Jewish Marital Captivity combines a sweeping history of Jewish women’s marital captivity with an analysis of the problem’s systemic nature, however personally and individually women experience it, and with a critique of current policy as seeking to manage and thus, perpetuate, rather than end the abuse. It applies the lessons of the history uncovered to propose solutions to what Magnus presents not as an Orthodox or an Israeli problem, but a Jewish one.

"Provides a magisterial, global analysis of iggun (marital captivity) and agunot (Jewish women whose husbands refused to give them a rabbinical divorce [or get] and who were thus `chained’ to those men) across millennia. Deftly using myriad sources, Magnus presents a lucid chronicle of misogynist and systemic Jewish laws and resistance against them. Readers learn a riveting story of the victimization of Jewish women to this day, but also women’s resistance and hopes for change." ~Marion Kaplan, author of Between Dignity and Despair: Jewish Life in Nazi Germany.

"This is a necessary and luminous book by an accomplished social historian. ~Judith R. Baskin, Philip H. Knight Professor of Humanities Emerita, University of Oregon

"A brilliant historical study." ~Susannah Heschel, Dartmouth College

Shulamit S. Magnus is Professor Emerita of Jewish Studies and History, Oberlin College. She is the author of several books, including the 2-volume Pauline Wengeroff, Memoirs of a Grandmother: Scenes from the Cultural History of the Jews of Russia in the Nineteenth Century, the first volume of which was awarded the National Jewish Book Award.

Purchase Jewish Marital Captivity ahead of time at

https://nyupress.org/9781479835546/jewish-marital-captivity
For 30% discount, use code NYUAU30 at checkout.

QR code to purchase Jewish Marital Captivity book

Feel free to bring a copy of the book for Professor Magnus’s signature.

This event is free. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.