In this course we will immerse ourselves in the joyous topic of our Holy Sacred Mother, in those times and in this day, in our own Jewish culture and in the religious traditions worldwide. From the voluptuous Venus of Willendorf to the innocent little Shin on our mezuzahs and our glorious Sabbath Queen, who is She? Who is She to me? Is She still here with us? And if indeed I was created in HER image, what does that mean? Over our six sessions, we will examine some of the art and textual records, and hear the myths and poetry of God in her female form and other manifestations of the sacred Feminine in Jewish, Indian, Sumerian, Indigenous North American, Celtic and African culture. We will read our old Jewish stories listening for clues of what has been hidden from us, between the lines and in plain sight. Musical offerings as well! Introducing our special guest star! Amtlai bat Carnevo, the mother of Abraham, our forgotten grandmother whose memory is being revived today.
About Uma Ginsburg Bikel
Uma (Aimee) Ginsburg Bikel is an American/Israeli award-winning author and journalist, and a lifelong student of the Great Mystery. She was the India correspondent for Israel’s largest daily newspaper, Yediot Achronot, for 15 years. While living in India, Aimee spent many years in the Himalayas, among the ancient Nath Yogis, and is one of the few Western women initiated into their Tantric lineage. Aimee’s Yogi name is Sri Yogi Uma Nath Ji. Besides her work as a writer, poet, and community organizer, Aimee/Uma has conducted workshops on the Divine Feminine and has offered one -on-one spiritual counseling for over 30 years. In Israel, she is considered one of the mothers of the women’s spirituality movement and was invited to speak before the Knesset on the ideas of Ecofeminism. Aimee/Uma is the founding director of the Theodore Bikel Legacy Project, promoting the Tikkun Olam work and music of her late husband, Theo Bikel Z”l.