Sarah is named a Finalist, and is featured in a new book by Tzivia

Northampton, MA—Northampton author Tzivia Gover’s poetic translation of Genesis 20 was selected as a finalist in the New England Poetry Club’s (NEPC) Diana Der-Hovanessian Prize for translation. There will be an online reading for winners and finalists, during which Gover’s translation will be read, on Sun., Oct. 18 (details below).

Gover’s translation is part of a multi-year project in which she is retelling the story of Sarah, the first Hebrew matriarch in Genesis.

By digging into the etymological roots of the words in biblical Hebrew, Gover has discovered evidence of the Divine Feminine, including traces of a Goddess affirming culture in what is traditionally thought of as a foundational patriarchal saga and the origin story of monotheism.

While Sarah is traditionally seen as a supporting character, at best, Gover has found reason to center her story as that of a Mesopotamian priestess with a powerful spiritual legacy and guiding wisdom of her own. As a result, she has found new interpretations that lead to a more healing and helpful path forward in a time of conflict and dissent among Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar’s descendants.

In addition to this recent honor from the New England Poetry Club, Gover’s translations of other chapters in Sarah’s story have also been published as a whole or as excerpts in other publications, including Aôthen Magazine and on Ritualwell (online). Plus, Gover has published a new chapbook, Sarah in the Thicket: A Poetic Journey through Genesis 22 (October 2026).

You can read Gover’s restorative, and maybe even radical (as in the meaning of the word that alludes to getting to the roots of) approach to translation, which was honored by the New England Poetry Club here: https://nepoetryclub.org/genesis-20-a-poetic-and-restorative-translation-by-tzivia-gover/

You can also hear a recording of Gover reading an excerpt from her translation during the New England Poetry Journal’s annual reading (online), featuring Winners and Finalists in the various categories, including the Diana Der-Hovanessian Prize for translation, in which Gover was named a finalist.

The reading takes place Sunday, Oct. 18, beginning at 2:00 pm. Advance registration is required! Visit the NEPC website for instructions: https://nepoetryclub.org/event/nepc-2026-contest-reading/. You can see the list of winners and finalists: https://nepoetryclub.org/2026-contest-results/

For more information, contact Tzivia Gover, hello@thirdhousemoon.com

For information on Sarah in the Thicket visit: https://thirdhousemoon.com/books-by-tzivia/sarah-in-the-thicket-a-new-book-by-tzivia-in-the-life-of-h-series/

Praise for Sarah in the Thicket

“This is an indispensable book for anyone interested in Judaism, Biblical Studies, Women’s Studies, Translation, and most of all, Poetry. Who knew scholarship could be this much fun to read?”

—Richard Michelson, author of The Language of Angels: A Story About the Reinvention of Hebrew, winner of the National Jewish Book Award

Tzivia discusses the origins of Sarah in the Thicket

“Many years ago, as a young mother facing separation from my own young daughter, I found myself pulled into the story of the Binding of Isaac in a way I never had before. That led me to a years-long inquiry, which in turn led to studying biblical Hebrew so I could translate Genesis 22 for myself. I wanted to understand the story that brought me a surprising sense of comfort when nothing else could. In the process, I began to search the text for Sarah — who is strikingly absent from it. What I discovered became this book: part poetic translation, part spiritual autobiography, part search for the Divine Feminine in a story we think we already know.”  –Tzivia Gover, author of Sarah in the Thicket

 In Sarah in the Thicket: A Poetic Journey into the Roots of Genesis 22, poet and author Tzivia Gover focuses her lens on Sarah, the first Hebrew Matriarch, through her poetic translation of The Binding of Isaac.

Most know only the version of Sarah and Abraham’s story they’ve been handed, and they know that one only in its most cursory form. But this story knows us. It has influenced our ideals of womanhood, motherhood, marriage, female friendship, and faith.

In her poetry, notes, and commentary, Gover unearths the powerful seeds of the Divine Feminine she found among the roots of what has been handed down as the saga of Abraham, patriarch of three of the world’s great traditions. The resulting book invites us to journey back to a crossroads in time where we can choose alternate paths of interpretation and understanding to guide us to more helpful and healing conclusions for our time. 

Sarah in the Thicket is a slender volume that is part poetic translation, part spiritual autobiography, part search for the Divine Feminine in a story we think we already know.

About Tzivia

Tzivia Gover is a writer, translator, and author of nine books, including Dreaming on the Page: Tap into Your Midnight Mind to Supercharge Your Writing. Her most recent chapbook, Sarah in the Thicket: A Poetic Journey into Genesis 22,is a bold new feminist translation of “The Binding of Isaac.” Her poems, essays, and articles have appeared in dozens of periodicals, journals, and anthologies, including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Mom Egg Review, and Pensive, among many others. On her Substack, “The Life of H: Sarah, Reimagined,” she shares poetic translations and reflections as she retells the life of the biblical matriarch Sarah (tziviagover.substack.com). Her poetic translation of Genesis 20 from biblical Hebrew was named a finalist for the Der 2026 Hovanessian Translation Prize by The New England Poetry Club, and her poetic translation of Genesis 21 was published in Aôthen Magazine online. Tzivia teaches, writes, and dreams in western Massachusetts. Learn more at www.thirdhousemoon.com.