Books by Vanessa L. Ochs

Invites readers to explore how Jewish practice can be more meaningful through renewing, reshaping, and even creating rituals, such as naming ceremonies for welcoming baby girls, healing services, Miriam's cup, mitzvah days, egalitarian wedding practices, and commitment ceremonies.

In this vivid collection, Judaic scholar Vanessa Ochs brings the legends of the biblical matriarchs to new life. Intimate, familiar and wise, the heroines in Sarah Laughed are revealed to be inspiring role models for women today. From Eve's rebellious taste of wisdom to the righteous anager of Job's wife, each woman's story is retold in imaginative prose and accompanied by real-life rituals that can help us gain insight into various aspects of our everyday lives.