Review Essay Popular Fiction and the Lim
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Modern midrash or feminist revisionism? Anita Diamant's bestselling novel "The Red Tent" (1997) has captivated Jewish women readers while fundamentally challenging traditional biblical interpretation. By reimagining Genesis through Dinah's eyes, Diamant creates a stark divide between male monotheistic worship and female goddess-centered spirituality - portraying the patriarchs' God as harsh and demanding while elevating women's earth-connected religious practices. Through literary and theological analysis, including close textual reading alongside examination of promotional materials, study guides, and Jewish organizational responses, this research reveals how the novel systematically strips divine intervention from biblical narratives, offering natural explanations for miraculous events. The analysis demonstrates that "The Red Tent" inverts traditional midrashic interpretations, particularly regarding circumcision versus female initiation rites, while deliberately disconnecting the matriarchs from monotheistic faith. Despite its widespread embrace within Jewish communities as modern midrash, the novel ultimately promotes a theology that undermines core Jewish monotheistic principles and reinforces gender-based religious separatism. These findings suggest that authentic modern midrash must maintain its connection to biblical sacredness - complete removal of God from foundational narratives sacrifices essential Jewish character.

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Published 2002
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Simone Sofian