Around Sarah's Table

Devoted to her her family, her community, and her G-d, the "ultra-Orthodox" Jewish woman is the fastest growing force in Jewish womanhood today. No longer the stereotypic Bubbie stirring chicken soup, she is in style, informed and in tune. Yet each detail of her look, and her life, is penetrated by ancient Torah teachings.

Around Sarah's Table is an insider's view of ten Hasidic women and their Torah. Every Tuesday, the women meet to discuss the weekly Torah portion, using the notes of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson as a springboard for the vast wellsprings of other commentaries. Each chapter focuses on the life of one woman and the insight she gains from that week's reading, illustrating the ways in which her lifestyle is infused with Judaism.

Each of the ten featured women has her own concerns - an ailing husband, Down Syndrome toddlers, a three-generation household - and Sarah's table is a place where she can talk about them freely with her friends. Fast paced but reverent, this book introduces the reader to the unique experience of life as a Hasidic woman and reminds us that underneath all the stereotypes that tend to keep us apart, we are all very much alike.