BAJS Bulletin 2013: Contents In memoriam Geza Vermes
In memoriam Geza Vermes 1 Growth of Jewish Studies at Edinburgh 5 News 6 BAJS Conference 2013 9 BAJS Committee 13 BAJS Survey 2012/3: Some Remarks 14 Ongoing doctoral research 16 Members’ recent publications 21 Book Reviews 27 CFP: Jewish Journal of Sociology 32 Six Million and One 33
The British Association for Jewish Studies Geza Vermes – His role in the development (BAJS) was founded in 1975 as a learned of Jewish studies and the BAJS society and professional organization on a non- By Philip Alexander profit-making basis. Its aims are to nurture, cultivate and advance the teaching and [The following obituary is based on one by the same research in Jewish culture and history in all its author which appeared in The Guardian on 14th May aspects within Higher Education in the British 2013. Parts of the original appear here with Isles. permission of The Guardian].
Contact: Geza Vermes, one of the founders of the British BAJS Secretary Association for Jewish Studies and its first Helen Spurling President died at Oxford on 8th May 2013 aged History, Faculty of Humanities 88. Geza was born in Makó, Hungary on 22nd University of Southampton June 1924 to deeply assimilated Jewish Southampton parents. His mother, Terézia, was a school- S017 1BF teacher by training, and his father Ernő, a journalist and poet, who associated with some
of the leading Hungarian intellectuals of his Bulletin editor: day. Mark Gilfillan ([email protected])
When the family moved to Gyula, Geza was
enrolled in a Catholic primary school, and the family converted to Catholicism – “to give me a better chance”, as he himself put it in his autobiography. That may have been his father’s intention, but his mother took the conversion seriously, and became a devout Catholic. The son also seems to have taken it seriously – seriously enough to consider becoming a
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priest, when he graduated at 18 from the a brilliant hypothesis which gained many Catholic gymnasium. The year was 1942 and adherents and became close to academic life was becoming increasingly difficult for orthodoxy. Geza himself never saw grounds for Hungarian Jews. The Vermeses’ baptismal modifying it in its essentials down to his dying certificates proved useless to protect them. The day. young Geza was desperate to further his education, but saw little chance, as a Jew, of Moved by his superiors after completing his gaining a place at university. Entering the doctorate to the Order’s Paris house, he priesthood offered a way forward. engaged with Paul Démann in a campaign, fought through the pages of the Order’s journal, Turned down by the Jesuits, he was accepted the Cahiers Sioniens, to challenge the anti- for training as a priest by the diocese of Judaism then rampant in the Catholic Church. Nagyvárad, and so began life as a seminarian. He broadened his education, meeting leading The move was providential and saved his life, scholars such as André Dupont-Sommer and when, in March 1944, German forces occupied attending classes of Georges Vajda (a fellow Hungary, setting up a puppet government, Hungarian). Renée Bloch (another talented which, under Eichmann’s murderous direction, young Jewish convert) introduced him to rapidly began to implement the Nazi “final Jewish Bible commentary (Midrash) – a field in solution” against the Jews. Geza’s parents which he was later to excel. perished – exactly when, where, and how he never discovered. With the aid of the Church he His “French period”, as he jokingly called it, managed to remain hidden, and was in came to a dramatic end. On a visit to England, Budapest when the city fell to the Red Army in he was introduced by a mutual friend to 1944. Pamela, and, in late 1955, they fell in love. The situation was complicated and stressful. Pam He resumed his studies for the priesthood, but was married with two young daughters. Geza as ordination approached, the thought of a was a Catholic priest. It was resolved in the end parish ministry appealed to him less and less. (reasonably amicably) by Pam separating from He was desperate to continue studying. An her husband, joining and subsequently attempt to join the Dominicans was rebuffed, marrying Geza, who left the Fathers of Sion and but he was admitted to the Order of the Fathers the priesthood. of Notre-Dame de Sion, and after a hair-raising journey across war-ravaged Europe, he Desperate for a job that would allow him to entered their house in Louvain in 1948. The remain in England, he gladly accepted in 1957 nearby Catholic University of Louvain at last a temporary lectureship in divinity in King’s gave him the chance to get the education his College, then a constituent college of the talents deserved. He became licencié both in University of Durham, but now the University Theology and Philosophy, and completed the of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. There he cemented first doctorate on the recently discovered Dead his international reputation with Scripture and Sea Scrolls. This was a risky topic to choose at Tradition (1961), a seminal study of early the time. It had only been in 1947 that an Arab Jewish Bible commentary, which launched the shepherd had chanced upon the first scrolls. idea of “rewritten Bible”, and with the Dead Sea These early finds were published speedily, but Scrolls in English (1962), an elegant translation reports kept circulating that more caves of the Scrolls. The latter, steadily augmented as containing more manuscripts were being new Scrolls were published, has not been out found. No scholarly consensus had yet emerged of print since. as to when the Scrolls were written, or by whom. Wildly fluctuating dates were being On the strength of these works he was offered assigned to them, some even claiming that they the position of Reader in Jewish Studies at had been copied in the middle ages. From Oxford in 1965 (promoted to full Professor in careful analysis of the published material Geza 1989). Some in the Jewish community decried argued that the Jewish sect behind the Scrolls the appointment, but buoyed by the support of originated at the time of the Maccabean crisis Oxford luminaries such as David Daube, he dug in the middle of the second century BCE. It was
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himself into Oxford life, and abundantly repaid Geza offered outstanding academic leadership. the electors’ faith in choosing him for the post. He helped build up Jewish studies as an academic discipline, acting as first president On the strength of these works he was offered both of the British Association for Jewish the position of Reader in Jewish studies at Studies (1975), and of the European Oxford in 1965 (promoted to full professor in Association for Jewish Studies (1982). When 1989). Some in the Jewish community decried BAJS was founded Jewish Studies in this the appointment, but buoyed by the support of country was a tiny, minority subject, with only Oxford luminaries such as David Daube, he dug a handful of academic positions strictly- himself into Oxford life, and abundantly repaid speaking in the field. Researchers, teachers and the electors’ faith in choosing him for the post. students were scattered and isolated. BAJS It was there I first met him in 1967 when I undoubtedly helped bring them together and joined a class he was teaching on the early create the momentum which led to a period of Jewish law-code the Mishnah. Subsequently I remarkable expansion and achievement. The did a doctorate with him on the Aramaic vitality of the subject can be measured by the Targumim – the first of many doctorates new positions and centres established over the successfully completed under his supervision. past thirty years, and by the amount of external research funding attracted by Jewish Studies Happily settled with Pam on Boar’s Hill in an projects – funding out of all proportion to the idyllic house, backing on to Bagley Wood, his size of the discipline. Geza can be seen as in achievements at Oxford were immense. He many ways the presiding genius of this took on the editorship of the Journal of Jewish development. He attracted talented students to Studies, and turned it into one of the foremost work with him, many of whom became journals in its field. He collaborated with scholars of distinction in their own right and Fergus Millar and Martin Goodman, a former helped carry on his work. Geza’s achievements student, who subsequently succeeded him in were well recognized in his lifetime, and the Chair of Jewish Studies, on a major revision included a fellowship of the British Academy, of Emil Schürer’s multi-volume classic The honorary doctorates from Edinburgh, Durham, History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Sheffield and the Central European University, Christ. In his truly epoch-making Jesus the Jew Budapest, and a vote of congratulation by the (one of the earliest of his many studies of Jesus US House of Representatives “for inspiring and and the origins of Christianity) he helped educating the world”. launch the new quest for the historical Jesus. He continued his work on the Scrolls, but he When, after thirty-five years of marriage Pam felt he was treading water, because the died in 1993, Geza was devastated. But in 1995 publication of the numerous unpublished texts he married Margaret, a younger friend, whom had virtually ground to a halt. The small he and Pam had known for years. With editorial team to whom they had been assigned Margaret came her small son Ian from her were not themselves doing their job, but, former marriage. Geza found himself, to his worse still, they were barring access to the surprise and delight, playing in his 70s the role manuscripts to others willing and able to do it of paterfamilias. He was rejuvenated. His for them. Geza was at the forefront of the battle intellect and memory remained undimmed to to rectify this scandal, and it was in part due to the end, and only weeks before he died he was his well-fought campaign that in 1991 the discussing a new book he planned to write. unpublished Scrolls were finally “liberated” (as he himself put it), and access granted to any He is survived by Margaret and Ian, and by scholar who wanted it. Geza himself was Pam’s daughters Tina and Anna. invited to become one of extended team of official editors, and, together with the present writer, he published the Cave 4 fragments of the Dead Sea Sect’s rule-book, the so-called Community Rule.
In addition to all this research and writing,
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The work and career of Geza Vermes - A Jewish Studies, establishing the international brief perspective reputation of the Journal as a forum for scholarly discussion of Jewish history and By Martin Goodman literature, particularly of late antiquity. Not least among the achievements of his time in Geza Vermes, who died on 8 May 2013 aged 88, post in Oxford was the extensive revision, in was an expert in the history of Judaism in the collaboration with a small group of colleagues, early Roman Empire whose prolific writings, of Emil Schürer’s History of the Jewish People in particularly on the Jewish background of early the Age of Jesus Christ. Christianity and on the Dead Sea scrolls, have had a profound effect both among scholars and Vermes was among the first in a humanities in the wider public. faculty in Oxford to seek to attract graduate students by setting up taught masters courses After the Second World War, Vermes joined the in Jewish Studies in the Graeco-Roman Period, order of the Fathers of Notre-Dame de Sion and and he attracted and inspired many doctoral in 1947 he was sent by the order to Louvain to students who went on to academic careers in study Theology and Oriental history and many parts of the world. languages. His intention was to write a thesis His output was hardly diminished after on Isaiah, but on news of the discovery of retirement from his university post in 199. A biblical and other ancient Jewish writings in series of studies sought to clarify his views on the Judaean desert, he changed his topic. His the significance of Jesus within Judaism. He thesis on the origins of the Dead Sea sect, produced an edition of the fragments of the completed in 1952, was the first doctoral thesis Community Rule from Cave 4, in collaboration to be written on the Dead Sea scrolls. In 1957, with Philip Alexander, with exemplary speed having left the priesthood, he was appointed to and accuracy. Among his many later a Lecturership in Divinity in the University of publications were a series of studies of central Newcastle, and it was there that he published elements of the Jesus story (on the nativity, with Penguin in 1962 the first edition of The passion, and resurrection), and, most recently) Dead Sea Scrolls in English as well as a series of a history of Christianity from its origins to the important studies on bible interpretation in fourth century. antiquity. Vermes was awarded a D.Litt. by Oxford in In 1965 he was appointed Reader in Jewish 1988 and was appointed to a personal chair in Studies in Oxford and a Fellow of Iffley (soon to Jewish Studies in 1989. In 1985 he was elected be Wolfson) College and he remained a a Fellow of the British Academy and in 2001 he devoted member of the College for the rest of was elected to the European Academy of Arts, his life. He was one of the last remaining Iffley Sciences and Humanities. He received Fellows who had witnessed the creation of honorary degrees from Durham, Edinburgh, Wolfson from the beginning. Sheffield, and the Central European University of Budapest, and in 2009 he was honoured by In his new post, he soon became widely known the United States House of Representatives for a series of studies on Jesus within his with a vote of congratulation ‘for inspiring and Jewish environment, particularly Jesus the Jew, educating the world’. The latest edition of the first published in 1973. The depiction of Jesus translated Dead Sea scrolls, now entitled The as an individualistic holy man who operated at Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, was a tangent to the religious currents of the issued, fifty years after the first edition, as a Judaism of his day was further clarified by in a Penguin Classic. series of later studies. Apart from his University duties as Chairman of the Faculty Many thanks to Martin Goodman for allowing us to Board of Oriental Studies and as a Governor of print the above obituary, which originally appeared the Oxford Centre for Postgraduate Hebrew on the website of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford. Studies (now renamed the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies), he devoted much energy to his role as editor of the Journal of
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Recent Growth and Development of The exhibition Edinburgh’s Jews, which Jewish Studies at Edinburgh formally opened on Tuesday 4th June, is a further product of the Network. The exhibition utilises local archival holdings and community contacts to present a snapshot of Edinburgh’s fascinating Jewish history since the Renaissance. The physical exhibition, which will be located at New College, Mound Place, has an online counterpart which offers in- depth information on topics touched on in the exhibition, and invites members of the public to interact and comment, thereby extending our knowledge of Edinburgh’s Jewish history.
On 27th May, a preview of the exhibition was held as part of the day conference Studying Jews in Edinburgh Region: From Early Modern Following a period of successful fundraising, Times until the Present. The conference, hosted the Research Network in Jewish Studies at the by the School of Divinity, saw a number of University of Edinburgh has continued to grow short papers presented on themes ranging and expand. Jewish Studies has a long history from the history of the Hebrew Chair at at the University of Edinburgh, historically Edinburgh, to the most recent results from the mainly evidenced in the study of the Hebrew Scottish census. language and the Old Testament. Indeed, a Chair in Hebrew and Oriental Languages was During the conference, the Network launched a established in 1641, first occupied by Julius Guide to Archival Resources in Jewish Studies in Conradus Otto, a convert to Christianity. More Edinburgh and the region which details local recently, scholarship engaging in the broad holdings of interest to researchers in Jewish field of Jewish Studies has diversified across Studies. It is hoped that this publication, the disciplines of the Humanities and ranges researched by and for the Network, will help from the ancient world to the present. attract high calibre scholars to work in Colleagues in History, Classics and Edinburgh. The resource will be introduced to Archaeology, Languages Literatures and scholars in Britain at the annual conference of Cultures, and Divinity and Religious Studies the British Association for Jewish Studies whose research interests include Jewish which takes place in Canterbury this year. The history, religion and culture joined together in Guide to Archival Resources in Jewish Studies 2012 to form a Research Network in Jewish can be accessed at Studies. Its members belong to a variety of http://jewishstudies.div.ed.ac.uk, where further disciplines in the Humanities ranging from details about the activities of the Network can Biblical Studies, Medieval, Renaissance and also be found. Modern History, Literary, Cultural and Religious Studies, to experts in the Islamic world.
For the past year, academics across the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh have worked together to explore interdisciplinary approaches to various fields of Jewish Studies. A series of well-attended public lectures advertised the work of this network in Jewish Studies to the wider Edinburgh population.
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News Grant for three year project entitled ‘Jewish Heritage and Culture: Birmingham Perspectives’ Leverhulme Trust Major Research Fellowship awarded for Manchester-based Isabel Wollaston and Charlotte Hempel have been awarded a grant of £6,000 by a charitable project on “Darwin’s Jews.” foundation for a three year project entitled Jewish
Heritage and Culture: Birmingham Perspectives. Amongst other things the grant will enable the establishment of a second annual Public lecture alongside maintaining the now well established Annual Rabbi Tann Memorial Lecture, and to develop an annual Master class in Jewish Studies for local secondary school pupils and their teachers for the next three years.
The Leverhulme Trust has awarded Daniel Langton a Major Research Fellowship. The funding, which Online Byzantine Jewry Resource Goes Live amounts to more than £95,000, will allow Prof. Langton to pursue a two year investigation into the Jewish engagement with biological evolutionary theories.
Jewish responses to what is one of the most important and influential ideas in the modern world fall broadly into three contexts of interest to the project. The first context is the religion-science controversy. The project identifies a need to challenge the assumption characteristic of many religion-science A European Research Council-funded project studies that there is a shared Judeo-Christian approach aiming to map the Jewish presence in the Byzantine to creation and evolutionary theory, an assumption that Empire using GIS (Geographical Information subsumes the Jewish into the Christian. Systems) has gone live. The project, co-ordinated by Nicholas de Lange, Alexander Panayotov and Gethin The second context is the historical development of Rees, has involved gathering and collating all progressive forms of Judaism, whose proponents information (published and unpublished) about the have consistently claimed since the early Jewish communities within this geographical area. nineteenth-century that they seek to reconcile The data was then incorporated in a GIS which is Jewish religion with the best of contemporary now freely available to the general public on the scientific thought. Ironically, most studies of Reform world-wide-web at or Liberal Judaism have tended to ignore the http://www.byzantinejewry.net/ engagement of reformers with the science of evolution, which was arguably the scientific idea Researchers and members of the public will be able that drew the most sustained interest. to create maps according to their own specifications. Chronologically, the project begins in The third context is that of interfaith relations. 650. This is soon after the Arab conquest of Egypt, Despite the high profile given to Darwinism in Palestine and Syria when these regions, with their public Christian theological discourse about substantial Jewish populations, were permanently Creation and the fact that, since the Enlightenment, separated from the Byzantine empire. The end-date there has been a strong tendency for Jews to work is fixed by the arrival in the region of large numbers out their responses to modernity in relation to of Jewish immigrants from Spain in 1492. Christian thought, the place of Darwinism in Jewish- Geographically, the core areas of Asia Minor, the Christian debate and dialogue is not well southern Balkans and the adjacent islands including appreciated. Crete and Cyprus will be included for the entirety of the period, Byzantine Italy however, will only be covered down to the Norman conquest. Some smaller territories that were only briefly under Byzantine rule may be excluded.
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Joint Research Project by the Leo Baeck Woolf Institute Cambridge Scholarships Institute London and the Fritz Bauer Institut Frankfurt The Woolf Institute and the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust / Cambridge Overseas Trust In the humanities, examining emotions and feelings will co-fund PhD students at the University of means entering uncharted territory. The same is Cambridge. Scholars will be selected from amongst true for the study of visual sources. Looking back at applicants in the Arts, Humanities and Social the history of antisemitism, it is obvious that visual Sciences. Their research must be relevant to the sources are vital to the formulation of antisemitic focus of the Woolf Institute - the multi-disciplinary narratives, shared emotions and shared common study of relations between Jews, Christians and values. Muslims. Each scholarship will cover the full cost of studying for a PhD at the University of Cambridge, What is still missing in present-day research is an and will be tenable at any of the thirty-one approach that combines emotion, morality, visual Cambridge Colleges. Applicants are required to language and antisemitism. This is a crucial apply to the University in the normal way, and by question today as visual media – in particular the the published scholarship application deadline. For internet – have become ubiquitous. A new joint further information contact: Emma Harris research project project by the Leo Baeck Institute (Academic Coordinator) at [email protected] or London and the Fritz Bauer Institut Frankfurt, using Claire Lambert (Cambridge Trusts) at Germany as an example, is intended to clarify how [email protected] these connections work. The project will cover the Kaiserreich, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi era and the Federal Republic of Germany, and investigate visual products such as postcards, films and TV productions.
Daniel Wildmann (Deputy Director LBI London) and Werner Kontizer (Deputy Director FBI Frankfurt) believe that visual media play a central role in the communication of moral standards and an individual’s self-image. Pictures per se do not trigger emotions or feelings, but interact with the viewer’s mental predispositions. How does this work? How does a film, for instance, appeal to emotions and moral sentiments? Cinema can function as a “moral laboratory” (Vinzenz Hediger), enabling us to experience, share, or reject, the protagonist’s emotions or feelings.
By positioning postcards and films in their historical, political and cultural context, the project aims to point out the continuities and discontinuities of moral values and shed a light on what happens in this laboratory.
The project will enable the development of criteria for discussing the emotional impact of visual representation, which will be useful in present-day discourse on antisemitism in film and caricatures.
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Canterbury CT2 7NZ Sunday 7th—Tuesday 9th July 2013
Programme
Sunday 7th July
From 10:00: Registration (Grimond Foyer Reception)
13:00 – 14:00: Lunch, Rutherford Dining Hall
14:00-15:30: Session 1
Panel A: Contemporary Panel B: Antisemitism Panel C: Magic Panel D: Medieval Identity Seminar Room 2 Lecture Theatre 3 discourses and self- Seminar Room 1 Chair: Elizabeth definitions Chair: Larry Ray Schachter Chair: Helen Spurling Seminar Room 3 Chair: Axel Stähler Kate Miriam Loewenthal: Simon Mayers: Jewish Natalie Polzer: Death by Sacha Stern: Did Jews Maintaining Jewish Identity According to the Chamberpot in the Bavli: ever need to observe the boundaries: how is it done and Catholic Guild of Israel Veiled Anti-Zoroastrian festivals at the same time? is it good for mental health? (1917-1943) Polemic? Martin Borysek: Self- Judith Neulander: Turkay Nefes: Interviews Eva van Loenen: The definition of a Jewish Inventing Jewish History, with popular Turkish Problem of Boundaries: Community by Means of Memory and Genetic Identity Conspiracy Theorists Jewish Magic and non- Legal Statutes in Medieval in Hispanic New Mexico Deborah Holmes: Jewish Magic and Early Modern Crete Hannah Ewence: Jewishness Antisemitism Remembered: Bradley Barnes: Jana Horáková: A letter on the Edge: Peripheries of Memoralisation Practices in Comparisons between 19th against Philosophy as Jewish-non-Jewish Identity in 21st century Austria century Christian Charms dialogue between 20th Century Suburban and Jewish Incantation traditional Jewish identity Britain Bowls from Late Antique and its rational challenge Mesopotamia
15:30-16.00: Break – Coffee and Tea, Grimond Foyer
16.00-18.00: Session 2:
Panel A: Roman Empire Panel B: Literary Panel C: Identity in Panel D: Conversion and explorations late19th /early 20th Intermarriage Santiago Castellanos: Jews as centuries a topic at the end of the Ilan Zvi Baron: A possible Barbara Borts, Becoming Roman Empire: the Letter of paradigm shift? Exploring the Mathias Berek; Moritz Jewish in a Taxi Severus of Minorca Jewish Question in Literature Lazarus’ attempt to shift and Politics? political boundaries in Nechama Hadari: ‘’Don’t be a Emily Parker: Joseph the Nina Fischer: Negotiations of Imperial Germany stranger’ – giyur as Statesman as Tragic Figure in Memory, Identity and Urban Denis Maier: ‘Collective theologisation of the boundaries Philo of Alexandria’s De Space in Muriel Spark’s The Memory’ and Modern of (Jewish) identity Iosepho Mandelbaum Gate Orthodox Identity in Isaac Alana Vincent: Postmemory Breuer (1883-1946) Jordy Silverstein: Dating Marton Ribary: The and the Boundaries of Civic Yuval Jobani, Beyond the While Jewish: Drawing ‘discovery’ of equity on the Family: Anne of Green Gables Religious-Secular Divide: The Boundaries around Jewish borders of Roman and and Edeet Ravel Philosophical and Educational Sexual Desire Rabbinic Law Klavdia Smola: The Legacy of A. D. Gordon Phenomenon of Mimicry in Eduardo Faingold: Jewish Contemporary Russian- and identity, secularism and Polish-Russian Literature education in Argentina in the early 20th century 18.00-19.00: Reception, Grimond Foyer
19.00-20.00: Dinner, Rutherford Dining Room
20.00-22.00: Film: ‘Six Million and One’ (David Fisher, Israel, 2011, 93 minutes), Grimond
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Lecture Theatre 3.
The K-Bar, Keynes College will be open in the evening.
Monday 8th July
8:00-9:00: Breakfast, ‘Dolche Vita’, Keynes College [It’s not misspelt, it’s a trade name!]
9:00: Registration, Grimond Foyer
9.00-11.00: Session 3:
Panel A: Crossing Panel B: Philosophical Panel C: The memory of Panel D: ‘Hybrid’ boundaries in biblical approaches the Holocaust and Identities? times Seminar Room 2 Jewish identity Seminar Room 1 Chair: Larry Ray Lecture Theatre 3 Seminar Room 3 Chair: Holger Zellentin Chair: James Renton Chair: Axel Stähler
Robert Cohn: Ruth as Rosa Reicher: Religion Boaz Cohen: Holocaust Gitit Holtzman: Judaism, Border Crosser: and Jewish Identity in the Studies – the ‘black sheep’ Monotheism and Hybridity Reimagining Israelite Philosophical and Political of Jewish Studies? Vered Weiss: Generic Identity Thought of Simone Esther Jilovsky: Memory, Hybridity: Agnon’s Magical Alex Tal: Yehuda and Luzzatto, John Toland and Postmemory and Identity Realistic and Gothic Binyamin – Biblical Menasseh ben Israel in German-Jewish National Narration boundaries in late Robert Fine: Two Faces of Holocaust Memoirs Richard Gehrmann: A Antiquity power struggles Universality: Jewish Lia Deromedi: ‘Which typical British officer? Sandra Jacobs: The Emancipation and the self?’ The Jewish Child’s Military culture, class, and Politics of Circumcision and ‘Jewish Question’ Christian Persona in the identity of Robert the Boundaries of Priestly Dvora Lederman Daniely: Survivor Fiction Henriques Ethnicity The Buberian Man as a Shirli Gilbert: Holocaust Ruth Gilbert: Jewish, Half- Eyal Ben-Eliahyu: struggler in the Field of memory and Jewish Jewish, Jew-ish: Negotiating Boundaries of Eretz Israel Existential Choice between identity in post-Apartheid Identities in Contemporary and Character of Jewish the boundaries of the "I-It", South Africa British-Jewish Literature Identity in Second Temple and the Dialogic Freedom of and rabbinic period the "I-Thou"
11.00-11.30: Break, Coffee and Tea in Grimond Foyer
11.00- Keynote Lecture: David Biale: Exile, Homeland and the Boundaries of Jewish 12.30: Identity Grimond Lecture Theatre 3
12.30-13.30: Lunch, Rutherford Dining Hall
13.30-15.30: Session 4:
Postgraduate Workshop with Visit to Cathedral Archives (pre- BAJS Committee meeting Prof David Biale (pre- registration required) registration required)
15.30-16.00: Break, Coffee and Tea in Grimond Foyer
16.00-17.30: Session 5:
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Panel A: Identity and Panel B: Boundaries of Panel C: Holocaust Panel D: Gender, Memory in Poland Jewishness Studies Embodiment and Identity Seminar Room 1 Seminar Room 2 in Literature Chair: François Guesnet Chair: Hannah Ewence Lecture Theatre 3 Seminar Room 3 Chair: Hannah Chair: Vered Weiss Holtschneider
Joanna Cukras- Naftali Loewenthal: Magdalena Kubow: Tsila Ratner: Bridal Chests Stelagowska: Creating and Breaking Kanada: The Effect of The and Materials of Selfhood in Nostalgic identity and the Through Boundaries Canadian Jewish News and Modern Hebrew Literature quest for authenticity among Hareidim in mid- Survivors on the Memory of Axel Stähler: Jewish Jan Lorenz: Familiarity, 20th century USA the Holocaust Metamorphoses and the global ethnopolitics and Maria Diemling and Dominic Williams: The Colours of Difference ontologies of relatedness in Larry Ray: Negotiating Scrolls of Auschwitz: Mike Witcombe: Weird a Jewish congregation in Boundaries: Food and Breaking the Boundaries of Bodies: Philip Roth’s contemporary Poland Reform Judaism Testimony American Satires Yulia Egorova: Being Joanne Pettitt: Towards an Jewish in Andhra Understanding of Pradesh: Social Protest, Incultrination: A Study of Boundaries of Jewishness the Self in relation to and the Lost Tribes environment in literary Discourse representations of the Holocaust perpetrator 18.00-19.00: BAJS AGM: Grimond Lecture Theatre 3
19.30-21.00: Gala Dinner, Darwin Dining Suite [The K-Bar, Keynes College will be open in the evenings].
Tuesday 9th July
8:00-9:00: Breakfast, ‘Dolche Vita’, Keynes College
9:00: Registration, Grimond Foyer
9.00-10.30: Session 6:
Panel A: Zionism past Panel B: Scottish-Irish Panel C: 20th Jewish Panel D: Early Modern and present identity identity Converso Identities Lecture Theatre 3 Seminar Room 3 Chair: Daniel Langton Seminar Room 1 Seminar Room 2 Chair: Maria Diemling Chair: Jordy Silverstein Chair: François Guesnet
Roman Vaters: Bi-national Mirella Yandoli and Amanda Sharick: Yvonne Sherwood: The state or a state for one Hannah Holtschneider: Composite photography Biblicised Ethnographies of nation? What nation? The ‘Edinburgh’s Jews’ - and Mirror photographs: Diego Durán (1537?-1588): "Young Hebrews" versus introducing an exhibition Engaging the ‘Jewish Between the Old Testament Palestinians and Jews and guide to archival type’ in Fin-de-Siècle and the New World James Renton: Global resources England Yehoshua Granat: ‘What Zionism in the Age of Fiona Frank: ‘I always felt Astrid Zajdband: have thou to do with Nationality: Performing for on the edge of things and Preserving Memory and Marino’s song?; Negotiation the World not really part of it’: fuzzy Creating Community: of boundaries in Hebrew Dashiel Lawrence: boundaries in an extended Exiled Rabbis as Bearers Baroque Poetry Pushing the Boundaries: Scottish Jewish family of German Jewry Cengiz Sisman: “Crypto- Identity and the Challenge Natalie Wynn: Jewish Maria Haralambakis: Jewish” Identity of the of contemporary Jewish communal institutions as a Remembering Moses Ottoman-Turkish Sabbateans anti-Zionist writers and reflection of an emerging Gaster in Romania (17th-20th Centuries) activists Irish-Jewish identity
10.30-11.00: Break, Coffee and Tea, Grimond Foyer
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11.00-12.30: Plenary Session: Jonathan Boyd: Challenges Facing the Contemporary Jewish Community in Britain: Insights from the UK Census Grimond Lecture Theatre 3
12.30-13.30: Lunch, Rutherford Dining Hall
13.30-15.00: Session 7:
Panel A: Art and Panel B: Negotiating Panel C: Negotiating Panel D: Film session Identity Boundaries in the Roman Boundaries in Yiddish Grimond Lecture Empire Culture Theatre 3
Miranda Crowdus: Martin Goodman: The Hagai Dagan: Demons, Jan Lorenz: Film ‘The Converging Identities, Roman State and Diaspora Madness and Tangled Passage’, followed by Deviance, and Musical Jews after Bar Kokhba Fluid Boundaries in discussion with the Voyeurism: Examining Holger Zellentin: Mendele-Mocher director ‘In-Between’ Music Delineating Sforim’s ‘Di Kalitshe’ Performance Spaces in Accommodation and Vivi Lachs: How Yiddish South Tel Aviv Resistance to Late Roman socialist poet Morris Paganism Winchevsky negotiated Sarah Lightman: Jewish Helen Spurling: the boundaries of poetry Women and Graphic Apocalyptic Boundaries: and politics, London Memoir: Visualising the From Popular Culture to 1884-94 Silenced Rabbinic Midrash Suzanne Martin-Finnis: Beyond the Boundaries of Jewish Life: Publishing and the Art of Translation: a Case Study of 1920s Warsaw
15.00-15.30: Break, Coffee and Tea Grimond Foyer
BAJS Committee
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PRESIDENT and CONFERENCE 2013 ORGANISER: Prof. Larry Ray (until 2015): School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ. Email: [email protected]
TREASURER: Dr Maria Diemling: Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Canterbury Christ Church, University, North Holmes Road, Canterbury CT1 1QU. Email: [email protected]
SECRETARY: Dr Helen Spurling: Department of History, University of Southampton, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ. Email: [email protected]
BULLETIN EDITOR: Dr Mark Gilfillan : Faculty of Arts, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1LT. Email: [email protected]
WEB OFFICER: Dr Hannah Holtschneider: School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, New College, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LX. Email: [email protected]
Prof. Sacha Stern (until 2013): UCL Hebrew and Jewish Studies Department, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT. Email: [email protected]
Dr Alison Salvesen (until 2014): The Oriental Institute, University of Oxford, Pusey Lane, Oxford OX1 2LE. Email: [email protected]
Dr François Guesnet (until 2015), Department of Hebrew & Jewish Studies, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT. Email: [email protected]
Dr Nathan Abrams (until 2016), School of Creative Studies and Media, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2DG. Email: [email protected]
Dr Lutz Doering (until 2016), Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University, Abbey House, Palace Green, Durham DH1 3RS. Email: [email protected]
Prof. Daniel Langton (until 2016, president-elect 2015): Centre for Jewish Studies, Department of Religions & Theology, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Email: [email protected]
Dr James Renton (until 2016), Department of English and History, Edge Hill University, St Helens Road, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 4QP. Email: [email protected]
Dr Zuleika Rodgers (until 2016, president-elect 2014), School of Religions and Theology, Arts Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland. Email: [email protected]
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Survey of Jewish Studies (and related) courses 2012/3: Some remarks
bulletin, when I stress that rather than being seen as an end in itself, it is hoped that the analysis which follows will stimulate reflection and discussion.
This year, there were returns for 36 institutions. This marks an increase from the 32 listed last year. However, the newly added institutions (Brunel University, the University of Sheffield, the University of St. Andrews and the University of Wales: Trinity St. David) have been offering their substantial number of courses in Jewish Studies, Hebrew language, and history for some time but have apparently escaped the attention of past Mark Gilfillan, BAJS Bulletin Editor (Faculty of Arts, surveys. Nicholas de Lange’s query last year on the University of Ulster) fate of courses at Lampeter can be explained by reference to that fact that Lampeter was merged Each year the Association conducts a survey of with a larger body in September 2010 to create the courses relating to Jewish studies in universities new University of Wales: Trinity St. David. and other institutions of higher education in Although Lampeter ceased to exist as a separate Britain and Ireland. As part of a move to entity, most of its Jewish Studies provision restructure the bulletin and eventually develop a continued to be offered in the newly created more user-friendly way of interacting with the institution, but this was not tracked in the survey survey results, this year, for the first time, the list results. By next year I hope to put in place a more of courses will be published only on the BAJS meticulous methodology for the collection of data website [http://britishjewishstudies.org/jewish- for the survey, in order to keep track of changes studies-in-the-uk/]. The results, as always, make like this, and to guarantee a more accurate and interesting reading. They illustrate the breadth complete picture. I am basing this particular and depth of different aspects of the subject and, analysis on results derived from a methodology in with the dropping of some courses and the transition. They, at least in theory, should be more creation of new ones, give indications about accurate and complete than last year, but not as longer-term trends. The notes that follow reflect accurate or as complete as I hope they will be next my reading of the latest (2012/3) survey in rough year. comparison with those of recent years. It is worth stressing that, as a tool, the survey is only as Based on the current results, during the last accurate and useful as the responses it receives. twelve months the number of institutions offering For example, some institutions that offer courses only one or two Jewish Studies or related modules may not have responded. Efforts have been increased slightly from eight to eleven. In part, undertaken to contact as many institutions, this is the result of the addition of Brunel with its departments and individuals as possible, but it one module on the Holocaust. More concerning is remains likely that there remains a small number the discontinuation or lack of teaching of three of institutions and courses which are not Jewish Studies-related courses at Bangor represented in the results. I have attempted, where University, and the permanent or temporary possible, to check details back to the institutions’ discontinuation of four modules at the University own websites, and to contact relevant individuals of Bristol. Within this group of instutitions offering where clarification has been required. In some only one or two modules, there has been cases it has been discovered that while a given considerable flux. Some are now down to offering course or module may be ‘on the books,’ it hasn’t one module, for example the University of Sussex, been taught for a length of time. In cases where but others, like Newcastle University, have this length of time is significant, and to avoid a modestly increased their provision. However, situation in which the survey gives an unrealistic taken altogether, the number of Jewish Studies and impression of the health of the subject, the course related modules offered within this group of has been removed from the survey in order to institutions has declined, mostly owing to more accurately reflect the current condition of departmental restructuring or staffing issues. the teaching of that course or module. I echo the Some of it seems likely to be temporary but comments of Nicholas de Lange in last year’s
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developments within this group, comprising of stability, at least in the number of Jewish Studies approximately one third of the responding and related modules ‘on the books.’ Relatively institutions, will be the subject of particular recent entries such as Kent, Warwick, Chester, interest next year. The four largest providers of QMUL and Reading continue to run courses and Jewish Studies and related courses (UCL, Oxford, modules touching on the Holocaust and Ancient Cambridge and Manchester) have retained most and Medieval history. There are also promising stability in their course provision, and they signs that there will be one or two new additions continue to offer comprehensive coverage of to the survey next year. Aberystwyth University various aspects of the subject, at different levels. Of has announced that a module on “Jews in the these major providers, Cambridge is noticeably Modern World, 1750- The Present Day” will be an narrower in the scope of its course provision, with undergraduate option from September 2013. significantly less focus than average on the modern period. Among those institutions which offer Taken as a whole, the results of the 2012/3 slightly less choice of topics within a narrower survey are neither cause for celebration nor cause range (e.g. KCL, SOAS, Exeter, Edinburgh and TCD), for deep concern. But they are, perhaps, cause for TCD has seen the most change following recent contentment given the current financial climate departmental restructuring. This restructuring has and its impact on higher education. Discovering involved the discontinuation of eight Jewish four institutions that have been providing Jewish Studies-related modules, and the creation of five. Studies or related courses for some time is certainly a more welcome scenario than Among other major providers, the Parkes discovering the closing of departments or the Institute for the Study of Jewish/Non-Jewish vanishing of institutions from the list. There have Relations at the University of Southampton been dips in module provision at several continues to offer an impressive and growing institutions, but only time will tell if these range of modules in modern history and literature, developments will continue in the longer term. The and though one or two modules are untaught but improved accuracy of the survey will be crucial if ‘on the books,’ provision of Jewish Studies and reliable indications on these longer-term trends, related subjects there remains strong. It is and useful comparisons with previous surveys, are noteworthy that the number of undergraduate to be obtained. To ensure accuracy, and provide a modules reported by Southampton this year more complex and informative set of results, (thirty-two) represents a significant increase on future surveys should include separate questions the number reported last year (seventeen). Much on the number of relevant modules ‘on the books’, of the growth has been in the teaching of various and the number of relevant modules that were aspects of the Holocaust. The University of actually taught during the academic year. The Manchester also continues to maintain an offering former question will provide good indications as to of considerable depth and breadth, including the ability and willingness of departments and modules in Biblical and Modern Hebrew, history, institutions to provide such courses, but the latter film and literature. will provide equally valuable information on the uptake of this provision, the preferences of Generally speaking, within the large group of students and the current condition of the teaching institutions offering around half a dozen courses of Jewish Studies and related subjects in Britain or modules there also seems to be some semblance and Ireland.
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Ongoing doctoral research at British and Irish Universities University of Cambridge
University of Aberdeen Supervisor: Anna Abulafia Linda Stone, The Perception of Jews in twelfth- century Christian exegesis in the Glosses on the Supervisor: Jutta Leonhardt-Balzer Psalms 1. Yong Shin Jung (submitted May 2012), The Divine Warrior Motif in the Gospel of John Supervisor: Graham Davies 2. Yang Kyu Park, The Zealots and Early Christianity 1. A. Gray, Metaphor in Psalm 18 3. Stefan Bosman, The Jewish background of motifs, 2. J.G. Davidson, Theological Significance of Nouns arguments and hermeneutical methods in Paul referring to God in Deutero-Isaiah 4. Erlend MacGillivray, Evidence for missionary 3. C. Thomson, The Removal of Sin in Zechariah activity in ancient philosophical schools and Philo 4. N. A. Wormley, Law and Stories in Numbers: The Curriculum for Foundation Learning in Israel Supervisor: Steve Mason 1. Reuben Lee, (successful viva, December Supervisor: Nicholas de Lange 2012). Diaspora Judaeans and Proselytes in early 1. Martin Borysek, The Taqqanot Candia Roman Palestine: a study of ethnic, social, and 2. Kim Phillips, Rabbi David Qimhi’s Exegesis of the cultural boundaries. (Successful viva, December Book of Isaiah 2012) 2. John Lowery, Luke 2.41-51a: A Strange Supervisor: William Horbury Anticlimax. 1. N. Hilton, Biblical Interpretation in III Baruch 3. Joseph Lear, Ethics and Eschatology in Luke-Acts. 2. Y. M. Chan, Jerusalem Tradition in Zechariah 1–8 3. K. Conway, Epangelia in Paul in its Jewish Setting Bangor University 4. D. Pevarello, The Sentences of Sextus and Jewish and Christian Asceticism Supervisor: Nathan Abrams 5. D. Hakala, The Decalogue in Ancient Catechesis 1. Jennifer Krase, The Jews of Bangor and Llandudno Supervisor: Geoffrey Kahn 2. Gerwyn Owen, Jews in Italian Cinema 1. Elizabeth Robar, Short and long prefix 3. Cai Parry-Jones, The Jewish Diaspora in Wales conjugation forms in Biblical Hebrew 2. Melonie Schmierer, The historical development University of Birmingham of Eastern Aramaic 3. Illan Gonen, The Jewish Neo-Aramaic dialect of Zakho Supervisor: Charlotte Hempel 4. Lidia Napiorkowska, The Jewish and Christian 1. Helen Freeman, A Jungian Approach to the Dead Neo-Aramaic dialects of Urmi Sea Scrolls 5. Ronny Vollandt, Medieval Christian Arabic Bible 2. Robert Foster, The Use of Exemplars in the Book Translations of James (completion 2012) 3. Reuven Geller, Beyond the Yahad – The Supervisor: Daniel Weiss Foundational Triangle of 1QSa, CD and 1QM / Dead 1. Jonathan Gilmour, Joseph B. Soloveitchik on Sea Scrolls 4. Hanne Kirchheiner, The Remnant of Israel. Interfaith Dialogue Qumran Social Identity in the Light of Exegesis and Anthropology University of Kent 5. Drew Longacre, The Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for Understanding the History of the Textual Supervisor: Axel Stähler Transmission of the Hebrew Bible 1. Catherine Bartlett, Representations of the Jew in 6. Nick Woods, The Qumran Wisdom Texts and the the Nineteenth-Century Novel in France, Germany Gospel of John (co-supervision with Dr. Karen and England Wenell) 2. Joanne Pettitt, Characterising Evil: The Ontology of Culpability and the Figure of the Perpetrator in Supervisor: Isabel Wollaston Representations of the Shoah Kate Gerrard, A New Narrative of Poland’s Jewish 3. Vered Weiss, Oh Other Where Art Thou?: The Past? ‘Traces of Memory’ and the Galicia Jewish Location of the Other in Hebrew and English Museum, Krakow (completed January 2013). Literature of the Nineteeth and Twentieth Centuries
BAJS Bulletin 2013 · 16
Trinity College Dublin 4. Ted Erho, With Subversive Intent: Second Century BCE Jewish Adoption and Use of Ex Eventu Prophetic Supervisor: Zuleika Rodgers Digressions in Light of their Ancient Near Eastern 1. Stephen Murray, Irish Responses to Zionism, Context. 1948-1973 2. Emily Parker, The figure of Joseph in the writings University of Edinburgh Philo of Alexandria 3. Natalie Wynn, Jewish Activism and inter- Supervisor: Hannah Holtschneider communal relations, 1840–1913 1. Katarina Ockova, Marriage, Kinship, Memory, and 4. Barbara De Bergin, Herod the Great and the the Future among the Jewish Minority in Post- Hasmoneans socialist Slovakia (joint supervision with Professor Janet Carsten, Social Anthropology) Supervisor: Anne Fitzpatrick 2. Konrad Matyjaszek, Representation of Jewish 1. Philip Crowe, The Temple Economy in the Second history in Warsaw’s Plac Grzybowski (supervision Temple Period shared 50% with Dr Ella Chmielewska) 2. Magdalene Szklarz, The Book of Job 3, Heidi O'Rourke, Amun and Yahweh: Supervisor: Timothy Lim An Examination of the Jewish Temple of John M. Starr, A Quantitative Analysis of the Elephantine during the Persian Period Aramaic Qumran Texts
Durham University Kingston University
Supervisor: Lucille Cairns Supervisor: Philip Spencer 1. Caroline Tucker, Female-authored diaries and Ian Rich, Perpetrator motivation and the question of memoirs of Occupied France (including the Imperialism (Shoah/comp. genocide research) ‘journal’ of Hélène Berr) 2. Richard Lawri, Narratives of collaboration in University of Leeds Occupied France Supervisor: Johanna Stiebert Supervisor: Robert Hayward Nyampa Kwabe, The Imprecatory Psalms from a 1. Kwan-Hung Leo Li, Voices by the Sea: A Dialogic Kamwe Perspective (Inculturation Hermeneutics) Reading of the Exodus Narrative (Completed) 2. Lawrence Ko, The Cosmic Significance of the Service of the Levitical Singers in the Books of Liverpool Hope University Chronicles 3. Tyson Puthoff (co-supervised with John Supervisor: Bernard Jackson Barclay), Human Mutability and Mystical Change: 1. Antonia Richards, Law and Narrative in the Explorations in Ancient Jewish Onto-Anthropology Book of Esther: Jewish Identity in the Diaspora 4. Vasile Condrea, The Syntax of the Aramaic Verb 2. Elisha Ancselovits (completed 2012), Halakha as in Targum Jonatan of the Prophets a Wisdom Tradition 3. Rachel Levy, How Jewish Orthodoxy positioned Supervisor: Yulia Egerova itself in the wake of modernity and the Graham Panico, Traditions, modernities and the emancipation of the Jews, with particukar reference to food and dietary laws in the Netherlands semiosis of style: A reading of diversity in Jewish- Gentile relations in the religious architecture of the Moorish Revival King’s College London
Supervisor: Andrea Schatz Supervisor: Lutz Doering 1. Ella Fitzsimmons, Veils and Words. Women’s 1. Maria Chrysovergi, Attitudes towards the Use of Religious Clothing and the Boundaries of Secularism Medicine in Jewish Literature from the Third and Second Centuries BCE (completed May 2012) Supervisor: Aaron Rosen 2. Gwynned de Looijer, The Qumran Paradigm: A 1. Maeve Thompson-Starkey, Representations of Critical Evaluation of Some Foundational the Abrahamic Religions in Graphic Novels. Hypotheses in the Construction of the "Qumran 2. Tahnia Ahmed, Ethnic and Religious Difference in Sect". (co-supervised with John Barclay); Modern British Political Cartoons. 3. Kelly Hernández Lofthouse, Happy and Blessed: Female Exemplarity in Aseneth and The Gospel According to Luke.
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Heythrop College, University of London 5. Lida Barner, Intellectual Property under the Nazis: Jews and Patents Supervisor: A Achtar Hakime Reyyan Yasar: Contemporary Islamic and Supervisor: François Guesnet Jewish approaches to inequities in religious divorce 1. Noemie Duhaut, The Europeanisation of French law. Jews: French Jewish perceptions of Jews in Southeast Europe, 1840 to 1900. Supervisor: Martin Poulsom 2. Agnieszka Oleszak, Sarah Schenirer and Beys John Gravett: The work of David Tracy as a model Ya’akov, 1917-1939. Gender and Religious Identity for understanding Jewish and Christian Holocaust Construction in Orthodox Judaism. Theology. 3. Lida Barner, The Aryanization of Jewish Intellectual Property. Supervisor: Ann Jeffers 4. Marie-Luise Schmidt, Per aspera ad astra. Die Andrezej Toczyski: The Story of Rahab: A jiddische Literatur im Spannungsfeld von Politik und Narrative-Critical Analysis of Joshua 2. Kunst. Eine Feldanalyse des jiddisch-literarischen Feldes in der Zwischenkriegszeit (University of Potsdam/Germany). Queen Mary, University of London Supervisor: Lily Kahn Supervisor: Miri Rubin (History) Paul Moore: A Syntactic Analysis of Targum 1. Milan Zonca, Authority and Deviance in Medieval Canticles (second supervisor, with Willem Smelik) Western Jewry Supervisor: Neill Lochery Supervisor: Daniel Wildmann 1. Azriel Bermant, Britain’s Policy towards the Arab-Israeli Conflict under the Thatcher 1. Joseph Cronin: Between 'Jews in Germany' and Government 'Jewish Germans': Jewish Identities in Modern 2. Toby Greene, The impact of Islamist terrorism on Germany UK policy towards the State of Israel 2. Rodney Resnek: The Changing Nature of 3. Mohammed Hussein, Hamas and the Antisemitism in South Africa as expressed through Islamification of the Palestinian Authority Areas Attitudes Towards Immigration 4. John Lipman, The Suez Crisis 1956 and the British 3. Dana Smith: The “Juedischer Kulturbund”: Jewish Press Cultural Life and Identity under Nazism 5. Thomas Wilson, Israeli Settlers and Israel’s Religious Right since the Peace Process SOAS Supervisor: Ada Rapoport-Albert Supervisor: Catherine Hezser 1. Yaffa Aranoff, The Portrayal of Biblical Women 1. Davied Eliezer Cohen, The Biblical Exegesis of in Hasidic Literature Don Isaac Abrabanel 2. Nathaniel Berman, ‘Improper Twins’: The Ambivalent ‘Other Side’ in the Zohar and Kabbalistic Tradition UCL 3. Sara Hall, Towards a New Cultural History of Czernowitz: The Yiddish and Ukrainian Press Supervisor: Helen Beer 4. Ariel Klein, The Sifra di-Tseni’uta of the Zohar 1. Sima Beeri, “Literarishe bleter" and Nachman 5. Agata Paluch, R. Nathan Neta Shapira of Krakow Mayzel (1585–1633) and the Ashkenazi Kabbalah 2. Zosia Sochanska, The Cultural and Literary 6. Gillian Rosen, The Institution of 'hadlakat ha-Ner' Contexts of the Work of Dvora Vogel (Sabbath Candle Lighting) by Women 3. Ester Whine, Leo Koenig’s Contribution to Yiddish 7. Julian Sinclair, Rav Kook’s mysticism Culture 8. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz, The religious lives of Orthodox Jewish women in London, with a focus Supervisor: Michael Berkowitz on folk practices 1. Angela Debnath, International Interventions in 9. Wojciech Tworek, The issue of time in the Genocide and Systematic Violence doctrine of R. Shneur Zalman of Lyadi 2. Frank Dabba Smith, Ernst Leitz and the Leica Company during the Second World War Supervisor: Sacha Stern 3. Ian Harker, Ernst Biberstein: Lutheran Pastor Kineret Sittig, A critical edition with and SS-man translation and commentary of Iggeret haShabbat 4. Felicity Griffiths, Ethnicity and Minority Groups by Abraham ibn Ezra. in the Colleges of London University
BAJS Bulletin 2013 · 18
University of Manchester Joanne Vitale, Female Beauty in the Old Testament
Supervisor: George Brooke Supervisor: Martin Goodman 1. Kyung Baek, The Use of Jewish Scripture in the 1. Jonathan Kirkpatrick (Balliol), Pagan cult in Scrolls and the Gospel of Matthew Roman Palestine 2. Jarod Jacobs, The Linguistic Character of the Biblical Dead Sea Scrolls Supervisor: David Rechter 3. Jessica Keady, Gender and Purity in the Sectarian 1. Larissa Douglas (St Antony’s), Representative Dead Sea Scrolls4. Marvin Miller, Second Temple Government, Majority Rule and Jewish Minority Epistolography and the Genre of MMT Representation During the Constitutional Era in 5. Dohnson Chang, Covenant and Priesthood in 2 Habsburg Austria, 1895–1914 Maccabees, the Sectarian Scrolls, and Hebrews 6. Helen Jacobus (Graduated 2011), 4Q318 Zodiac Supervisor: Alison Salvesen Calendar and Brontologion Reconsidered (also 1. Fr Pawel Rytel-Andrianik, Use of Isaiah in the awarded the 2011 ASOR Sean Dever Memorial Fourth Gospel in Comparison to the Synoptics Prize for work completed during her doctoral (submitted) studies) 2. Bradley Marsh, The Samaritan Pentateuch in Christian textual tradition
3. Sonja Noll, (co-supervised with Hugh Supervisor: Adrian Curtis Williamson): The semantics of Classical Hebrew 1. Jennifer Williams, Approaches to Childlessness words for silence. in the Hebrew Bible 4. K.T. Perry, (co-supervised with Chris
Tuckett): The Role of the Septuagint in the Supervisor: Cathy Gelbin Development of Hellenistic-Jewish and New 1. Heather Hilton, Holocaust and 9/11 Narratives Testament Demonology
Supervisor: Daniel Langton Supervisor: Joanna Weinberg 1. Simon Mayers, From ‘the Pharisee’ to ‘the Zionist 1. Sabine Arndt Judah Hacohen's Midrash Ha- Menace’: Myths, Stereotypes and Constructions of hokhmah the Jew in English Catholic Discourse (1896–1929) 2. Magaret Jacobi A literary analysis of perek Helek [now completed] in the Babylonian Talmud 2. Francesca Frazer, Samuel Sandmel: Post- 3. David Meyer Yalkut Shimoni (co-supervisor Holocaust US Communal Leader, New Testament Judith Olszowy-Schlanger, Paris) Scholar, and Pioneer in Jewish-Christian Relations
3. Ros Livshin, Nonconformity in Minority Supervisor: Hugh Williamson Communities: Representations of the Anglo-Jewish 1. Troy Cudworth, War and Temple in Chronicles Experience in the Oral Testimony Archive of the 2. Ekaterina Kozlova, Female Mourning in the Manchester Jewish Museum Hebrew Bible
3. Philip Yoo, Ezra’s Lawbook Supervisor: Alex Samely 1. Hedva Rosen, Aspects of the literary structure of the Mekhilta University of Reading 2. Andrew Wilshire, Rights and Responsibility: Emmanuel Levinas’s Critique of Liberalism Supervisor: David Brauner 1. Clare Reed, Crises of Identity in Jewish-American Supervisor: Renate Smithuis Lesbian Fiction, 1980–2010 Katharina Keim: Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer
Newcastle University University of Roehampton
Supervisor: Beate Müller Supervisor: Eric Jacobson Gary Jenkins, Representations of the Holocaust in 1. Katie Meltzer, National Identity in Sacher- post-1990 Hollywood, Israeli, and German films Masoch’s Historical Fiction 2. Chris Horner, Hannah Arendt and the Fate University of Oxford of Judgment 3. Ariel Kahn, Kabbalah as Narrative Technique
in I. B. Singer, Kafka and Agnon Supervisor: Susan Gillingham
Holly Morse, And God Created Woman: An Exploration of the Myth and Meaning of Eve
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University of Southampton
Supervisor: Tony Kushner 1. Hannah Ewence, Gender, identity and memory of East European Jewish migrants to the UK 2. Jan Lanicek, The Czech Government in exile and the Holocaust 3. Agnese Pavule, Elite Female Jewish Philanthropy and Jewish identity in Victorian England 4. Lawrence Cohen, The Norwood Jewish Orphanage 5. Micheline Stevens, Childhood and Jewish Philanthropy in late Victorian Philanthropy 6. Tom Plant, Anglo-Jewish Identity and Youth Clubs in the Twentieth Century 7. Malgorzata Wloszycka, Debates about the Holocaust in Postwar Poland at the local level
Supervisor: Shirli Gilbert Laura Musker, Italian Jewish Communities and the Catholic Church during the Fascist Era
Supervisor: Devorah Baum 1. Michael Witcombe, Sex and Sexuality in Philip Roth 2. Eva Van Loenen, Representations of Hasidim and Hasidism in Post-War American Literature
Supervisor: Andrea Reiter 1. Bettina Koehler, Contemporary German-Jewish Literature (esp. Maxim Biller) as a Counter Discourse 2. Diana Popescu, The contribution of post-Holocaust visual art to the shaping of Jewish and Israeli identities 3. Meike Reintjes, German Jewish Women Poets in British Exile 4. Mike Witcombe, Philip Roth 5. Silke Schwaiger, Edition Exil, Vienna and Migrant Authors 6. Georg Burgstaller, The world of the early twentieth-century Austrian music theorist Heinrich Schenker
Supervisor: Joachim Schlör 1. Hannah Farmer, An Act of Charity: Philanthrophy and Jewish Women’s Identity in 1890s Chicago
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Members’ recent Cantor, Geoffrey. 'Anglo-Jewry publications Idem. ‘Authority in Texts: Some in 1851: The Great Exhibition Clues from the Dead Sea Scrolls,’ and Political Emancipation,' in Alexander, Philip and Renate in Revue de Qumrân, 25/100 Jewish Historical Studies, 44 Smithuis, From Cairo to (2012), 507–23. (2012), 103–26. Manchester: Studies in the Rylands Genizah Fragments Idem. ‘Some Comments on De Lange, Nicholas. ‘Jewish (Oxford, 2013). Commentary,’ in Dead Sea Greek Bible versions’, in Richard Discoveries, 19/3 (2012), 249–66. Marsden and E. Ann Matter, Bhayro, Siam. ‘The Reception of eds, The New Cambridge History Galen’s Art of Medicine in the Idem. ‘Jacob and His House in the of The Bible (Cambridge Syriac Book of Medicines’, in B. Scrolls from Qumran,’ in D. University Press, 2012) 56-68. Zipser (ed.), Medical Books in the Dimant and R.G. Kratz, eds., Byzantine World. Bologna: Rewriting and Interpreting the Idem. ‘Books and bookmen: the Eikasmós, 2013, 123-144. Hebrew Bible: The Biblical Cambridge teachers of Rabbinics, Patriarchs in the Light of the Dead 1866–1971’, Jewish Historical Idem. ‘“He shall play with his Sea Scrolls. Berlin: de Gruyter, Studies 44 (2012), 139–63. hand, and you shall be well”: 2013, 171–88. Music as Therapy in I Samuel Idem. ‘The Septuagint as a Jewish 16:14–23’, in I. Csepregi and C. Idem. ‘Ethics in the Qumran Classic’, in S.C. Humphreys & R. G. Burnett (eds), Ritual Healing: Scrolls and their Implications for Wagner, eds, Modernity’s Magic, Ritual and Medical New Testament Ethics,’ in J.W. Classics (Berlin/Heidelberg, Therapy from Antiquity until the van Henten and J. Verheyden, 2013), 143–163. Early Modern Period. Florence: eds., Early Christian Ethics in Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2012, 13- Interaction with Jewish and Idem. ‘Le début de l’exégèse 30. Greco-Roman Contexts. Leiden: chrétienne et les Juifs’, Le monde Brill, 2013, 83–106. de la Bible 202 (September– Idem. with R. Hawley, G. Kessel, October 2012), 29– 33. P.E. Pormann, ‘The Syriac Galen Baum, Devorah. ‘Respecting the Palimpsest: Progress, Prospects ineradicable: religion’s realism.’ Diemling, Maria. ‘Christliche and Problems’, in Journal of Textual Practice, 26 (3), 519-540. 'Vorzeigekonvertiten' in der Semitic Studies 58 (2013), 131- Frühen Neuzeit,’ in: Regina 148. Eadem. ‘Circumcision anxiety.’ Laudage-Kleeberg and Hannes Textual Practice, 27 (4). Sulzenbacher (eds.), Treten Sie Idem. with R. Hawley, G. Kessel, ein! Treten Sie aus! Warum P.E. Pormann, ‘Collaborative Cairns, Lucille. ‘Vichy, Jews, Menschen ihre Religion Research on the Digital Syriac Enfants cachés : French Women wechseln. Berlin, Parthas, 2012, Galen Palimpsest’, in Semitica et Writers Look Back’, in Amaleena 164-171. Classica 5 (2012), 261-264. Damlé and Gill Rye (eds), Women's Writing in Twenty-First- Eadem. Contribution to catalogue Brooke, George J. ‘Scripture and Century France: Life as Literature for exhibition on conversions at Scriptural Tradition in (Cardiff: University of Wales the Jewish Museums Hohenems, Transmission: Light from the Press, 2013), pp. 47-59 Frankfurt/Main München. Dead Sea Scrolls,’ in idem and D.K. Falk, E.J.C. Tigchelaar and Eadem. ‘Une année si ordinaire Eadem. ‘Navigating Christian M.M Zahn, eds., The Scrolls and (2004) d’Esther Orner’, Space: Jews and Christian images Biblical Traditions: Proceedings of Continuum: Revue des Écrivains in early modern German lands,’ the Seventh Meeting of the Israéliens de Langue Française, Jewish Culture and History, 2012, International Organization for 2013. (In press). 1-14. Qumran Studies in Helsinki. Leiden: Brill, 2012, 1–17. Eadem. ‘Jewish Identities in Eadem and Thomas J. Herbst, Contemporary Europe’, Jewish (ed.), Interpreting the 'Spirit of Idem. ‘Genesis 1–11 in the Light Culture and History, 2013 [special Assisi': Challenges to Interfaith of Some Aspects of the journal issue with introduction: Dialogue in a Pluralistic World. Transmission of Genesis in Late co-edited with Andrea Reiter] (In Canterbury: Franciscan Second Temple Times,’ in Hebrew press). International Study Centre, 2013. Bible and Ancient Israel, 1/4 (2012), 465–82.
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Doering, Lutz. Ancient Jewish Guesnet, François and Staliunas, Ancient Judaism). Tübingen: Letters and the Beginnings of Darius, 'Schwerpunkt: Litauen,' Mohr Siebeck, 2013. Christian Epistolography (WUNT in: Stefanie Schüler-Springorum נפש תחת “ ((2012 Sandra. Jacobs, für Jahrbuch (ed.) Siebeck, Mohr Tübingen: 298; I Napšate and Life A for Life A נפש 21 Antisemitismusforschung pp.). 600) (2012 (Berlin: Metropol Verlag, 2012), Umalla,” in The Ancient Near East Idem . ‘Jewish Law in the Dead 17-238. in the 12th-10th Centuries BCE: Sea Scrolls: Some Issues for Culture and History. Proceedings Consideration’, in: The Hebrew Idem and Staliunas, Darius, 'No of the International Conference Bible in Light of the Dead Sea Simple Stories. Die jüdisch- held at Haifa University, 02-05 Scrolls (ed. N. Dávid et al.; litauischen Beziehungen im 19. May 2010 (ed. G. Galil, A. Gilboa, FRLANT 239; Göttingen: und 20. Jahrhundert,' in: Stefanie A. M. Maeir and D. Khan; AOAT Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2012), Schüler-Springorum (ed.): 392; Münster: Ugarit-Verlag), 449–462. Jahrbuch für 241-253. Antisemitismusforschung 21 Idem . ‘Reinheit und Tempel: Ein (2012), 17-25. Eadem. (2012) “Terms of - אשת יפת תאר The Endearment? Law von Verhältnis zum Beitrag und Narrative im Jubiläenbuch’, Idem. 'Russian-Jewish Cultural (Desirable Female Captive) and in: Law and Narrative in the Bible Retention in Early Twentieth her Illicit Acquisition,” in Text and in Neighbouring Ancient Century Western Europe: and Context: Exodus to Cultures (ed. K.P. Adam, F. Contexts and Theoretical Deuteronomy, (ed.) G. Yee and A. Avemarie & N. Wazana, Implications,' in: Jörg Schulte, Brenner. Fortress Press, 237- collaboration by D. Felsch; FAT Olga Tabachnikova, Peter 257. II/54; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, Wagstaff (eds.), The Russian 2012), 243–262. Jewish Diaspora and European Kahn, Lily. ‘Grammatical Gender Culture, 1917-1937 (Leiden, in the Early Modern Hasidic Idem . ‘Sabbath’, Enyclopedia of Boston: Brill Academic Hebrew Tale’. Hebrew Studies (in Ancient History (ed. R. Bagnall et Publishers, 2012), 1-10. press). al.; Wiley-Blackwell, 2013), 5988–5990. Idem. 'Between Permeability and Eadem. ‘Nominal Possessive Isolation: Ezriel Natan Frenk as Constructions in the Early Gilbert, Shirli. 'Anne Frank in Historian of the Jews of Poland,' Modern Hasidic Hebrew Tale’. South Africa: Remembering the in: Israel Bartal, Antony Bulletin of the School of Oriental Holocaust During and After Polonsky, and Scott Ury (eds.): and African Studies (in press). Apartheid,' Holocaust and Polin. Studies in Polish Jewry, vol. Genocide Studies 26:3 (2012). 24: Jews and their Neighbours in Eadem. ‘Biblical Grammatical Eastern Europe since 1750 Elements in the Nineteenth- Eadem. Japanese translation (Oxford, Portland, Oregon: Century Hasidic Hebrew Tale’. (2012) of Music in the Holocaust: Littman Library of Jewish Jewish Studies, an Internet Confronting Life in the Nazi Civilization, 2012), 111-131. Journal (2012). Ghettos and Camps. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hayward, Robert. ‘The Aramaic Eadem. ‘Grammatical Similarities Targums,’ in (eds) J. Carleton- between Hasidic and Maskilic Greenberg, Gillian. ‘Isaiah,’ in Paget and J. Schaper, The New Hebrew Narratives’. Hebrew The Syriac Peshitta Bible with Cambridge History of the Bible Studies 53 (2012): 261-83. English Translation, eds G.A. From the Beginnings to 600 Kiraz and A. Juckel, tr. Gillian (Cambridge: Cambridge Langton, Daniel. and Alexander, Greenberg and Donald M. Walter, University Press, 2013), pp. 218- Philip S. (eds.) Normative Gorgias Press, 2012. 241 Judaism? Jews, Judaism and Jewish Identity. Proceedings of the Eadem. ‘The Twelve Prophets ,’ in Idem. ‘Scripture in the Jerusalem British Association for Jewish The Syriac Peshitta Bible with Temple,’ in (eds) J. Carleton- Studies 2008. Piscataway, NJ: English Translation, The Twelve Paget and J. Schaper, The New Gorgias Press, 2012. Prophets, eds G.A. Kiraz and A. Cambridge History of the Bible, Juckel, tr. Donald M. Walter and pp. 321-344. Langton, Daniel, Lancaster, Les Gillian Greenberg, Gorgias Press, and Samuelson, Norbert (eds.) 2012. Hempel, Charlotte. The Qumran Judaism Section in Encyclopedia Rule Texts in Context: Collected of Sciences and Religions. Studies (Texts and Studies on Heidelberg: Springer, 2012.
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Langton, D. "Progressive Debatte und Gegenwehr. (Bremen Idem. ‘Herod’s Final Curtain: Judaism." In Encyclopedia of 2013) 489-499. What to do for an Encore?” Sciences and Religions, ed. Nina P. in Herod the Great: The King’s Azari, Anne Runehov, and Lluis Eadem, with Michael Nagel: 80 Final Journey, ed. David Oviedo, Heidelberg: Springer, Years of PRESSA. The Jewish Mevorach and Sylvia 2012. Contribution to Modern Rozenberg (Jerusalem: The Israel Journalism (Bremen 2012: Museum), 44–55. Hebrew Langton, D. "Jewish Religious Lumière) 2 Volumes, English and edition, same date and publisher. Thought, The Holocaust, and German, 751 pp. Darwinism: A Comparison of Idem. ‘Pollution and Purification Hans Jonas and Mordecai in Josephus’s Judean War,” Kaplan." Aleph: Historical Studies Eadem, with Olaf Terpitz: in Purity and Holiness in Ancient in Science and Judaism (In-press). ‘Sprachmittlung und Migration. Judaism and Early Christianity: Zur Vorläufigkeit Essays in Memory of Susan Haber, Marten-Finnis, Susanne. Der translatorischer Diskurse: Zwei ed. Carl Ehrlich, Adele Reinhartz, Feuervogel als Kunstzeitschrift. Russische Momentaufnahmen aus Berlin Anders Runesson, and Eileen Bildwelten in Berlin 1921-26 (Wien und Warschau, 1919-29’, in: H. Schuller (“Wissenschaftliche 2012: Böhlau) 224 pp. Kalverkämper, L. Schippel (eds.), Untersuchungen zum „Vom Altern der Texte". Bausteine Neuen Testament”; Tübingen: für eine Geschichte des Eadem. ‘Atavistische Rituale als Mohr Siebeck), 181–207. interkulturellen Wissenstransfers Boten der Moderne. 100 Jahre Le (Berlin 2012) 321-352. Sacre du Printemps’ Osteuropa, Idem. ‘Josephus, Publication, and Audiences: a Response,” Zutot: Vol. 63, No. 2-3, February/March Mason, Steve. ‘Speech-Making in 2013, 195-210. Perspectives on Jewish Ancient Rhetoric, Josephus, and Culture 8.1: 81–94.
Acts: Messages and Playfulness. Eadem.'"A Beautiful Lie". The Part II,’ Early Christianity 3:2, Miller, Michael. 'Chaos and Firebird. Sustaining journalistic 147–71. Identity: Onomatology in the activity and showcasing Russia in Hekhalot Literature,' Bamidbar 3 1920s Berlin', P. Wagstaff, O. Idem. ‘The importance of the (2012): 36-51. Tabachnikova, J. Schulte (eds.), Latter Half of The Russian Jewish Diaspora and Josephus’ Antiquities for a Roman Idem. 'Folk Etymology and its European Culture, 1917-37 Audience,’ in Gohei Hata and Influence on Metatron (London 2012) 301-326. Akio Moriya, Traditions,' Journal for the Study (eds.), Pentateuchal Traditions in of Judaism 44, 2 (2013): 1-17. Eadem. ‘To get the Message the Ancient World (Leiden: Brill), Across’: The Conversation of 129–53; Japanese translation by Polonsky, Antony. POLIN: Jewish Press Ideals in Soviet Gohei Hata in the same Studies in Polish Jewry, volume Journalism’, in: Marten- editors’ Kodai-sekai ni-okeru 25, Jews in the former Grand Finnis/Nagel, 80 Years of Pressa, Mose- gohso no Densho (Kyoto: Duchy of Lithuania since 1772 Bremen 2012, 187-204. Kyoto University Academic (Littman Library of Jewish Press, 2011), 197–234. Civilization, Oxford, 2012). Eadem. 'Wer sprach Jiddisch in Czernowitz?', in: Markus Winkler Idem. Josephus sections for two- Idem, With Sarunas Liekis, (Ed.), Presselandschaft in der volume Early Jewish Literature: ‘Introduction’, POLIN: Studies in Bukowina und Nachbarregionen: Introduction and Reader, ed. Polish Jewry, volume 25, Jews in Akteure – Inhalte – Ereignisse Archie Wright, Ron Herms, and the former Grand Duchy of (München 2012) 67-73. Brad Embry Lithuania since 1772 (Littman (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans), Library of Jewish Civilization, Eadem. ‘The Notion of Anti- imminent, proofs corrected. Oxford, 2012), 3-56. Semitism and the German- Overviews of Josephus’ life and language Press in Czernovitz major works with new, student- Idem. ‘Amerykańska badania nad during the Romanian friendly translations of selected Zagładą. Najnowsza recepcja Interregnum', in: Michael Nagel, passages. polskiej debaty publicznej’, Moshe Zimmerman (eds.), Idem. ‘Essenes,” in Respublica Nowa, no. 17, Spring Judenfeindschaft und the Encyclopaedia of the Bible and 2012, 65-69. Antisemitismus in der deutschen its Reception (Berlin: W. de Presse über fünf Jahrhunderte. Gruyter) 7.1–5. Idem. ‘Introduction’ to Rubin Erscheinungsformen, Rezeption, Katz, Gone to Pichipoi: A Boy’s
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Desperate Fight for Survival in for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Modern Commentaries on the Wartime (Boston, 2012), xiii-xvii. Oxford: Information Press, 2012. Hebrew Bible’ in Let Us Go Up to Zion. Essays in Honour of H. G. M. Idem. ‘Conference on Jews and Idem. 'A Seal upon Your Heart,' in Williamson on the Occasion of his non-Jews in Lithuania’, Tiltas: Victor Majzner, ed. Painting the Sixty-Fifth Birthday, edited by Journal of the British-Lithuanian Song. Melbourne, 2012 (Short Iain Provan and Mark Boda. SVT Society, Volume 13, no. 1 (March Entry) 153 (Brill; Leiden/Boston 2012) 2013), 7-11. pp. 95–109. Idem. 'Subtle Migrations,' Silent Prestel, Claudia. ‘Zwischen Witnesses: Synagogues Eadem. ‘Did Aquila and Feminismus, Antisemitismus und Transformed, Rebuilt or Symmachus shelter under the Zionismus: Neue berufliche Abandoned. Detroit: Holocaust Rabbinic Umbrella?’ in Greek Orientierungen juedischer Memorial Centre, 2012. Scripture and the Rabbis. eds. Frauen aus Deutschland und Timothy Michael Law and Alison Oesterreich an Fallbeispielen,’ in: Idem, 'The Beautiful Obsessions Salvesen; CBET 66. (Peeters Medaon - Magazin fuer juedisches of R.B. Kitaj,' Jewish Quarterly Press, Leuven, 2012), 105–27. Leben in Forschung und Bildung, (Spring, 2013). 7. Jg., 2013, Nr. 7, S. 1-12, online Smithuis, Renate and Philip under Idem, with Isaac Rosen. 'Gay Alexander, From Cairo to http://medaon.de/pdf/MEDAON Rights Hang in the Balance in the Manchester: Studies in the _12_Prestel_Artikel.pdf U.S. Supreme Court,' New Rylands Genizah Fragments Humanist (Spring, 2013). (Oxford, 2013). Eadem. ‘Confronting Old Structures: Regina Jonas, the Idem. 'Books in Tow,' Apollo Solomon, Norman. 'The First Female Rabbi,’ in: Judith (April, 2013) Evolution of Talmudic Szapor, Andrea Peto, Maura Reasoning', in History and Hametz and Marina Calloni Idem. 'Man Ray Portraits,' Jewish Philosophy of Logic 32 (February (eds.), Jewish intellectual women Quarterly (Spring, 2013) 2011), 9-28 in Central Europe (1860-2000). Twelve Biographical Essays, Idem. (Review) Ruth Illman, Art Idem.'Secularity and Religious Edwin Mellen Press: and Belief: Artists Engaged in Values', in British Secularism and Lewiston/Queenstown, 2012, pp. Interreligious Dialogue, in Religion: Islam, Society and the 375-410 Marginalia: A Review of Books in State, ed. Yahya Birt, Dilwar History, Theology & Religion Hussain and Ataullah Siddiqui Rosen, Aaron. 'True [web] (January, 2013). (Markfield UK: Kube Publishing, Lights: Seeing the Psalms 2011), 36-44. through Chagall’s Church Idem. (Review) Jewish Dimensions Windows,' in Susan Gillingham, in Modern Visual Culture, in Idem.'A Jewish Reflection on ed. Jewish and Christian Journal of Modern Jewish Studies, Relations with Muslims and Approaches to the Vol. 11, No. 3 (2012). Islam’, in Beyond the Psalms: Conflict and Convergence. Dysfunctional Family ed. Tony Oxford: Oxford University Press, Idem. (Review) J. Sage Elwell, Bayfield, Alan Race and Ataullah 2013. Crisis of Transcendence: A Siddiqui (London: Manor House Theology of Digital Art and Abrahamic Dialogue Group, Idem. 'Walking through Walls Culture, in Literature and 2012), 137-146. and Other Jewish Magic Tricks,' Theology, 26:4 (2012). in Denise Gray, ed. Gary Sperber, Haim. ‘Rabbi Nathan Baseman: The Door is Always Salvesen, Alison. ‘Early Syriac, Adler and the Formulation of the Open, New York: Rizzoli, 2013. Greek and Latin View of the Chief Rabbinate in Britain, 1845- Decalogue’, in Jeffrey P. 1890’, European Judaism, 45(2), Idem. 'Eclipse of God: A Jewish Greenman & Timothy Larsen, (Autumn 2012), pp. 8-20. Take on an Anti-Jewish eds., The Decalogue through the Masterpiece,' Art & Christianity, Centuries: From the Hebrew Spurling, Helen. (2012) The 70 (Summer, 2012). Scriptures to Benedict XVI image of God in late antique (Westminster John Knox Press, apocalyptic literature: the Holy Idem. 'R.B. Kitaj: Painting the 2012), 47-66. One as teacher in Pirqe Mashiah. Way Home,' in Jeremy Schonfield, Jewish Culture and History, 12.3, ed. Report of the Oxford Centre Eadem. ‘The Role of Aquila, 385-396. Symmachus and Theodotion in
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Eadem and Grypeou, 209–227. Mediterranean and the Ancient Emmanouela (2013) The Book Near East (Ancient Israel and its of Genesis in Late Antiquity: Eadem. 2012. 'The Peoples' Bible, Literature 15; Atlanta: Society for Encounters between Jewish and Imbokodo, and the King's Biblical Literature), 27-58. Christian Exegesis, Leiden, The Mother's Teaching of Proverbs Netherlands, Brill, 538pp. 31'. Biblical Interpretation 20, Idem. ‘Nebuchadnezzar: History, (Jewish and Christian 223-258. Memory and Myth-Making in the Perspectives, 24). Persian Period’, in E. Ben Zvi and Eadem. 2013. Fathers and D. Edelman (eds.), Bringing the Eadem and Ewence, Hannah Daughters in the Hebrew Bible Past to the Present: Images of (eds.) (2012) Image conscious: (Oxford: OUP). Central Figures, in the Late Jewish visuals and visualising Persian and Early Hellenistic Jews through the ages, London, Stökl, Jonathan. - Prophecy in Period (Oxford: Oxford University GB, Routledge (Jewish Culture the Ancient Near East: A Press), 257-269. and History, 12.3). Philological and Sociological 13 Ezekiel of מתנבאות ‘The Idem. History and (Culture Comparison Stern, Sacha. (2013). Calendar, of the Ancient Near East 56; Reconsidered’, Journal for Jewish. In R. S. Bagnall, K. Leiden: Brill), 2012. Biblical Literature 132, 61-76. Brodersen, C. B. Champion, A. Erskine, S. R. Huebner (Eds.), The Idem. Mediating Between Heaven Vermes, Geza. Christian Encyclopedia of Ancient History and Earth: Communication with Beginnings from Nazareth to (pp. 1263-1265). Blackwell the Divine in the Ancient Near Nicaea 30-325 CE. London: Allen Publishing Ltd. East (Library of Hebrew Lane, 2012. doi:10.1002/9781444338386.w Bible/Old Testament Studies beah11056 566; London: T & T Clark). Edited Idem. Christian Beginnings from together with C.L. Crouch and Nazareth to Nicaea 30-325 CE Idem.(2013). Compulsive Anna Louise Zernecke. (London: Penguin Paperback, libationers: non-Jews and wine in 2013). early rabbinic sources. Journal of Idem. ‘Ancient Near Eastern Jewish Studies, 64 (1). Prophecy’ in J. G. McConville and Idem. Christian Beginnings from M. J. Boda (eds.), Dictionary of the Nazareth to Nicaea (New Haven: Idem.(2012). Calendars in Old Testament: Prophets (Downer Yale University Press, 2013). Antiquity: Empires, States, and Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press), 16- Societies. Oxford: Oxford 24. Idem. 'Among the saints: an essay University Press. in hagiography,' Standpoint, Idem. ‘How Unique was Israelite September 2012, 44-49. Idem.(2012). Calendars: Rabbinic Prophecy?’, in A. T. Levenson Judaism; Medieval and Modern (ed.), The Wiley-Blackwell History Idem. 'Writing and rewriting the Judaism. In H. Klauck, V. Leppin, of Jews and Judaism (Oxford: Bible in the time of Jesus,' B. McGinn, C. Seow, H. Wiley-Blackwell), 53-69. Standpoint, September 2012, 46- Spieckermann, B. D. Walfish, E. 51.. Ziolkowski (Eds.), Encyclopedia Idem. Prophets Male and Female: of the Bible and Its Reception Gender and Prophecy in the Idem. 'Was crucifixion a Jewish (pp. 799-803). Berlin/Boston: De Hebrew Bible, the Eastern penalty?' Standpoint, January- Gruyter. Mediterranean and the Ancient February 2013, 66-69. Near East (Ancient Israel and its Idem.(2012). The Rabbinic New Literature 15; Atlanta: Society for Wollaston, Isabel. ‘The Absent, Moon Procedure: Context and Biblical Literature). Edited the Partial and the Iconic in Significance. In J. Ben-Dov, W. together with Corrine L. Archival Photographs of the Horowitz, J. Steele (Eds.), Living Carvalho. Holocaust’, Jewish Culture and the Lunar Calendar (pp. 211- History, Special issue: Image 230). Oxford: Oxbow Books. Idem. ‘“Gender Ambiguity” in Conscious: Jewish Visuals and Ancient Near Eastern Prophecy? Visualising Jews through the Ages A Re-Assessment of the Data 12:3: 439-62, published online Stieber, Johanna. 2012. 'Human Behind a Popular Theory’, in C. L. October 2012 Conception in Antiquity: The Carvalho and J. Stökl (eds.), Hebrew Bible in Context'. Prophets Male and Female: Wildmann, Daniel. Wildmann, Theology and Sexuality 16/3, Gender and Prophecy in the Daniel; Horan, Geraldine and Hebrew Bible, the Eastern Rash, Felicity, eds. English and
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German Nationalist and Anti- Idem. ‘Peace and Conflict in the Semitic Discourse, 1871-1945. Jewish Tradition’, in Lee Oxford: Peter Lang, 2013. Marsden, ed., Ashgate Research Companion on Religion and Idem. ‘Emotionen, Körper, Conflict Resolution, Ashgate Mythen: Lanzmann interviewt Press, Farnham, 2012 pp. 49-66. Murmelstein,’ in Ronny Loewy and Katharina Idem. ‘Religious War in the Rauschenberger, eds. „Der Letzte Works of Maimonides and the der Ungerechten“: Der “Maimonideans”: An idea and its Judenälteste Benjamin transit across the medieval Murmelstein in Filmen 1942-1975. Mediterranean’, in Sohail Frankfurt a.M./ New York: Hashmi, ed., Just Wars, Holy Wars, Campus Verlag, 2011, 101-123. and Jihads: Christian, Jewish, Muslim Encounters and Idem. ‘Über die Liebe zu Juden Exchanges, Oxford University oder Jüdisches im deutschen TV- Press, New York, 2012, pp. 146- Krimi,’ in Ulrike Heikaus, ed. 64. Das war spitze! Jüdisches in der deutschen Fernsehunterhaltung. Essen: Klartext, 2011, 104-114.
Idem. ‘Antisemitismus, jüdische Turnvereine und deutsche Turnerschaft im Kaiserreich,’ in Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft, 3 (2011),
210-216. Idem. ‘Muskeljuden, turnende Juden und moralische Juden,’ in Gisela Dachs ed. Jüdischer Almanach. Berlin: Jüdischer Verlag im Suhrkamp Verlag, 2011, 103-113. Idem. ‘Bar Kochba,’ in Dan Diner, ed. Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur (vol. 1). Stuttgart: J.B. Metzler Verlag, 2011, 259-261.
Idem. ‘Harlan-Debatte,’ in Wolfgang Benz,ed. Handbuch des Antisemitismus (vol. 4). Berlin/Bosten: De Gruyter Saur, 2011, 159-162.
Idem. ‘Deutsche Turnerschaft bis 1933,’ in Wolfgang Benz, ed. Handbuch des Antisemitismus (vol. 5), Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Saur, 2012, 165-168.
Wilkes, George. ‘Ambivalent Normativity: Reasons for Contemporary Jewish Debate over the Laws of War’, in Melilah, Special Issue on ‘Normativity’, 8, 2012, 66-81.
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Book Reviews original if very different writers surprisingly, required reading in are discussed in separate Israeli secondary schools. Neta Stahl, Other and Brother: chapters: Uri Zvi Greenberg, Yoel Jesus is a central figure in the Jesus in the 20th-Century Hoffmann and Avot Yeshurun. work of Uri Zvi Greenberg, a Jewish Literary Landscape. New Stahl identifies several highly acclaimed poet who York: Oxford University Press, distinctive strands in modern because of his right-wing 2012, 248 pp. ISBN: Jewish literary engagement with political views was also 9780199760008 the figure of Jesus. Haskalah’s controversial. Stahl sees in his dichotomising between Jewish poetry a profound ambivalence and ‘human’ aspect of Jews’ lives which combines elements of had led to an increased interest rejection and aversion of Jesus in Jesus as a universal, that stem from traditional humanistic figure who was also a Judaism with the portrayal of Jew. During the 19th century, Jesus as charismatic and Jewish academic scholarship mysterious figure. focused on Jesus’ relationship to The third chapter challenges the the Judaism of his time. The assumption that after the Shoah historian Joast contrasted the the image of Jesus was too universal humanistic morality of contaminated to appeal to Jewish Jesus with what he regarded as writers. Stahl demonstrates that the indifference of the rabbis post-Holocaust Hebrew while other Jewish scholars tried literature actually adopted the
Reviewed by Maria Diemling to present Jesus as integral part figure of Jesus in a way that made (Department of Theology and of Judaism to assert Judaism’s complete identification with him Religious Studies Canterbury superiority over Christianity. possible. She notes a Christ Church University, There is an interesting tension fundamental transformation Canterbury) between scholars interpreting after 1948 that led to a strong Jesus in his historical – Jewish – sense of identification with Jesus The startling image on the cover context and those who regarded and argues that Jesus’ very of Neta Stahl’s book on Jesus in him as ‘original genius’ who ‘Otherness’, previously often 20th century Jewish literature is a operated outside any local seen as threatening, created reproduction of Uri Zvi context. affinity and affection in which the Greenberg’s ‘Uri Zvi farn Tselem One of the most influential 20th Christian components of his INRI’, a Hebrew poem that is century Hebrew texts on Jesus figure are neutralised and Jesus’ typographically arranged in the was Joseph Klausner’s Jesus of Otherness acquires universal shape of a cross, with the Latin Nazareth (1922), which informed implications. Israeli writers were characters INRI standing out of many works written in Palestine particularly interested in Jesus’ the Hebrew text. For Greenberg, between the 1920s and 1940s. suffering and anguish and his one of the most important Klausner tried to claim Jesus for embodiment as the Hebrew poets of the 20th century, nationalism – he portrayed Jesus quintessential victim. Stahl Jesus is a central, if ambivalent as a Jew on a Zionist mission who identifies some key aspects in figure in his work, indeed both became a national leader guiding Hebrew writing in the 1950s and ‘brother’ and ‘other’ as the title of his people towards spiritual and 1960s, which include Jesus as this fascinating study indicates. political redemption. This Jesus representing the anguish of the The study of the figure of Jesus in embodies the desired physical suffering artist and the longing Jewish culture has recently and moral qualities of the ‘New for the other world. The latter experienced something of a Jew’ in contrast to the exilic ‘old reflects the yearning of Israeli revival as works by Matthew Jew’, and is both a master in his writers for Western culture and Hoffman, Peter Schäfer and own land and a poet. In contrast, its particular aesthetic norms Daniel Boyarin have made Avraham Kabak’s novel The that seemed to far from the important contributions. Neta narrow path (1937) exposes both isolated provinciality of Israel of Stahl offers a new perspective by Jesus and nationalist ideology as that period. Stahl offers examining how Jesus is being false myths and challenges stimulating readings of a number referred to in Hebrew and notions of national redemption of important Hebrew writers and Yiddish literature, in its context through violence, offering a their works, from Leah of Jewish national culture before universal and humanist message Goldberg’s longing for a Europe the foundation of the State of instead. A very popular book left behind to Yona Wallach’s Israel and with a chapter on among young readers, it became erotic and sensual descriptions. Israeli literature. Three highly later, perhaps somewhat Binyamin Shvili describes a
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dream about carrying a cross to outsider status made it possible to explain it as the result of a Auschwitz, but Jesus is not for him to express ‘forbidden’ divine plan. associated with Christian anti- sentiments towards Jesus and This is an impressive and very Judaism and is rather a victim. Christianity. The figure of Jesus enjoyable tour de force of 20th The march to Auschwitz is in his work can be understood century Hebrew and Yiddish compared with the Passion of through his biography, namely literature that demonstrates the Christ. Yitzhak Laor’s Hinei Adam the longing for his family home, variety of Jewish engagement (Ecco Homo, 2002) is an the guilt for abandoning his with the figure of Jesus and its interesting work that focuses on relatives when he immigrated to surprising centrality in Jewish the suffering of Palestinian and Palestine as a young man and the literary creativity. Stahl’s Iraqi parents and their children traumatic loss of nearly his entire insightful readings of a wide and where the image of Jesus family. For Avot Yeshurun, Jesus range of texts stimulate and symbolises the parent-child symbolises Europe, the old home delight and add an important relationship and the grief caused and the world that is lost. In his dimension to the study of Jewish- by loss. work, the close proximity of his Christian relations and Jewish Yoel Hoffmann’s poetic former family home to a church identity in modernity. postmodern novels are (at least led to nostalgic representations for this reviewer) among the of Jesus. Stahl notes that more enigmatic works in Yeshurun is unique in presenting David Dee, Sport and British contemporary Hebrew literature. his longing for the Yiddish Jewry: Integration, ethnicity Stahl’s reading of his work in culture by identifying with Jesus. and anti-Semitism, 1890-1970, Chapter four is very insightful. In the Epilogue, Stahl chooses an Manchester and New York: She argues that Hoffmann ‘ironic gaze’ to revisit the Manchester University Press, provides a model in which Jesus narrative of the book. This HB, pp.258+viii, ISBN: 978-0- is used as a figure that includes the mediaeval Toldot 7190-8760-8, £65, 2013. ‘neutralizes otherness through Yeshu as one of the first Jewish holiness that inheres in his attempts to tell the story of Jesus character’ [p. 117] and sees the in an ironic (and derogatory) motif of an incomplete triangular way. Amos Kenyan’s Haverim family, particularly the role of the Mesaprim al Yeshu (1952) was single parent, as exemplifying the banned in Israel because it was suffering and anguish embodied seen as offensive to both by Jesus. Her reading of Christians and the parents of Hoffmann’s Christ of the Fish is fallen soldiers. Interestingly, very interesting but I particularly Stahl notes that in the early 20th enjoyed Stahl’s exploration of the century, Jesus could become a single parent bearing the cross in national hero but he never the novel How do you do, Dolores? gained the status of an Israeli Reviewed by Larry Ray (School (1995). Dolores, the mother, soldier and his victimhood was of Social Policy, Sociology and embodies the double role of not embraced in the national Social Research, University of parent and Jesus. Her name narrative of sacrifice and Kent) alludes to the suffering on the Via martyrdom. Shai Agnon was one
Dolorosa and the suffering of the of the first writers to cast an In his valedictory article in The Virgin mother. Stahl argues that ironic eye on the Jewish Guardian (5 April 2013) Ian this is a novel about the followers of Jesus and Stahl Banks advocated cultural boycott loneliness of femininity, the provides a very interesting of Israel on the grounds that torment of single parenting and analysis of his stories that are while ‘A sporting boycott of the analogy between ‘the bodily concerned with the figure of Israel would make relatively little traits of femininity’ and the Jesus. Agnon could not ignore difference to the self-esteem of wounds of Christ. that Jesus is intrinsically linked Israelis …; an intellectual and The poet Avot Yeshurun spoke to Christianity and he is wary of cultural one might help make all out against the inhumane Jews who ignore this to their the difference’. Similarly in the treatment of Palestinians as early peril. Hanoch Levin’s play The June 2007 edition of the online as 1952 and compared the fate of Sorrow of Job (1981) mocks the British Medical Journal and the Palestinians with the suffering Jesus and relates it to elsewhere, Tom Hickey, a leading Holocaust, a controversial stance the suffering of Job, criticizing advocate of an academic boycott that marginalised him and his attempts to give a religious of Israel by the UCU, claimed that work in Israeli society. Stahl meaning to human suffering and ‘we are speaking about … a argues in Chapter five that this culture, both in Israel and in the
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long history of the Jewish detach them from the language accused of betraying when he diaspora, where education and and customs of the shtetl and to commentated at the 1936 Nazi scholarship are held in high re-fashion them as British Jews. Olympics (p.67). regard. That is why an academic This aim in part reflected wider In his second chapter (‘Religion boycott might have a desirable political and popular anxieties and Ethnicity’) Dee examines political effect [there] ...that about the consequences of further the effects of sports on might not be expected immigration and was defensively Jewish identity, although he elsewhere’. In other words, Jews based on the fear that these doesn’t reflect conceptually on (uniquely apparently) are ‘alien’ migrants would whether or in what sense bookish intellectuals, Yeshiva undermine the established Judaism is an ‘ethnicity’. He bokhers, who don’t do sport, or position of the Anglo-Jews in argues that within three presumably physical labour in Britain. An important means of generations sporting general. Dave Dee’s book takes achieving this was through involvement had become on this clearly still very live organizations such as the Jewish significant in eroding British antisemitic trope to ‘paint a more Lads’ Brigade and youth and Jewish identity and encouraged a accurate picture of the other sporting clubs that would ‘drift from religion, culture and community from the late improve physical health, ‘iron out [religious] authority’ (p.90). He Victorian era through to the late the Ghetto bend’ and ‘combat illustrates this claim particularly 1960s’. This picture is one of ‘a degeneration’ (p.25). Although through the involvement of Jews population deeply involved and his focus is largely on boys’ clubs in boxing between the 1890s- interested in sporting pastimes there were also sporting clubs 1950s which in many ways and distinctly “sporting” in their for girls to improve the ‘stunted represented a ‘parting of the attitudes, habits and tasks’ physique of refugee females’. ways with the elder generation’ (p225). This is part of a growing These clubs would inculcate not (p.114) and ‘played an important literature on Jews and sport that only sporting skills but role in both the destruction and includes Anthony Clavane, Does ‘sportsmanlike’ habits of reconstruction of Jewish identity’ Your Rabbi Know You’re Here? Englishness, ‘the sturdy (p.122). Having encouraged (Quercus 2012) and Michael characteristics the British race’ physical activity as a means of Brenner and Gideon Reuveni, (p.36) into the ‘lad of foreign inculcating ‘Britishness’ the edited, Emancipation Through extraction’. In a wider context Jewish establishment became Muscles (University of Nebraska these initiatives were part of the increasingly alarmed at the Press 2006). Based on his PhD, panic around the lack of fitness of numbers of Jews playing and Dee tells a story of Jewish British youth at the time of the watching sports and gambling on immigration, assimilation and Second Boer War, so it was to the it, such that in 1929 the Jewish involvement in sports between delight of the Jewish Chronicle asked whether ‘Anglo- 1890 and the 1960s – the period establishment when evidence Jewry is decadent?’ (p.122). Dee between large scale immigration from school inspections notes at some length the efforts from Russia and Eastern Europe indicated that on average the of Zionism and the Maccabi and the eventual disappearance health and fitness of ‘the Jewish World Union to generate a new of Jews ‘from the highest child’ from poor backgrounds ‘muscular’ Jewish identity but echelons of sport in Britain’ (p.7). was superior to that of Gentiles argues that there was relatively His argument is that sport was (p. 30). Although there was slow little interest in Zionism amongst central to the wider process of take up of these initiatives up to Jewish youth in the 1930s and cultural assimilation and had 1914, after this (and perhaps not that the Maccabis were unable to unintended consequence of uncontended with the War, create a ‘new Jew’ culturally in a weakening of ties to religion, though Dee doesn’t mention this) way that would reverse growing community and ‘ethnicity’. participation of young Jews in Jewish disunity and secularism The first chapter (‘Integration sports grew considerably, (p.138). By the mid-twentieth and Anglicisation’) describes especially in football, boxing and century then, sport had how sport and physical athletics. Harold Abrahams ‘impacted negatively’ on recreation played a prominent (1924 Olympic 100 metres observance of the Sabbath and role in the Anglicisation of Jews champion, depicted in Chariots of weakened attachments to Jewish descending from Eastern Fire) was a famous product of culture and tradition (p.139-40). European and Russian migrants. this process although his Chapter 3 addresses sport and The response of the established subsequent life and conversion antisemitism, which he says has Anglo-Jewish leaders to the new to Anglicanism also highlights its hitherto received limited communities of Yiddish-speaking unintended consequences. attention and was generally more migrants between 1895-1914 Abrahams lost connection to the prevalent in British sports than was to make strenuous efforts to Jewish community, which he was most existing histories suggest
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(p.160). But he confines his by 1970 Jews were no longer Museum of Munich, which he discussion to the British Union of prominent in sports, if true, is calls a statement to the city and Fascists in the 1930s (which he unexplained. This is largely a people (p. 17). However, even in claims but does not really show story about men and boys and the frequent separation of had a wide impact on public women appear only in passing, Holocaust and Jewish museums, opinion) and bans on and quotas such as Angela Buxton and her Cohen highlights that the two can for Jews in golf clubs that mother’s stand against never be truly disconnected; the continued through the 1960s. antisemitism in tennis clubs. But subsequent essays echo the Ugly antisemitic cartoons issues of gender, masculinity, concept that the Holocaust has appeared in golfing magazines up identity and Judaism are become a lens for post-war to the 1910s but these then neglected. Was the putative Jewish visual culture. largely disappeared and secularisation process the same Michael Korey’s essay explores discrimination became more for men and women? the root of this interest through covert. This had the potential to Nonetheless Dee has compiled 17th and 18th century synagogue create local political scandal, important evidence of the reconstruction and replicas. such as the revelation in 1957 significance of sports in Korey draws on collections such that Finchley Golf Club, attended Twentieth Century Jewish life, in as the Juden-Cabinet of Dresden by local Conservative dignitaries, a very readable and engaging and two examples of replica was barring Jewish members. book. synagogues in Regensburg and The local Liberals pursued the Uppsula, which were created for issue and underwent a revival, in Richard I. Cohen ed., admirers of Jewish antiquities response to which Dee suggests Visualizing and Exhibiting and ritual objects. Korey argues the sitting MP, Margaret Jewish Space and History, that finding these objects in Thatcher, took a pro-Jewish Studies in Contemporary Jewry unexpected collections may stance in the 1964 election and Vol. XXVI, Oxford University reveal unexpected information subsequently (p.187). Dee also Press (2012). 385 pages. about their creations, which notes that sport became a vehicle contributes to knowledge about for challenging antisemitism and the historical scope of Christian increasing the public visibility of Hebraism and foreshadows later Jewish athletes such as Harry awareness. Mizler and Ted ‘Kid’ Lewis in Tobias Metzler introduces the boxing and Angela Buxton in twentieth century and the tennis. subject of museums by This is an interesting and suggesting that a new reading of carefully researched book the history of the Berlin Jewish although some conceptual Museum from 1906-1939 may questions are left unexplored and redefine the place of Jews in a the central claim, that sporting modern urban setting. Metzler involvement was an agent of identifies a changing purpose, secularisation, is more assumed Reviewed by Lia Deromedi particularly with the rise of than argued. Playing (or (Department of English, Royal Nazism, as the museum became a watching) football on Saturday Holloway, University of London) haven for threatened Jewish art might indicate a decline in and culture in Germany. religious observance but does Visualizing and Exhibiting Jewish Dissimilar from Jewish museums not mean that it was its cause. Space and History begins with in communities seeking to Dee does not consider wider fourteen essays on aspects of preserve their centuries-long social pressures towards Jewish visual culture, ranging in local presence, Berlin’s Jewish secularism and assimilation and focus from specific exhibits, museum represents a young the two world wars and collections, or museums to community focused on evoking a consequent social changes that particular time periods and sense of tradition, which made it occurred during this period are regions. Volume editor Richard a central institution in the mentioned only in passing. He Cohen’s essay introduces the identity search of early-twentieth gives little attention to the post- trends and tensions of Jewish century urban Jews. Staying in WW2 period, while the cut off in visual culture from the 19th this region, Inka Bertz seeks to 1970 means that Jewish century to the present. He clarify what kind of history was involvement in anti-racist outlines the varying motivations presented in the Federal campaigns in football in the of post-war museum Republic of Germany (FRG) 1970s and 80s is unexamined. establishments through Jewish museums. Bertz traces the His claim in the introduction that examples such as the Jewish decades of change in the FRG,
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where the war’s destruction of war Jewish populations, museum and examinations of two open artefacts changed the dominance examples underscore the nation’s depot displays in Vienna and in exhibits from a preservation of Jewish history as discontinuous Chicago. Rounding out the material objects to the with periods of expulsion. In the symposium is an essay by immaterial remembrance of FRG, she identifies an aversion to Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek in narratives. She highlights the a discussion of immigration. which she asks where the visual Jewish Museums of Berlin and Ostow points out that, where the culture will go. What should be Munich whose striking focus has previously been on the role and goals of European contemporary structures are not exhibiting integration, newer Jewish museums in 21st century located on sites of specific Jewish displays celebrate diversity role and goals: anti-Semitism and history. Though anti-Semitism among Jewish immigrants; this the Holocaust, history and and the Holocaust cannot be encouragement to connect with culture celebration, evaded in Jewish museums, Bertz their own cultures and narratives memorialisation, or an argues that neither should they is important if art is to bridge opportunity to reflect on be overstated. communities. contemporary issues? Where an Ruth Gruber observes that Jewish Two essays examine Six Decades, exhibit represents a society or museums in Eastern Europe a large-scale state-sponsored specific identity, these must under Communism evoke exhibition celebrating Israeli art reconcile Europe’s past in absence and provoke memory from 1948-2008. The collection relation to the Nazi era and its inseparable from the Holocaust. was divided amongst six ethical issues. Eastern Europe is filled with museums throughout Israel with Other pieces include the Elliott ritual and everyday relics, thus each museum exhibiting one Horowitz’s stand-alone essay on the region itself becomes an decade. Ruth Direktor highlights anti-Semitism in twentieth exhibition on destroyed Jewish the issues raised by the century English society with a life. While struggling with strict exhibition: arbitrary division into focus on Leonard Woolf and Party policies, these decades; problematic national- Isaiah Berlin. Citing Woolf’s establishments designated how political context due to the biography, Horowitz explores a Jews were remembered and connection been Israeli art and mingled pride and shame in identified places where vibrant national identity; recent art English Jews and the communities had been erased. arousing more criticism and controversial idea of Jewish anti- Gruber interestingly points to the opposition; and selection and Semitism. Lastly, two review trend of synagogues as exhibits canonization. Though the essays discuss current trends in or housing exhibits; their exhibition generated great public scholarship. The first, by Chaim reconfigured purpose speaks interest, it was a topic of divided Waxman, is a review of two volumes about loss. Though debate in the art world. Osnat books representing the growing differing greatly, Gruber Zukerman Rechter examines the phenomenon of religious highlights that these museums all exhibition in the context of fundamentalism. The second managed to conserve a legacy of Hannah Arendt’s concept of essay by Kiril Feferman reviews the past and memorialize the ‘action’ as political, dependent on five books about the Jews in destroyed Jewish communities. plurality, and belonging to the occupied Soviet territories, Narrowing essays to specific public realm. Rechter believes representing a shift towards themes and exhibitions, Robin the goal of Six Decades was to more regional Holocaust Ostow focuses on the topic of restart collective memory where research. The books share a immigration within Jewish the double institutional authority discussion of the complex pre- museums. Organising her essay (museum and state) made a war relationships between Jews geographically, she first looks at strong call for action. and non-Jews in Soviet- the white settler countries that Lisa Saltzman focuses on two controlled regions, though became multicultural exhibitions from Summer 2007 Feferman argues they don’t go democracies—the US, Canada, at the Jewish Museum Berlin on far enough in explaining the and Australia. In these countries, Charlotte Salomon and Chantal scope of anti-Jewish sentiment. immigration has been treated in Akerman. The paired exhibitions The volume concludes with thirty varying ways: as a refuge from approached a historical centre of short reviews of recently Jewish persecution in Europe and absence with an emphasis on the published books on relevant Russia; focusing on acts of personal losses in families. subjects: ‘Antisemitism, rescue; or making clear the Following this, Abigail Glogower Holocaust, and Genocide’, difficulties and issues of Jewish and Margaret Olin address the ‘Cultural Studies and Education’, immigration. In the UK and question of what constitutes ‘History and Social Sciences’, and France, the Western European Jewish space. Their essay offers ‘Zionism, Israel, and the Middle countries with the largest post- more personal encounters with East’.
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range of fields. Focusing on contemporary Jewish visual Visualizing and Exhibiting Jewish collections, exhibitions or culture can learn from and Space and History is museums, the essays connect engage with its past. comprehensive in scope and will across themes and regions to be of interest to scholars in a inspire further dialogue on how
Call for Papers The Jewish Journal of Sociology Special Issue: The Relevance of the Jewish Question in the 21st Century Editors: Ilan Zvi Baron (Durham University) and Keith Kahn-Harris (Editor, Jewish Journal of Sociology)
In post-enlightenment Europe, Today, in the 65th year of the of questions that cannot be both Jewish and non-Jewish State of Israel, the Zionist answer answered on their own political thought was to the Jewish Question has terms? Indeed, have the Jews preoccupied by what came to be demonstrated its success. Israel always been politically a spatial called the Jewish Question. The is now the country with the people? What kinds of alternative Jewish Question asked what the largest Jewish population in the political spaces exist and have appropriate status of Jews should world and has become a pillar in existed for the Jews? Are there be within the nation state and in the construction of modern temporal themes that the particular whether or not Jewish Jewish identity. The Diaspora- spatially-focused Jewish ‘separateness’ could be focused answer to the Jewish Question has ignored? Indeed, is maintained. There were a variety Question has also been successful the Jewish Question even still of answers given to this question, in at least some countries, relevant in the age of Israel? including: the creation of a nation especially in North America and What unforeseen challenges have state for the Jews, forms of Western Europe, where Jews the assimilationist and Zionist autonomy within multi-ethnic have become a prosperous answers created? How did a states, radical assimilation, the minority without being stateless people end up framing a relegation of Jewish difference to threatened by officially- question so tied to state-based the private sphere, and the anti- sanctioned anti-Semitism. political futures and what does Semitic removal of all Jewish the Question have to say about difference from the bodypolitic of However, both of these answers the Diaspora? the nation state. have led to unforeseen complications. Being Jewish can The Jewish Journal of By the middle of the 20th Century, mean different things to Israelis Sociology invites papers to the Question appeared to have than to Diaspora Jews. Moreover, explore the relevancy and/or been resolved. Two particular the security issues in the Jewish meaning(s) of the Jewish moments were key: the State remain intensely Question today, from a range of declaration of the State of Israel controversial. Nor have fears theoretical and methodological on May 14 1948 and its about anti-Semitism, assimilation perspectives. Articles should be recognition by the United and Jewish disappearance between 6-8000 words and will Nations; and the adoption by the receded, particularly in the be subject to peer review. United Nations General Assembly Diaspora. on December 10th of the same The Special Issue will be year of the University It is worth asking therefore, how published in the second half of Declaration of Human Rights. The far the underlying assumptions 2014. Expressions of interest first moment created a Jewish that framed the Jewish Question and completed articles should be nation state where Jews could remain valid. The debates that sent to Ilan Zvi achieve sovereignty as Jews. The frame Diaspora/Israel relations Baron (ilan.baron(at)durham.ac. second officially recognized the are often predicated on an uk) or Keith Kahn-Harris rights of minorities such as Jews assumption that it is only within (kkahnharris(at)yahoo.co.uk) within nation states. 1948 the nation state system that Jews embedded both national and can find a political space. Does For more information on Diaspora-based answers to the the answer to the Jewish the Jewish Journal of Sociology go Jewish Question within Question still lie within the to: http://www.jewishjournalofs international law and the nation nation state system? Have the ociology.org/ state system. Jewish Question's core spatial assumptions led to the creation
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Six Million and One This year the BAJS conference has very kindly been offered the critically acclaimed film SIX MILLION AND ONE for showing. In the film, David Fisher, a veteran filmmaker, discovers his father’s memoir, a key to understanding the hopes and demons that plagued Joseph Fisher while he was in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. Joseph was a Hungarian Jew interned in Gusen and Gunskirchen, Austria, who later moved to Israel. His memoir was discovered only after his death. His children refuse to confront it, except for David, for whom it becomes a compass on a long journey of discovery. David goes to the U.S. and meets with American WWII veterans still experiencing post-traumatic stress caused decades before by witnessing the suffering at Gunskirchen concentration camp. During this research trip David realizes that it is unbearable to be alone in the wake of his father’s survival story. He convinces his brothers, Gideon and Ronel, and sister Estee to join him on a sobering trip to Austria. His hope: this shared journey might release tensions and make them as close as they once were. They, for their part, cannot understand why anyone would want to dig into the past instead of enjoying life in the present.
The four Fisher siblings descend into the dark underground shafts of Gusen, part of an Austrian forced labor camp, where their father once slaved during the Holocaust. Illuminated only by flashlights, the Fishers seek meaning in their personal and family histories inside the dark labyrinth of Gusen’s tunnels—a metaphor for the murky history of the Holocaust itself. Ultimately, through their camaraderie and humanity, these four siblings become emblematic of an entire second generation still grappling with the legacy of their survivor parents and the enormity of what they endured.
Director’s Note: “My siblings didn't want to read my father’s memoir… it contained things that were locked away for so long. I also did not want to read it and yet felt compelled to do so. I learned of Gusen village, Gunskirchen forest, beatings, hunger, cannibalism, homosexuality.... it uncovered all my father’s demons. Some names and issues were familiar—others seemed to be weird, hallucinatory, nightmarish. I set out on a quest to decipher them. I made half the journey alone. I forced the second half of the journey on my siblings, who didn't want to participate, even while they were crawling around tunnels and enchanted forests. This isn't a film about the Holocaust, because we spent most of our time laughing and there is nothing funny about the Holocaust; it’s about a rare kind of intimacy and sibling bond that replaced pain with bittersweet humor.”
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