At Friday night Sabbath tables Jews have traditionally read # hymn From Proverbs 31 that is called ‘Eishet Chayil.”
The hymn includes tines about the ideal woman’s unselfish support of her husband and children while she stays home and fends to matters of house and charity “Her husband trusts her and he never lacks gain” the hymn says. “She brings him good and not hard all the days of her life
On June 8 &. M. Broner a writer and former professor of English read an updated version of the famous poem. She composed it in honor of Alice Shalyi.an On hooks feminist and founder of the Is met Women’s Network who was being honored that night by the New Israel a Jewish Organization that socks peace and equality in Israel It reads: Who can find a wise woman?
For her price is far above rubies those in her house safely trust her for she heeds the words of her children She works alongside her husband But outside the walls of the house Outside the gates of her garden She hears the cries in the city The cries of women in distress.
She is their rescuer; she rises at dawn to organize
She rises before light to make orderly the day. She stretches out her hand to unchain.
The chained woman the women ‘without recourse
The women not paid their worth on this earth. She takes on the men at the gate the men of the law-making bodies the men of the Bet Din
The Judges on high she looks them in the eye
And says this is unacceptable. This is unjust
This is cruel.
We demand a state where there is not religious rule. In her household she is praised. In the state she is extolled.
Many women have done wisely but she excels them all.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 24, 1994
