IIJS and the Norman E. Alexander Library of Jewish Studies welcome IIJS Co-Director Elisheva Carlebach and Professor Debra Kaplan for a book talk and special collections session on Wednesday, February 18, at 5:30 p.m., in Butler Library 523.

In small villages, bustling cities, and crowded ghettos across early modern Europe, Jewish women were increasingly active participants in the daily life of their communities, managing homes and professions, leading institutions and sororities, and and reading and writing works from the mundane to the supernal. A Woman Is Responsible for Everything: Jewish Women in Early Modern Europe (Princeton University Press, 2025), written by Elisheva Carlebach (Columbia University) and Debra Kaplan (Bar Ilan University) marshals a dazzling array of previously untapped archival and printed sources to tell the stories of these woman for the first time.

In honor of this important publication, the Norman E. Alexander Library of Jewish Studies will be hosting a hands-on event for visitors to view rare books and manuscripts featuring women - writing, printing, managing, leading, and crafting. Following the presentation, participants will hear directly from Professors Carlebach and Kaplan about the incredible histories that they've begun to uncover with this field-changing book.