A Time to be Born

by Michele Klein

A time to be born is unlike any other book about childbirth in that it draws upon many Jewish sources, including prayers, folktales, folk remedies, and biblical, rabbinical, and mystical literature, as well as the author's own field work, to explore childbirth within a Jewish context, regardless of where one is placed on the secular-to-Orthodox spectrum. Author Michele Klein, a psychologist, interviewed expectant parents, grandparents, and midwives to incorporate a contemporary perspective on the joy and miracle of childbirth. A time to be born preserves the rich Jewish folklore surrounding childbirth, which is little known and is gradually disappearing from the Jewish community's memory. Expectant families, community workers, and even health care professionals will find the book helpful and informative.