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University of California Press
Book
Ahead of Publication
What Animals Teach Us About Families
Kinship and Species in the Bible and Rabbinic Literature
Language:
English
Published/Copyright:
2026
About this book
Reading the Bible and rabbinic literature to reimagine the bonds between animals.
Moving beyond debates about the ethics of animal consumption to focus on animals' intimate lives, Beth A. Berkowitz examines the contribution of religious traditions and sacred texts to contemporary conversations about animals. Reading the four "animal family" laws of the Bible alongside their rabbinic interpretations from ancient times to today, she examines the bonds that animals form with each other and reimagines family to include new forms of life and alternative modes of kinship.
Humanitarian politics—and biblical law—tend to take for granted that human interests supersede animal interests and that our moral obligation extends only to avoiding unnecessary suffering, but necessity is determined by humans. What Animals Teach Us About Families looks at animal emotions, animal agency, family diversity, and human response to reconsider the obligations and opportunities the animal family presents.
Moving beyond debates about the ethics of animal consumption to focus on animals' intimate lives, Beth A. Berkowitz examines the contribution of religious traditions and sacred texts to contemporary conversations about animals. Reading the four "animal family" laws of the Bible alongside their rabbinic interpretations from ancient times to today, she examines the bonds that animals form with each other and reimagines family to include new forms of life and alternative modes of kinship.
Humanitarian politics—and biblical law—tend to take for granted that human interests supersede animal interests and that our moral obligation extends only to avoiding unnecessary suffering, but necessity is determined by humans. What Animals Teach Us About Families looks at animal emotions, animal agency, family diversity, and human response to reconsider the obligations and opportunities the animal family presents.
Author / Editor information
Contributor: Beth A. Berkowitz
Beth A. Berkowitz is Ingeborg Rennert Chair of Jewish Studies and Professor of Religion at Barnard College.
Topics
Publishing information
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
eBook
Available soon
eBook ISBN:
9780520405240
Pages and Images/Illustrations in book
Main content:
280
eBook ISBN:
9780520405240
Keywords for this book
Animal welfare science; religious kinship models; sacred family structures; relationships; spiritual interpretations; cross-cultural; interdenominationa; marriage; sacred texts; comparative religious studies; faith-based community building; ethics of care; spirituality and family life; interfaith
