Ode to Vrouwen | Go Forth O Daughters

Go Forth O Daughters, 2024. The installation Go Forth O Daughters by multidisciplinary artist Danielle Alhassid (1991) examines a significant moment in the history of Jewish women: their emergence as potential consumers in a new market, made possible by developments in printing technology and religious freedom in 17th-century Amsterdam. The Tsenerene—a 16th-century Yiddish-language work known as the “Women’s Bible”—engaged these women by depicting feminist interpretations of biblical figures. Through stop-motion animation displayed on five screens, the work explores how the printing press gave female readers new opportunities to expand their knowledge. Go Forth O Daughters combines history, literature, and moving image to reveal a new perspective on women’s roles in Jewish cultural life. 

On loan from the artist 

The Tsenerene—a 16th-century Yiddish-language work known as the “Women’s Bible”—engaged these women by depicting feminist interpretations of biblical figures. Through stop-motion animation displayed on five screens, the work explores how the printing press gave female readers new opportunities to expand their knowledge. Go Forth O Daughters combines history, literature, and moving image to reveal a new perspective on women’s roles in Jewish cultural life.