Sunday, February 21, 2027
9:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Temple Israel
130 Riverside Drive
Dayton, OH 45405

Holy Killjoys: The Women of the Hebrew Bible and the Art of Sacred Dissent
Esther Brownsmith, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible, University of Dayton
Too often, we treat the women of the Bible as either flawless exemplars or wicked temptresses. In reality, many of them were closer to what Sara Ahmed calls “feminist killjoys”: women who spoke up fearlessly to name the wrongs around them, even when it meant criticizing men, religious institutions, or the purported divine plan. In this first-ever preview of her forthcoming book, Dr. Brownsmith will discuss several examples of biblical killjoys, from Miriam to Michal to the wife of Job. The dissent of these women is more than just a record of minoritized voices from the past; it can also inspire us today as we wrestle with scripture, exploring the spaces of friction between our core beliefs and our sacred texts.

$10/person. Click here for more information and to RSVP.