Fall 2023 Online History Course: Jewish Women in the Medieval World

What was life like as a Jewish woman 1000 years ago (give or take)? How might she have earned money? What was her understanding of the divine? How did she experience marriage and motherhood? And how can we possibly know? Join JWA as four leading scholars offer us glimpse into the lives of medieval Jewish women from Northern Europe to Iberia to the Middle East. (Please note that all sessions in this series will take place at 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT). Register for Jewish Women in the Medieval World here.

November 2: Sarah Ifft Decker, Capable Wives and Working Widows: Jewish Women’s Lives in the Medieval World

An introduction to Jewish women’s lives and work in the Middle Ages.

November 9: Elisheva Baumgarten, Men’s Instructions, Women’s Deeds: Gender and Religious Practice in Medieval Ashkenaz

How did Ashkenazi women in the medieval period practice Judaism? What daily and yearly rituals shaped their interior lives, family relationships, and community roles?

November 16: Sara Gardner, Women’s Domestic Culture in Iberia

Explore pre-Inquisition Sephardic women’s domestic culture and daily life in the Iberian Peninsula.

November 30: Renée Levine Melammed, Women’s Voices as Reflected in the Cairo Genizah

Among the numerous documents found in the Cairo Genizah (950-1250) are numerous letters and petitions sent by Jewish women. Reading these papers provides an unexpected entry into women’s lives through which their voices can be heard loud and clear.

Register for Jewish Women in the Medieval World now!

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OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Andreas Lehnertz (November 11, 2023). Fall 2023 Online History Course: Jewish Women in the Medieval World. medievalJewishStudiesNow! Retrieved November 11, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.58079/ri95


About Andreas Lehnertz

As Juniorprofessor of medieval history with a specialization in Jewish history at the University of Trier, Andreas Lehnertz studies the social, cultural, and religious history of Europe. His academic pursuits focus on the nuanced dynamics of everyday Christian-Jewish relations, the study of marginal Hebrew and Yiddish deeds, the study of Jewish and general sealing practices, and the in-depth study of Jewish craftspeople. He wrote a book on "Jewish Seals in the Medieval German Empire: The Authentication and Self-Representation of Jewish Men and Women". His expertise has been further honed through his roles as a postdoctoral fellow in the ERC project "Beyond the Elite - Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe" at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and as a member of the Martin Buber Society in the Humanities and Social Sciences, also at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Currently he writes a book about "Jewish Craftspeople in Medieval Germany". Through his research and publications, he aims to make a meaningful contribution to the academic discourse surrounding medieval history and to provide valuable insights into the rich tapestry of European history during this pivotal period.