Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg was born in London in 1944 and grew up in Glasgow, Scotland. Her father was Dayyan Dr. Wolf Gottlieb, Av Beth Din (Head of the Rabbinical Court) of Glasgow; he was also her most important teacher. She holds a Ph.D. in English Literature from Cambridge University, and has studied at Gateshead Seminary and the Jerusalem Michlala. She taught English Literature at the Hebrew University from 1969 to 1976. Since 1980, she has taught Torah to classes in Jerusalem, at Matan, Lindenbaum, Pardes, and the Jerusalem College for Adults. She has lectured widely in the U.S., Canada and Great Britain.
Her first book, Genesis: the Beginning of Desire was published by the Jewish Publication Society in 1995. It won the National Jewish Book Award for non-fiction, 1995. It appeared in paperback, published by Doubleday, in 1996.
Other publications include two essays: 'The Concealed Alternative,' in Reading Ruth: Contemporary Women Reclaim a Sacred Story, ed. Judith A. Kates and Gail Twersky Reimer (Ballantine); and 'Cries and Whispers: The Death of Sarah,' in Beginning Anew: A Woman's Companion to the High Holy Days ed. Judith A. Kates and Gail Twersky Reimer (Simon & Schuster).
Her book The Particulars of Rapture: Reflections on Exodus was published by Doubleday (February 2001). Paperback (November 2002).
She holds a Visiting Lectureship at The London School of Jewish Studies.
Dr. Zornberg appeared on Bill Moyers' PBS programme, Genesis: a living conversation.
She is married to Eric Zornberg and they have three children.