Reading List
Jews are ‘the people of the book’, so in this spirit we’ve put a short reading list together that we hope will be helpful if you want to find out more about Jewish culture and religion, particularly in relation to pregnancy, birth and family life.
We commission original blogs on a range of related subjects which you can access in the section below.
Books on Jewish identity
How to be a Jew Today by Noah Feldman
Mamaleh Knows Best by Marjorie Ingall
Churzpah Girls - 100 Tales of Daring Jewish Women by Julie Silverstein
Here All Along - Finding Meaning, Spirituality and a Deeper Connection to Life - in Judaism by Sarah Hurwitz
Chutzpah! - A memoir of Faith, Sexuality and Daring to Stay by Yehudis Fletcher
Jewish Pride - rebuilding a people by Ben M. Freeman
Guides to Jewish birth & parenting
Be Fruitful: The Jewish Pregnancy and Birth Guide by B.J Woodstein (published in 2026)
A Time to be Born - Customs and Folklore of Jewish Birth by Michele Klein
For Generations: Jewish Motherhood edited by Mandy Ross and Ronnie Randall
Books on antisemitism
People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn
Everyday Hate by Dave Rich
Jews Don’t Count by David Baddiel
Blogs
We commission original writing about the Jewish experience and issues that effect the Jewish community through pregnancy, birth and parenting. If you are interested in writing a blog for us we’d love to hear from you so please get in touch and we can help with editing.
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Shifrah UK - Blog Guidelines
Shifrah UK was created to foster an environment where every Jewish birth worker, birthing woman, and family feels safe and secure. Named after Shifrah and Puah, the courageous Hebrew midwives in the Exodus story, we celebrate and educate on Jewish cultural birth practices, offering information, training, and advocacy in maternity and birth care.
Our blog is a space for birth workers, parents, academics, artists, and healthcare professionals to share perspectives, research, and experiences that contribute to our mission of cultural safety, education, and community support.
Guidelines for Submission
We welcome contributions from:
● Birth workers, doulas, midwives, student midwives, and healthcare professionals
● Academics and researchers exploring Jewish birth practices or maternity care
● Parents and advocates with lived experiences or insights
● Artists and creatives reflecting on birth, tradition, and culture
Content
● Your article should relate to Jewish birth, parenting, maternity care, or cultural safety.
● We accept a wide range of topics, from personal reflections to professional insights.
● We aim to keep the focus on education, experience, and community rather than political viewpoints.
● Articles should be between 500 - 1000 words.
● Any images must be high-resolution (at least 300 dpi).
● Links to films should be no longer than 3 minutes.
● All rights remain with the author.
How to Submit
Please email an initial proposal with the subject "Shifrah UK Blog Submission" to shifrahuk@gmail.com. We will review your idea and discuss next steps. Shifrah UK retains the right to accept or decline submissions based on our mission and values.
The Price of Mother’s Milk: The Milky Way’s Haunting Vision of Motherhood
The Milky Way (Hebrew: Halav - חלב) is a 2023 Israeli-French film written, edited and directed by Maya Kenig - review written by Betsy Dwek, midwife and Shifrah UK co-founder.
Congenital CMV – “Why didn’t anybody tell me?”
When Sarah and Rob were told their two-day-old baby failed his new-born hearing test, their world changed. The anticipation of taking their baby home was replaced by the frightening and utterly unintelligible world of medical terminology, appointments, MRI scans, hearing assessments and blood tests. Sarah’s pregnancy had been healthy, but she had unknowingly contracted cytomegalovirus (CMV), which caused her baby to be born with congenital CMV (cCMV).
Miriam’s third birth story: ‘B’Sha’ah Tovah’
Many people have asked me, how does it feel to be a pregnant midwife? My answer is always that, whilst it helps to have the additional knowledge, when it comes to my own experience, I am still a mother, with the same vulnerabilities and anxieties that all other mothers have.
Preparing for the birth of a parent
Biology tells us that we are born in water; it’s from the amniotic fluid we emerge into the world. Judaism also tells us that we are born in water, but this time it happens again and again, individually and collectively.
What a Purim coincidence taught me about midwifery
“I have goosebumps.” Hanna’s* eyes filled with tears as I told her my Hebrew name. “I can’t believe it, wow. I have such emunah.”**
Domestic abuse: a Jewish woman’s perspective
Domestic abuse is a pattern of controlling, coercive, threatening, or violent behaviour used by one person to gain and maintain power over another in an intimate or familial relationship.
Breastfeeding and Judaism, part IV: pumping and weaning
For religious Jews, there is a prohibition on working during Shabbos (or Shabbat, the sabbath, from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). In this context, working means doing something for a purpose.
Breastfeeding and Judaism, part III: modesty and breastfeeding in shul
For religious Jews, there are also issues of modesty. As with some better-known groups, such as religious Muslims, many Jewish women dress modestly, cover their hair and do not show their bodies in public.
Breastfeeding and Judaism, part II: fasting and menstruation
“During a fast, your body will make sure baby is getting what they need (whether pregnant or breastfeeding); however, it’s at the expense of the mother.”
Breastfeeding and Judaism, part I: background and religious roots
Years ago, when I was a new mother, my infant daughter was hungry, so I latched her on. It didn’t occur to me that there was anything wrong with doing this during Friday night Shabbat services in the synagogue.