to his friends Disgusting. I didn’t think I just answered, I said…
The Casting of Lots
Writing EstherAbout Esther. By poet Marcela Sulak, from her book Decency (Black Lawrence Press). Dear Ahasuerus, it is eleven-thirty am and my number is one hundred and eighty-six. I feel the lack of communion striving for a higher purpose in this…
Marriage: Flesh Of My Flesh, Bone Of My Bone
Writing JezebelAbout Jezebel. By poet Marcela Sulak, from her book Decency (Black Lawrence Press). A bone stretched to its full length, in its private burial cave, or a bone oblivious of light, of lust and of teeth? A bone over which…
Sarah’s Song
Video SarahProducer: Sarah Lefton Animation Director: Nick Fox-Gieg Animation: Jeanne Stern Editorial Director: Matthue Roth Written, performed, and recorded by Stereo Sinai Miriam Brosseau Alan Jay Sufrin…
A Purim Story: The Double Dutch Jumping Hipster Princess of Persia
VideoSometimes, someone has to take a stand to set things right. Sometimes…that someone…is YOU. Meet Esther, the young woman at the middle of the famous Purim story. Follow her as she gets swept up into history, leaving her jump rope,…
For My Younger Self
Writing EveFor my younger self, You cannot foresee what is coming… Your story will hold the seeds of love and grief, of desperation and elation, that all people on earth will know. It is this, the profound experience of the heart,…
Ruth’s Love
Imagery RuthCreated at Girls in Trouble Pilot Seminar, Jewish Community of Amherst, Spring 2016…
Hannah’s Haiku
Writing HannahWhy can I not be Like any other person No more, no less, me –Written by Anonymous, Havurah Shalom Women in Torah class, Portland, Oregon, spring 2016…