Jeremy Steinberg will present a SHALEM program entitled “A Feminist Analysis of the Septuagint (Ancient Greek) Version of Esther.” Esther in its ancient Greek translation is distinguished from the familiar Hebrew version by the inclusion of six additional chunks of text, collectively known as the Additions. Jeremy will discuss how a feminist analysis of the character of Esther as depicted in the version of Esther that includes the Additions might differ from a reading of Hebrew Esther. Starting from a nuanced approach that does not require Esther to either affirm or destroy the patriarchy but rather allows her to exist as an agent within patriarchal systems, Jeremy will show that the Septuagint text depicts Esther deftly utilizing her femininity in order to achieve her objectives. In particular, he will examine Esther’s performance and rejection of feminine gender scripts, her role as a banquet host, and her assumption of political authority within the Persian state apparatus. The son of TIers Julie and Jeff Steinberg, Jeremy is a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Jewish literature in the ancient Greek and Roman world.