Mothers, Prophets, Warriors: Women of the Bible

The Hebrew Bible is primarily a set of texts chronicling the roles of God and man in the beginnings of the world and the Israelite people. The main mortal players in this history are men, good and bad, strong and weak. But every so often a female name pops out of the narrative with an important function.

This exhibition looks at these women in art works by 24 artists from the 17th through the 21st centuries, primarily from the Heller Museum collection. The women from Genesis include Eve, Lilith, Lot’s wife, Sarah and Hagar, Rachel, Rebecca, Leah, and Dinah. Those from Exodus include Moses’ mother Yocheved, the midwives Shifrah and Puah; and Moses’ sister Miriam. From Numbers we see the daughters of Zelophehad. From later parts of the Bible, there are portrayals of Deborah from the Book of Judges, Hannah from First Samuel, Bathsheba (in Legos) from Second Samuel and First Kings, Huldah, the last female prophet mentioned in the Bible, from Second Kings and Second Chronicles, the Shulamite woman from the Song of Songs, and Ruth and Naomi from the Book of Ruth. Although the Book of Judith is from the Apocrypha, we included a number of portrayals of Judith, because she was considered a heroine for her role, much like Deborah’s and the Maccabees, in saving the Israelites in times of turmoil.

The depictions of biblical heroines were created in a variety of styles and mediums, ranging from the classical engravings of Jean Audran after Antoine Coypel, Giovacchino Cantini, and Robert Strange to the linoleum block prints of Joyce Ellen Weinstein and etching by Mark Podwal, from the outsider art in crayon and marker of Nathan Hilu to the Lego art of Maxwell Bauman. Works by Allison Zuckerman, Helene Aylon, Ora Lerman, Julie Dermansky, Estelle Yarinsky, and Janet Shafner offer contemporary, feminist interpretations of ancient text.

All of these works remind us of the importance of women’s agency, courage, and wisdom to our heritage.

Nancy H. Mantell, Ph.D., Curator

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Allison Zuckerman, Huldah, 2026; Acrylic on canvas

Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College
Location: One West Fourth Street, New York, NY
Admission: Free
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 6:30 pm
Information/Guided tours by appointment; contact Jean Rosensaft at jrosensaft@huc.edu

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