The Contemporary Torah: A Gender-Sensitive Adaptation of the JPS Translation (Jewish Publication Society, 2006; 424 pages). Rabbi David E. S. Stein, revising editor. Consulting editors: Adele Berlin, Ellen Frankel, Carol Meyers.

COMMENTS OF THE TRANSLATION TEAM on an earlier version of the work

 

ÒDavid E. S. Stein has done a remarkable job in adapting the JPS translation, isolating the various issues related to gender sensitivity, deriving reasonable and consistent principles for making changes, and then applying these judiciously to the original translation. Some of his choices are positively inspired! I am impressed by the thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and most of all the reverence that he has brought to this task.Ó

Ellen Frankel
CEO and Editor-in-Chief
The Jewish Publication Society

ÒDavid E. S. Stein has taken on the daunting task of assessing how the ancient Israelite audience would have understood the gender language in biblical texts and also of finding ways to express those meanings in terms a contemporary audience would understand. And he has succeeded admirably! The resulting adaptation of the NJPS translation and the accompanying notes are sure to be landmarks in biblical scholarship.Ó

Carol Meyers
Mary Grace Wilson Professor of Religion
Duke University

(Consulting Editor — Exodus)

ÒThe issue of gender in modern Bible translation is important and complex. We have in this Torah translation carefully thought out decisions, with plenty of scholarly justification in the accompanying notes. A harmonious balance is struck between modern sensibilities and ancient perceptions of gender. Scholars and general readers will learn a lot about both from this volume; it is a valuable contribution to biblical studies.Ó

Adele Berlin
Robert H. Smith Professor of Hebrew Bible
University of Maryland
(Consulting Editor — Leviticus,
Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

 

 

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Updated 2 November 2009 ¥ Culver City, California, USA