WINTER 2003-2004Program in Judaic Studies PERELMAN INSTITUTE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY In this Issue 2 Courses NEWSDIRECTOR’S MESSAGE the fantastic. Our motto continues the theme: “Az K’Namér,” which we translate 3 Students Greetings to all of you as we open the “strong as a tiger.” (We justify this reading 3 Class of 2003 new academic year, 2003-2004. since, oddly enough, Hebrew has only 3 Alumni 2003 this one word to refer to all feral cats, 4 Senior Theses 2003 whether panthers, leopards, or tigers!!). NEW PROGRAM NAME: Last 6 Graduate Fellowships spring we noted that our long-awaited And why this quotation? The phrase, “az k’namér,” heads the famous injunction 7 Graduate Students change of name from the Program in from Pirkei Avot (the Sayings of the Jewish Studies (JWS) to the Program in 9 Summer Funding Fathers) bidding the faithful: “Be strong 13 Committee Judaic Studies (JDS) would take effect in (or “bold”) as a tiger, light as an eagle, the summer of 2003. In today’s comput- swift as a deer, and mighty as a lion.” This 13 Support erized world, it took a is the very same sentence that is carved 14 Haverim good deal of sleuthing over the top of the Torah ark doors, just 15 Faculty to ferret out the above the crown. Below you may observe 16 Research and News University’s innumer- the four animals named, including our 22 Events able web sites and docu- “tiger” (who admittedly is depicted here ments in order to make sans stripes). Taken all together—the logo, the motto, and the image—the the shift in nomencla- message is loud and clear: Judaic Studies NEW BUILDING: Update on last ture a reality, but we’ve is strong and thriving at Princeton. done it !! And to make year’s report. We are coming closer and sure our new identity closer to occupancy of our new quarters takes hold, we’ve completely redesigned that will be housed in a small building opposite the Joseph Henry House on the our brochure and web site. The revised INTRODUCING OUR NEW WEB SITE. front campus, across from Firestone format of the Newsletter, which you see Library and fronting on Nassau Street. before you, is also part of our “new look.” Please visit us at The anticipated date is the end of this Additionally, the Ronald O. Perelman www.princeton.edu/~judaic calendar year. As we mentioned last year, Institute is now the Perelman Institute this building will be part of the new (a lot easier for all). Humanities complex, which includes East Pyne and Chancellor Green. East Pyne Do observe the beau- NEW IMAGE: now houses again its former occupants tiful image which we chose as our center- (Classics, German, French, Italian, Spanish, piece. It is a set of carved and painted Portuguese, Slavic, and Linguistics). The wooden Torah Ark doors, from Krakow, complex now boasts a new auditorium Poland, dating from the 17th century. We on the lower level as well as the Language liked it not only for its Laboratory, which was housed elsewhere aesthetics but also for in the last few years. Still to come is a Be strong as a tiger, its relevance to our handsome café, a wholly restored logo and motto. I light as an eagle, Chancellor Green (to its pristine glory), hope that Princetonians and other goodies. We will share this new swift as a deer, and have already noticed space with several other programs (notably, that the two animals Hellenic Studies and European Cultural mighty as a lion. flanking the menorah Studies) and are eagerly anticipating this in our logo are none move. This prime location is evidence of other than the familiar striped tigers we the administration’s commitment to a love so well. Most often, you will see two strong JDS Program with high visibility lions in this position (referring to the lion on campus. We look forward to our full of Judah) although many other heraldic integration into the hub of activities that animals turn up in Jewish art throughout are already taking place. the ages, ranging from the common to (Director’s Message continued on page 20) Painted wooden Torah Ark doors, from Krakow, Poland, dating from the 17th century. COURSES STUDENTS FALL SEMESTER: SPRING SEMESTER: FALL SEMESTER: 2002 2003 2003 Topics in Jewish Studies: The “Other” Introduction to Judaism: The Golem: The Creation of an 2003 Certificate Students in Jewish Tradition: From the Bible Religion, History, Ethics Artificial Man to the Present James Diamond, Religion Peter Schäfer, Religion ALUMNI John Gager, Religion The Family in Jewish Tradition From Pale to Pampa: Jews and Judaism 2003 Gender, Sexuality, and the Body Ruth Westheimer, Visiting Professor in Latin American Literature in Judaism: From Biblical Israel to Edna Aizenberg, Visiting Professor Ira Bedzow is currently living in New York City and working for Contemporary America Culture Mavens: American Jews (Marymount Manhatten College) Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group, in mortgage financing. Susannah Heschel, Visiting Professor and the Arts (Dartmouth College) Jenna Weissman Joselit, American Studies Modern Jewish History and the Amos Bitzan will be in Berlin for the year on a DAAD fellowship Urban Experience Israeli Culture Through Film (similar in guidelines and funding to the Fulbright but awarded Texts and Images of the Holocaust Jenna Weissman Joselit, Visiting Professor by the German government). As part of the fellowship, he will be Froma Zeitlin, Comparative Literature Yaron Peleg, Near Eastern Studies, Visiting Professor (American University) Rabbinic Judaism: Literature, working in Berlin on his the project, The Sorrows of Young Jewish Thought and Modern Society History, and Beliefs Graetz A Jewish Historian in the Making, from Aufklärung to Leora Batnitzky, Religion Jewish Mysticism: From the Peter Schäfer, Religion Wissenschaft. This was the topic of his senior thesis but he plans Beginnings to the Kabbala Drucker Prize winners to continue his research and expand his findings. He is also taking Masterworks of Hebrew Literature Rachel Elior, Visiting Professor Religion and Literature In the two courses each semester at the Freie Universitat in Berlin. in Translation (Hebrew University) Old Testament: Through the James Diamond, Near Eastern Studies Babylonian Exile W. John McMath is working part time at Princeton University, Twentieth Century Jewish Philosophy Martha Himmelfarb, Religion while continuing his job search in New York City. The Art and Archaeology of the Leora Batnitzky, Religion Ancient Near East and Egypt Jewish Thought and Modern Society THE CLASS OF 2003 Jessica Munitz is currently living right outside DC and working William A. Childs, Art & Archaeology Elementary Hebrew Leora Batnitzky, Religion at the International Institute for Sustained Dialogue, where she Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies JEWISH STUDIES CERTIFICATE STUDENTS consults with universities to help them implement the Sustained Modern Jewish History: 1750-Present Jews, Gentiles, and Christians Dialogue framework in order to address issues of race and ethnicity Intermediate Hebrew We are proud to congratulate Ira Jay Bedzow, Amos Bitzan, Susannah Heschel, Visiting Professor in the Ancient World on campus. She is also a Masters student at the Institute for Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies Walter Jonathann McMath III, Jessica Rose Munitz, David 2002-2003 (Dartmouth College) John Gager, Religion Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University, Jeremy Segal, Joseph Nahum Shapiro, and Rachel Melanie where she is taking introductory courses and beginning to The Bible as Literature Masterworks of Hebrew Literature Smith the 2003 Princeton University graduates who earned a concentrate on the role of religion in conflict and in conflict Esther Schor, English and Humanities in Translation Certificate in Jewish Studies. Council James Diamond, Near Eastern Studies resolution. On leave: 2002-2003 Mark Cohen, Barbara Elementary Hebrew Mann [NES]; Olga Litvak [History], Martha Jews, Muslims, and Christians David Segal is a Legislative Assistant at the Religious Action Himmelfarb, Peter Schäfer [Religion], THE CAROLYN L. DRUCKER Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies in the Middle Ages Center (RAC). The RAC is the Washington office of the Barbara Hahn [Germanic Languages and Mark Cohen, Near Eastern Studies (CLASS OF 1980) PRIZE Union of American Hebrew Congregation and the Central Intermediate Hebrew Literature] Conference of American Rabbis, representing 1.5 million Reform Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies Minorities in Contemporary Israel hrough the generosity of the Drucker family, the Program Jews and 1,700 Reform rabbis in 900 congregations throughout and the Middle East Tawards an annual prize for the best senior thesis in Jewish North America. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Advanced Hebrew: Aspects of Dan Rabinowitz, Visiting Professor Studies. Before the establishment of the program, the prize was has been the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity Israeli Culture (Tel Aviv University) offered under the auspices of the Committee for Jewish Studies, in the nation’s capital for over 40 years. It has educated and Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies the program’s predecessor. Readings in Judeo-Arabic mobilized the American Jewish community on legislative and Mark Cohen, Near Eastern Studies The 2003 Drucker First Prize winner was Amos Bitzan for social concerns as an advocate in the Congress of the United “The Sorrows of Young Graetz: A Jewish Historian in the States on issues ranging from Israel and Soviet Jewry to economic Elementary Hebrew Making, from Aufklärung to Wissenschaft”, in the Department justice and civil rights, to international peace and religious liberty. Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies of Germanic Languages and Literature. A Second Prize was David’s job includes research, issue-tracking, policy analysis, Intermediate Hebrew awarded to David Jeremy Segal for “A Platonic Relationship, and letter and speech writing. Esther Robbins, Near Eastern Studies Philo’s Reading of Plato’s Phaedrus and Republic”, in the Joseph Shapiro is doing private tutoring, substitute teaching at Department of Classics.