As a Burning Flame: The Dream of Regina Jonas by Noa Mishkin

About the Book

"I hope a time will come for all of us in which there will be no more questions on the subjects of ‘woman’: for as long as there are questions, something is wrong. But if I must say what drove me as a woman to become a rabbi, two elements come to mind: my belief in the godly calling and my love for people. God has placed abilities and callings in our hearts, without regard to gender. Thus each of us has the duty, whether man or woman, to realize those gifts God has given. If you look at things this way, one takes woman and man for what they are: human beings."
—Regina Jonas, 1938

As a Burning Flame: The Dream of Regina Jonas is a graphic novel exploring the life and impact of the first female ordained rabbi in Ashkenazi Jewish history. Regina Jonas (1902–1944) was active in prewar Berlin and later in the Theresienstadt ghetto as a community leader, lecturer, and organizer, until her murder at Auschwitz. As a Burning Flame recounts Regina's story through creatively woven fragments of her own writing and Noa Mishkin’s meditative and imaginative illustrations. The novel then turns to explore where Regina’s story intersects with Noa’s own, as a young religious feminist searching for her own path. Written for readers of any religious background, As a Burning Flame aims to introduce its audience to this long-forgotten chapter of Jewish feminist history, and to inspire conversation about evolving female religious identities in our own time.

About the Author

Noa Mishkin is an illustrator,  comic artist, and graduate of Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. Her work explores the intersections of Jewish tradition and feminist identities, as well as the natural world and our relationship with it. She is married to Noam and practices halachic egalitarian Judaism. As a Burning Flame is Noa’s debut graphic novel.

Book Details
Paperback | 6.69 x 10 inches | ISBN: 979-8986780320 | e-ISBN: 979-8986780351
Publication Date: December 26, 2023