Arising from ancient Mesopotamia and shaped over millennia by stories, rituals, and art, Lilith has long haunted the edges of Jewish culture and tradition.  This three-part series traces her transformation from a night demon into a redemptive symbol of independence, resilience and feminine power.  Together, we’ll journey through Rabbinic texts, medieval folklore, feminist commentary, and speculative fiction to uncover Lilith’s many faces.  Whether feared, reclaimed, or reimagined, Lilith invites us to claim our own voice, agency and identity.

The Woman of the Wild

Opening with Lilith’s earliest appearances in the Epic of Gilgamesh, we’ll follow her path into Jewish (and Christian) thought and mystical literature. How did this “wild woman” represent a threat to cultural norms and power structures?  From ancient myth to later texts, we’ll explore how anxieties around sex, violence, and female power gave rise to one of history’s most enduring mythic figures.

Tickets for part 2 are available here.

Tickets for part 3 are available here.

Rabbi Josh Breindel is delighted to return to Lehrhaus. Serving as the rabbi of Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, he holds Masters degrees in Jewish Studies and Jewish Education from Hebrew College, where he was ordained in 2009. As “The Rabbi on the Radio”, he offers weekly reflections and music on Chagigah (WERS). As “The Sci-Fi Rabbi”, he blends ancient Jewish thought with modern speculative fiction in sermons, articles, and an open Jewish F&SF book group at Beth El. He can often be found singing Simon & Garfunkel, wandering the cool, green hills of MetroWest with his wife and children.