About Joyce Antler

Joyce Antler is the Samuel Lane Professor of American Jewish History and Culture and Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Brandeis University. She is the author or editor of ten books, including You Never Call! You Never Write!: A History of the Jewish Mother, The Journey Home: How Jewish Women Shaped Modern America, and Talking Back: Images of Jewish Women in Popular Culture. She also co-wrote the groundbreaking play Year One of the Empire with theater scholar Elinor Fuchs. This year she is a Research Fellow at the Goldstein-Goren Center for American Jewish History at New York University.

What Makes a Jewish Mother Funny

By November 7, 2008

For my last blog this week, I checked in with my comedian daughter, who travels with me doing her show, “What to Wear When You’re Fighting the Patriarchy: Lessons from the Daughter of a Jewish Feminist.” So I arranged a … Read More

On Weddings, Help-Wanted Ads, and “Having it All”

By November 6, 2008

Last May, my eldest daughter celebrated the 10th anniversary of her college graduation. Her college alumni magazine ran a special feature about the special group of six female friends, my daughter among them, who had remained as close during the … Read More

The Battle of the Sarahs

By November 5, 2008

If Sarah Palin was a big factor in the Republican defeat, might we say that the other Sarah, Ms. Silverman of comedy fame, helped to win it for the Democrats, with her "great schlep" video? There is some evidence that … Read More

Election Day

By November 4, 2008

QUESTION: HOW MANY JEWISH MOTHERS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB? ANSWER: WHO CARES? WE’RE CHANGING THE WORLD! In a week when the presidential election matters more than in almost two generations, as Jews we need to remember and … Read More

Thoughts on Election Eve: Oedipus, Shmpedipus, As Long As He Loves His Mother

By November 3, 2008

Hanging chads, butterfly ballots, broken machines, and outright voter fraud–the list of voting irregularities is almost as long as the election day lines many of us have to maneuver. When I think of how many things go wrong, I wonder … Read More