ERSPECTIVESERSPECTIVES AJSPPTheThe MagazineMagazine ofof thethe AssociationAssociation forfor JewishJewish StudiesStudies

In This Issue: AJS 38th JEWISH POLITICAL STUDIES ...... 8 Annual ALSO... Perspectives on Technology Conference Heidi Lerner ...... 24 December 17-19, 2006 The History of Nonsense Manchester Grand Hyatt Abe Socher ...... 32 San Diego, California Yiddish / Jewish Cultures: A Graduate Student Conference (see page 50-51 for details) Shiri Goren, Hannah Pressman, and Lara Rabinovitch...... 38 FALL 2006 AJS Perspectives: The Magazine TABLE OF CONTENTS of the Association for Jewish Studies President Judith R. Baskin From the Editor...... 3 University of Oregon From the President ...... 5 Editor Allan Arkush From the Executive Director ...... 6 Binghamton University Editorial Board Announcements ...... 6 Howard Adelman Hebrew College Jewish Political Studies Alanna Cooper A Founding Father University of Massachusetts Amherst Alan Mittleman ...... 8 Jonathan Karp Binghamton University Interview with Michael Walzer Heidi Lerner Michah Gottlieb...... 10 Stanford University Frances Malino Contemporary Jewish Political Theory Wellesley College Daniel Frank ...... 14 Vanessa Ochs The Israel Democracy Institute: University of Virginia Pursuing Democracy in “The Jewish State” Riv-Ellen Prell University of Minnesota Randy L. Friedman ...... 16 Shmuel Shepkaru From “Azure” to “Hebraic Political Studies” University of Oklahoma Allan Arkush ...... 20 Abe Socher Oberlin College Perspectives on Technology: Shelly Tenenbaum Clark University Jewish Political Studies on the Internet Keith Weiser Heidi Lerner ...... 24 York University Steven Zipperstein The History of Nonsense AJS Vice President for Publications Abe Socher...... 32 Stanford University Managing Editor Yiddish / Jewish Cultures: A Graduate Student Conference Karin Kugel Shiri Goren, Hannah Pressman, and Lara Rabinovitch ...... 38 Executive Director Rona Sheramy Remembering Our Colleagues Graphic Designer Matt Biscotti Isaac Einstein Barzilay (1915–2006) Wild 1 Graphics, Inc. Stanley Nash ...... 42 Arthur Hertzberg (1921–2006) Please direct correspondence to: David Starr ...... 43 Association for Jewish Studies David Patterson (1922–2005) Center for Jewish History 15 West 16th Street S. Ilan Troen ...... 45 New York, NY 10011 Voice: (917) 606-8249 AJS 38th Annual Conference Information...... 50 Fax: (917) 606-8222 E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.ajsnet.org AJS Perspectives is published AJS Perspectives encourages submissions of articles, announcements, and brief letters to the bi-annually by the Association editor related to the interests of our members. Materials submitted will be published at the for Jewish Studies. discretion of the editors. AJS Perspectives reserves the right to reject articles, announcements, letters, advertisements, and other items not consonant with the goals and purposes of the organization. Copy may be condensed or rejected because of length or style. © Copyright 2006 Association for Jewish Studies AJS Perspectives disclaims responsibility for statements made by contributors or advertisers. ISSN 1529-6423 been narrowly confined. Jewish As Daniel Frank points out, some of political studies is alive and well, the more noted contemporary FROM however infrequently it goes by that Jewish political theorists “tease out name. Just how extensive a field it normative considerations from THE can be understood to be depends traditional texts” in books that on how broadly the subjects listed “could in principle be action- EDITOR by Elazar are defined. They can guiding.” And the editors of many perhaps be carefully circumscribed, of the publications sponsored by Dear Colleagues, but they can also be construed in the Israel Democracy Institute and such a way as to encompass a very the Shalem Center (discussed later his issue of Perspectives is large percentage of Jewish studies. in this issue by Randy Friedman and largely devoted to Jewish myself) certainly intend their work Tpolitical studies. But what is In this issue we will not engage in to be of such use. that? There is no better place to what would undoubtedly prove to look for an answer to this question be a futile effort to demarcate the Today’s practitioners of Jewish than the writings of the late Daniel precise boundaries of Jewish political studies are not engaged in Elazar, the American-Israeli political political studies. We will instead an unprecedented activity. But they scientist who has as much a claim as mark out the terrain it covers in a cannot always obtain reassurance anyone to be considered the very general way, beginning with a from looking back on their founder of the field. In 1989, in the retrospective look at the pioneering predecessors. A recent publication inaugural issue of the Jewish project of Daniel Elazar and of the Israel Democracy Institute Political Studies Review, he continuing with a variety of entitled Religion and State in identified it as “the study of Jewish perspectives on some of the most Twentieth-century Jewish Thought modes of self-government, political recent ventures in the field. (Aviezer Ravitzky, ed., 2005) perceptions, and exercise of political Without making any effort to be includes an article by Daniel Marom responsibilities.” He pinpointed the comprehensive, we will focus mostly on “Religion and State in the moment of the field’s birth as the on some of the more ambitious and Thought and Praxis of Ben-Zion date, two decades earlier, when the innovative work being done in Dinur.” Marom’s study of this first bibliographic essay on the Jewish political studies. eminent Jewish historian and subject had been published in the sometime Israeli politico discusses American Jewish Yearbook. After The most important endeavors in at some length his effort more than enumerating the growth areas in this area combine empirical and fifty years ago to integrate the Jewish political studies during the historical research, theoretical “Jewish political thought” that took twenty years following that essay’s inquiries, and an interest in the shape during the Jews’ centuries of publication, Elazar declared that the application of insights derived from life in exile into the process of time had come to establish a journal the Jewish political tradition to drafting a constitution for the new devoted to “further stimulation and present-day reality in very different State of Israel. Dinur’s ultimate lack dissemination of scholarship in the ways. As Alan Mittleman observes, of success in this area, Marom field, whether empirical research, Daniel Elazar not only traced the concludes, does not lessen the political thought, or systematic “employments of covenantal ideas contemporary relevance of his commentary on Jewish public both in Jewish political tradition thinking. But for those who wish to affairs.” and in the West” but did so as a pick up where he left off, it must be “political philosopher, concerned discouraging. Nearly two decades after Daniel about the eternal quest for liberty Elazar made these comments in the and order, for power and justice, for Our purpose here, of course, is Jewish Political Studies Review, it is Jews and non-Jews alike.” In his neither to encourage nor to curious to note the degree to which ongoing, multivolume collection disparage such people but simply to this journal, published in Jerusalem, entitled The Jewish Political call attention to their scholarly has retained something of a Tradition, Michael Walzer aspires efforts in a way that will be helpful monopoly on the rubric “to display the tradition in the style to our readers, especially if they incorporated in its title. A Google of the tradition,” that is, themselves are engaged in teaching search of “Jewish political studies” “argumentatively,” and he expresses or writing in the area of Jewish yields about one thousand hits, all the hope that the lively argument political studies. With that end in but a few of which point back to it. that he and his colleagues have view, we have concluded this But this should not be taken as engendered will “spill over into section of the current issue with a evidence that activity in the field has Israeli and diaspora political life.” guide to pertinent internet 3 resources. Heidi Lerner’s article on conference at New York University welcome your ideas or proposals. So this subject includes material and Abe Socher’s remarks please don’t hesitate to contact directly related to some of the concerning an unforgettable either Karin Kugel people, institutions, and utterance have few political ([email protected]) or me publications discussed in the ramifications. The obituaries of ([email protected]). We’ll previous articles as well as additional three recently departed giants of listen to criticism, too, and do our information relating to aspects of Judaic studies with which we best to eliminate any grounds for it. Jewish political studies that have conclude are focused on their not received detailed attention in cultural contributions, not their Allan Arkush this issue of Perspectives. political activities. Binghamton University

Not everything in this issue is Our next issue will deal with political. Shiri Goren, Hannah questions relating to biography and Pressman, and Lara Rabinovitch’s autobiography. Beyond that, we account of a graduate student have few concrete plans. We

The Association for Jewish Studies wishes to thank the Center for Jewish History and its constituent organizations–the American Jewish Historical Society, the American Sephardi Federation, the Leo Baeck Institute, the Yeshiva University Museum, and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research– for providing the AJS with office space at the Center for Jewish History.

4 Jewish community has been slow to to lecture on a pro bono basis. understand that academic Jewish FROM studies is not a wholly Jewish In a related development, AJS has undertaking. Moreover, many North been successful in establishing an THE American Jews are hard pressed to Eastern European Travel Grant differentiate between our academic Fund through generous subsidies PRESIDENT endeavors and Jewish student from the Lauder Foundation, the service organizations like Hillel. Forward Foundation, and the YIVO Dear Colleagues, Institute for Jewish Research. These As AJS increasingly and usefully funds will subsidize travel expenses ecently I spoke with a rabbi interacts with a variety of funding and conference attendance in San from a mid-sized city who sources with a wide range of Diego for several Eastern European Rdescribed an endowed lecture personal and collective goals, it is colleagues. Fourteen scholars delivered by a Jewish studies scholar crucial that we maintain our identity applied for these grants. The four at a local university. Although the as a learned society and enunciate who were selected, all of whose speaker had been informed that the our central mission “to promote, paper proposals underwent the usual audience would include large maintain, and improve teaching, vetting process, are from Russia, numbers of community members, research, and related endeavors in Hungary, and Poland. I hope you the scholarly tone of the address left Jewish studies in colleges, will join me in welcoming these most of those present, including the universities, and other institutions of colleagues to our annual meeting donor and the rabbi, bemused higher learning.” Certainly, Jewish and in supporting expansions of rather than informed. The rabbi was studies courses at the university level such funding in the years to come. concerned that this failure to can have a positive impact on the communicate to a general audience intellectual development and This is my final column as president. would deter attendance at identity formation of many Jewish It has been a great privilege to serve subsequent Jewish studies events at students. However, we must make as an officer of the Association for this campus and might discourage clear that while this may be a happy Jewish Studies for the past seven the donor from further by-product of our professional years. During my four years as vice contributions. efforts, it is not our guiding president for program and my three objective. years as president, I have been This episode touches on some of the fortunate to work with two ambiguities which many academics In June 2005, the AJS Board of outstanding executive directors, focusing on the Jewish experience Directors established an Aaron Katchen and Rona Sheramy, face in their interactions with the International Cooperation and their able staffs. My dedicated Jewish community. The reality is Committee, which is chaired by fellow officers have included David that many lecture series, academic Berel Lang. This committee is Berger, Arnold Dashefsky, Sara R. positions, and programs in Jewish beginning to establish contacts with Horowitz, Ephraim Kanarfogel, studies are funded by external academic Jewish studies Frances Malino, Deborah Dash donors and are dependent in various organizations, programs, and Moore, Lawrence H. Schiffman, and ways on the good will of local scholars abroad and is investigating Steven J. Zipperstein. Together we Jewish leaders. Not infrequently, the how North American scholars can have weathered many challenges as dissonance between scholarly best support Jewish studies AJS moved to higher levels of analysis and public expectations can scholarship elsewhere. Since AJS professional identity and service result in misunderstandings and already has close ties with the World while also making the transition even rancor. We have not yet been Union for Jewish Studies, which is from Waltham to New York. I offer completely successful in centered in Israel, the committee thanks to all of them and to the communicating that what we do in will focus on Eastern and Central many other AJS members who our classrooms and in our research Europe; it has also been in touch contribute so much to our success as is not a continuation of the various with programs in Australia and an organization. forms of religious education fostered South America. One possible within the Jewish community. outcome of the committee’s Judith R. Baskin Similarly, although Jewish studies ventures might be to encourage University of Oregon professors frequently explain that North American scholars on there are neither ethnic nor religious sabbatical and traveling through prerequisites to study or to teach in these regions to connect with Jewish our areas of expertise, the larger studies colleagues and programs and 5 Directory of Grants and The Profession Fellowships This guide explores professional FROM A comprehensive guide to grants matters in the field of Jewish and fellowships of interest to Jewish studies, with particular emphasis on THE studies scholars, this directory issues facing advanced graduate covers funding opportunities for students and pretenure scholars. EXECUTIVE graduate students as well as junior The Profession includes articles on and senior faculty. The data focuses topics such as getting the first book DIRECTOR primarily on grants in support of published, non-academic careers for Jewish studies research, although the Jewish studies scholar, and the Dear AJS Member, the directory also includes job interview. Future articles will information about a select few include the changing shape of am pleased to announce the general funding agencies (i.e., Jewish studies, preparing grant and launch of the new Resources NEH, ACLS). Funding fellowship applications, and the section of the AJS Web site organizations are also invited to add conference abstract. I information about their grants and (www.ajsnet.org/resources.htm), with several features to support fellowships. Events/Announcements in Jewish Jewish studies research, teaching, Studies and program development: Registry of Dissertations in A guide to conferences, seminars, Progress lectures, calls for papers, Directory of Programs in Jewish This registry offers data on the latest exhibitions, and other events and Studies research being conducted by announcements of interest to Jewish The directory lists institutions with graduate students in Jewish studies. studies scholars. Institutions and Jewish studies programs and Doctoral degree candidates whose organizations are invited to submit departments, as well as institutions thesis proposals have been approved brief descriptions and contact in the process of developing are invited to submit project information for events they are programs. Information includes: abstracts and contact information. sponsoring. This resource aims to degrees offered (from the certificate This registry is meant to keep provide a comprehensive and up-to- through the Ph.D.), a general scholars abreast of the latest research date directory of scholarly meetings program description, and contact being conducted in the field, as well and opportunities. information. The directory is as to assist search committees in searchable by state, institutional identifying appropriate candidates for AJS hopes these new Web site name, and degree. AJS has academic positions. features will support our members’ compiled a preliminary list of 150 research and teaching activities. We institutions and encourages colleges Registry of Visiting Scholars appreciate feedback and suggestions and universities to add or update Scholars who will be on leave for a for future additions to the their data. This guide is meant to semester or academic year are Resources section. help students identify appropriate invited to submit their contact institutions for their research information and field of research to Rona Sheramy interests, as well as provide AJS the Registry of Visiting Scholars. Association for Jewish Studies members with links to programs in This registry is meant to help the field. scholars remain in contact while on leave, as well as facilitate speaking opportunities for scholars in host communities. ANNOUNCEMENTS The University of Michigan Frankel Center in Judaic Studies and History Department are pleased to announce the joint appointment of Rachel Neis, effective September 2007. Professor Neis is a Ph.D. candidate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University with a specialization in the area of Jewish literature and culture in late antiquity.

Thomas C. Hubka, Professor of Architecture from theUW-MilwaukeeSchoolof Architecture & Urban Planning, has been recognized for lifetime achievement in the field of vernacular architecture studies. He was given the Henry Glassie Award at the annual Vernacular Architecture Forum meeting and awards banquet inNew York CityonJune 17, 2006.

6 7 Jewish Political Studies A FOUNDING FATHER Alan Mittleman ny consideration of Jewish the Jewish political tradition. political studies must attend In both, he found an Ato the work of Daniel J. expression of what the Elazar (1934–1999). Elazar was a historian of political highly accomplished political thought, Quentin Skinner, scientist—one of the leading has called “liberty before scholars of federalism in the liberalism” or of what the world—who turned his attention to Puritans called “federal the political experience, thought, liberty” and Madison called institutions, and culture of the “republican liberty.” These Jewish people. Elazar’s range was terms refer to a political immense. As an empirical political system of self-rule and scientist, he could study limited government, often contemporary intergovernmental under the aegis of shared relations in the cities of the transcendent values, in American Midwest, in federal which the common good polities such as Switzerland, or in weighs more heavily than Daniel J. Elazar. Courtesy of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. confederal arrangements such as the ideas of individual good or rights. text to indicate a threefold model European Union. As a theorist, he Rights there are, but rights are whereby polities come into reached back into the wellsprings of coordinated with political obligation existence: “reflection and choice,” Western civilization and traced the and overriding concern for the “accident,” and “force.” Accident career of political ideas and values, commonweal. Elazar thought that here refers to the slow growth of such as consent, across the republicanism was the ideal type of organic institutions evolving and centuries. The interplay of the Jewish polity, as well as the ur-type adapting through the vicissitudes of empirical with the theoretical, of the of American government. history. Think of the British ancient with the contemporary, constitution, as celebrated by typifies his work, especially his work Elazar often cited Hamilton in Edmund Burke. Force refers to on the Jewish political tradition. Federalist, no. 1 as a key to how the conquest, to the coercive absorption American founders understood the of one society by another. An There is another interplay in his formation of political communities accidental or natural political society work that must also be taken into and gauged the possibilities for typically has a powerful, historic account. As Jonathan Sarna and liberty in a nutshell. “It has been aristocracy at its center, with real other historians have noted, frequently remarked that it seems to but diminishing power in the American Jews have been fond of have been reserved to the people of concentric rings of the periphery. finding connections between the this country, by their conduct and The polity founded on force is republican elements of the Bible example, to decide the important typically a power pyramid, with a and the constitutional design of the question, whether societies of men point of godlike power at the top American polity. Elazar participated are really capable or not of and a descending hierarchy of fully, for the best of scholarly establishing good government from bureaucratic and military castes to reasons, in this so-called “cult of reflection and choice, or whether govern the masses at the bottom. synthesis.” Elazar’s work on they are forever destined to depend Only a polity formed of “reflection American federalism is closely for their political constitutions on and choice,” a political society connected to his reconstruction of accident and force.” Elazar took this composed of essentially free and 8 equal agents, is capable of liberty. organized along covenantal lines mechanical. His postulation of an Elazar saw in the ancient Jewish will have a diffusion of authority, as ongoing Jewish political tradition idea of covenant a profound is clearly the case in the U.S., where characterized by covenant and political expression of federal (from local control competes with internal pluralism has also been Latin foedus, covenant) or statewide control, which competes attacked as insufficiently empirical republican liberty. He saw covenant with national prerogatives in the and essentialist. Nonetheless, one as a “theo-political” concept, a way complex negotiation of authority must appreciate Elazar’s attempt to of thinking through bring the tools of the possibility of comparative liberty ordered by ONE ALSO SEES, BEYOND THE DETAILS OF HIS ANALYSIS political analysis to transcendence, of the Jewish freedom under divine OF ANY GIVEN POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE WORK OF A experience. One law. He did not view also sees, beyond covenant primarily as a POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER, CONCERNED ABOUT THE the details of his theological notion or analysis of any metaphor or symbol ETERNAL QUEST FOR LIBERTY AND ORDER, FOR POWER given political but as a form of AND JUSTICE FOR EWS AND NON EWS ALIKE system, the work of organization. , J -J . a political Covenant, as a core philosopher, political concept in biblical and that is American federalism. Elazar concerned about the eternal quest rabbinic Judaism, as well as in contended that Jewish polities in for liberty and order, for power and Christian experience, had both every period, from biblical regime justice, for Jews and non-Jews alike. vertical (“theo-“) and horizontal types to contemporary voluntary (“political”) dimensions. The social diaspora communities, exhibited the Alan Mittleman is Director of the contract theories of early modern same mechanism of internal power Louis Finkelstein Institute for political thought were secularized, pluralism. He called this feature of Religious and Social Studies and that is, purely “horizontal” versions, Jewish political culture the “three Professor of Jewish Philosophy at the of Reformed Protestant crowns” (shalosh ketarim) after the Jewish Theological Seminary. covenantalism. The constitutional mishnah in Pirkei Avot, which he experience of the American colonies understood to be a metaphoric leading up to the Founding relied extension of an originally political heavily on Reformed Protestant usage. In his view, all of Jewish understandings of a proper political history—which he outlined AJS 38th covenantal political order. Biblically in his co-authored book, The Jewish derived covenantalism remains alive Polity—could be analyzed in terms Annual to the present in American political of the relative position of competing ideals and institutions, as well as in authorities within the Jewish Conference Jewish ones. Elazar’s four volume tradition. The “Crown of Torah” magnum opus, The Covenant was variously occupied by prophets, December 17-19, 2006 Tradition in Politics, traces in detail sages, and rabbis. The “Crown of the employments of covenantal Kingship” was held by actual kings, Manchester Grand Hyatt ideas both in Jewish political by ethnarchs and roshei golah, by tradition and in the West up to the medieval parnasim and by San Diego, California present day. contemporary “civil servants” in federations, communal agencies, Deadline for A key feature of covenanting is that etc. The “Crown of Priesthood” the initial liberty of the covenanting became diminished after the meal reservations, agents is to be preserved by limited, destruction of the Second Temple, pre-conference reduced republican or constitutional- but religious functionaries, such as registration fee, monarchic government. Such cantors and, in their purely ritual government will be characterized by dimensions, rabbis, continue to and hotel reservations: internal pluralism—by power represent this keter. November 15, 2006. divided against itself. There is no one political center but competing This feature of Elazar’s approach loci of power. A political society has been criticized as overly (see page 50-51 for details)

9 available in a religious INTERVIEW WITH civilization such as Judaism for MICHAEL WALZER political action? Michah Gottlieb How much autonomy do member of the faculty at the political actors have? Obviously, Institute for Advanced Studies this is a question that arises also Asince 1980, Michael Walzer is in Christian politics, but the one of the world’s most Jewish answers are interestingly distinguished political theorists. His different from, as well as similar publications include Obligations: to, the Catholic, Protestant, Essays on Disobedience, War and and Orthodox answers. A Citizenship (1970), Just and Unjust related question is the extent to Wars (1977), Spheres of Justice: A which politics as a form of Defense of Pluralism and Equality human coping can be valued in (1983), Exodus and Revolution a religious context where God is (1985), On Toleration (1997), “a man of war,” and a king, and Arguing about War (2004), and a redeemer—and where men Politics and Passion (2005). He is and women who act Michael Walzer. Courtesy of the Institute for Advanced Study. currently engaged, together with co- independently in the political world political studies impacted your editors Menachem Lorberbaum, (as the Zionists did), without divine thinking about more general issues Noam Zohar, Yair Loberbaum, and authorization, can be criticized as in political science? Ari Ackerman, in the publication of faithless, idolatrous, or heretical. Walzer: Sometimes I think that my a four-volume compendium of work on the Jewish political traditional texts and contemporary The second major issue is the tradition project is just an effort to commentaries entitled, The Jewish meaning of exile—and its escape from the seemingly endless Political Tradition (Yale University consequences: how did the Jews business of studying John Locke’s Press, 2000–). sustain a common life and a Second Treatise yet again, or reading common legal system without another monograph on that Is there a field of Jewish political sovereignty or territory? And how undoubtedly important work, or studies and, if so, what is it? did they come to understand this teaching it or lecturing on it for the Michael Walzer: Well, yes, of course achievement? Indeed, it may well be twenty-seventh time . . . Or on there is such a field, just as there is a true that the exilic focus is what Rousseau, or on Mill . . . The canon field of Chinese politics or of French most specifically defines Jewish can get tiresome, even though I am politics. It is also true that these political studies. The first and not particularly interested in fields could be broken up: you could second commonwealths can easily be subverting it. So, consider Jewish study Chinese political history in a treated within the comparative politics as a form of escapism for history department and, say, politics of the ancient world aging political theorists. On the Confucian political theory in a (although as Henri Frankfort long other hand, I have always been political science or philosophy ago noted, the Jewish view of engaged by the condition of the department. You could separate kingship was unique among the Jews: it is a form, after all, of self- Jewish history from the political ancients), and the modern state can knowledge. And all my writing thought of Maimonides; you could (more easily?) be treated within the about group attachment, cultural study halakah in a law school. But comparative politics of the Middle pluralism, and the different “regimes interesting things happen when you East or of the modern state system. of toleration” is, whatever else it is, bring people with these separable These polities are, perhaps, most an effort to develop and defend a interests together. What are the interesting when we consider them picture of the political world that central themes that might be as they were remembered or makes room for us—specifically, for addressed, that are in fact beginning imagined in the years of a stateless people. But when I first to be addressed, in the field of statelessness. began writing about those Jewish politics? questions, I took “us” for granted, How does your work in Jewish without knowing much about the There is first the issue of religion political studies relate to your other history of Jewish statelessness or and politics: how much room is research? Has your work in Jewish about the arguments that have gone

10 on within the different Jewries of What drew you to work in this be a little systematic (some of us are the exile. My work on the Jewish field? more so, some less) in defending political tradition is an effort to Walzer: I partly answered this our opinions and giving our understand the specific features of question in responding to the reasons. The history of political this people, which is my own second question above. But I would theory is a descriptive discipline, people: who rules (and who has add a word about the importance of though even this history is ruled) in the Jewish community? life cycle celebrations, especially the commonly written to advance a How were (and are) its boundaries bar and bat mitzvah, and of particular view of contemporary determined? What was (and is) the teachers. My bar mitzvah portion, politics. But an actual theory, of character of its institutional life? Ki Tissa, included the story of the distributive justice, say, is simply an How have we (how do we) golden calf, the smashing of the argument about how social goods understand our place in world tablets, and the killing of the idol ought, and ought not, to be history and in the society of nations? worshippers by Moses and the distributed: who should get what? Levites. I studied the portion with a It is normative from the beginning, Engaged with these questions, I wonderful rabbi and teacher, Chaim and any descriptive elements that it have also become increasingly Perelmutter, worried about it and includes serve the normative goals. interested in what might be called argued about it with him. At first I So, by collecting texts and writing “the Jewish question for Jews”— did not want to read the section that commentaries, we are in some sense which has to do with the meaning of began: “Take every man his sword . describing the Jewish political our membership in what is . .” I did read it, but never stopped tradition, but we are also simultaneously a people or a nation arguing about it, and the eventual constructing it in a certain way and and a religious community. Can we result was my first book on a Jewish then engaging with it in a certain distinguish these two and choose theme: Exodus and Revolution. way—a mix of appreciation and only one of them? Certainly the Given the academic division of criticism. The mix is different for the Jewish world is defined primarily in fields and my place in it, this book different contributors to the project, religious terms—and yet disbelief was an act of trespass. But Moshe but all of us share a commitment to and selective belief have played a Greenberg, a great biblical scholar, this constructive work and to this major part in its history, and today a read the first draft of the book and mode of engagement. very large number of Jews are not encouraged me to keep working on believers at all. Is there a secular it; he sat with me in Jerusalem and What impact do you see your work Jewishness? Well, secular Jews have continued the arguments that I in this field as currently having, been the major political actors in began at age thirteen. And another and what do you hope its impact recent Jewish history, but it isn’t extraordinary teacher, David will be in the future? Is Jewish clear that they have succeeded in Hartman, welcomed me into the political studies primarily an producing a sustainable culture. I intellectual community that he has academic pursuit or is it also identify strongly with their efforts, created in Israel, where it is a supposed to affect contemporary but at the same time I believe that a cardinal principle that trespass is not politics? If the latter, is it supposed full-scale engagement with the a sin (so long as it is serious). to impact Jewish politics alone (in Jewish tradition is necessary to any Edmund Burke says somewhere that Israel? in the diaspora?) or it also to reconstruction of our common life. if people are to love their state, the be of interest to other The Zionist project of negating the state has to be lovely. The same societies/communities? exile was both understandable and thing is true of a field of study, and Walzer: The work I am now doing wrongheaded. I now think of my the crucial attraction can only be the on Jewish politics is collaborative own work on the tradition as an people who are already there. work; I could not do it myself. Still, effort to make the case for criticism I will answer these questions from and appropriation rather than How do descriptive and normative my own perspective. My negation. And I have begun to concerns fit together in your work collaborators probably have write about this as a general in this field? somewhat different, though not problem, which arises also in Walzer: It is the glory of political entirely different, views about the Hinduism and Islam, for example, theory as an academic field that impact they hope to have in the where secular nationalists attacking these categories and all the academy and the political arena. I the religious traditions of their own arguments about facts and values are hope that the four volumes of The people have produced a militant largely irrelevant to the work we do. Jewish Political Tradition (two are religious revivalism, which has some Political theorists are not objective out, two more are in the works) will similarities to messianic Zionism and scholars; we are allowed to have and challenge the claim of orthodox religious nationalism in Israel. to express opinions; we just have to Jews to have a monopoly on the

11 tradition—to be its true owners and and apocalyptic force. The state of and to make them available to authoritative expounders. I want all mind that our volumes are (in my people with no special Jewish the texts that we have collected to view) designed to encourage is a knowledge. I will mention just one become (what the Sinai story state of mind compatible with example. In an age when there is so implies) a common possession. And liberal, pluralist, and democratic much discussion (much of it then I want this possession, these politics. The texts themselves, premature in my view) about the texts, religious and secular, sacred obviously, don’t all fit that model— end of sovereignty and the decline and profane, to be recognized as most of them don’t—and our of the nation-state, the Jewish objects of critical reflection, all of commentators range across the experience of statelessness takes on them subject to the same scrutiny, political spectrum. But the a new importance. We have a lot to the same questioning. That’s why in argumentative style does fit the tell non-Jews about the advantages our volumes the texts are model. Jews who break with the and a lot more to tell them about accompanied by commentaries—so tradition have long had an elective the disadvantages of not having a that readers are shown how the affinity with liberalism. I hope to state. There is also much to be scrutiny and the questioning should find that affinity again in an learned from the institutions that proceed. We are displaying the engagement with the tradition. we created and sustained without a tradition in the style of the tradition, territorial base and without and that style is argumentative. We Finally, all of us hope that these sovereign power. Whether there will asked our commentators, and we ask books will be of interest to political be people eager to learn—that I our readers, to join the argument. theorists and historians generally. don’t know, but if Jews engage with The impact we hope for—here I can Some of the writers that we include the tradition in a newly open and speak for all of us—is an open, lively, are already being studied outside the undogmatic way, other people may ongoing argument. Jewish world—Maimonides, take notice. Spinoza, and Mendelssohn are the The more open and lively the obvious examples. But there are also Michah Gottlieb is Assistant Professor argument is the more likely it is to issues that arise and debates that of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at spill over into Israeli and diaspora have gone on within the Jewish New York University. political life. Religion is a driving world that should be of wider force in contemporary politics, and interest, and our volumes are it is often a dogmatic, authoritarian, organized to highlight some of these

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13 for Spinoza as well. Political anthropology CONTEMPORARY underwrites political reform, and it is most JEWISH POLITICAL difficult to demarcate crisply between normative and THEORY descriptive studies in Daniel Frank Jewish political ewish political theorizing is hard philosophy. Recent books by Lenn to delineate, since whatever Goodman (On Justice: An Essay in Jreflections are forthcoming Jewish Philosophy, 1991), Menachem about the Jewish community almost Kellner (Must a Jew Believe by definition fall under this rubric. Anything? 1999 [2nd edition, Reflections about life and death 2006]), David Hartman (A Living (and communal practices of Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in entering and exiting the Traditional Judaism, 1998), and community), intermarriage, and the David Novak (Covenantal Rights, rights of the agunah are certainly 2000), however much they differ aspects of Jewish political theory. from each other, tease out Yet such first-order policy oriented normative considerations from discussions are probably not the traditional texts, and in this way Baruch Spinoza. Photograph by Sophus Williams of kind of musings that first come to these political philosophical texts painting(?) by E. Hader, 1884. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov. mind in connection with a brief could in principle be action- discussion of contemporary Jewish guiding. These books are among Lorberbaum, Politics and the Limits political theory. If one ascends, the most important contributions of Law: Secularizing the Political in instead, to a more general, by contemporary theorists, Medieval Jewish Thought, 2001). It metatheoretical level, where debates reflecting in many ways the should perhaps be noted that focus on justice, rights, deserts, the influence of recent Anglo-American Lorberbaum, a coeditor of the aims of law, and the trajectories and political theory. John Rawls and multivolume The Jewish Political intersections of the secular and the Alasdair MacIntyre, as well as other Tradition (2000–) discussed sacred, I suspect the student of thinkers writing out of the natural elsewhere in this issue, is connected Jewish political theory and political law tradition, are the interlocutors with the Shalom Hartman Institute philosophy will find himself or of thinkers who take their bearings in Jerusalem. Founded by David herself on more familiar turf. There from the Jewish political tradition in Hartman in 1976, this modern the student or practitioner of Jewish debates over justice and deserts, the Orthodox think tank has been the political theory joins hands with the nature of contractual obligation, engine of much innovative political tradition of political theorizing since relevant distinctions between policy in Israel and a catalyst for Plato. Indeed, the issues debated by contract and covenant, and the political theorizing of the highest Jewish political theorists are part of trajectory of positive law. order. The editors of Hebraic general political theorizing. Political Studies, discussed in some Contemporary Jewish political detail elsewhere in this issue, are Plato, on account of the medieval theory can also be understood to explicit about their journal’s focus Islamic influence on Maimonides, encompass recent work of a on “recovering the Hebraic political was historically far more influential historical nature. I included chapters tradition and evaluating its place in than Aristotle or Cicero on Jewish on medieval political philosophy in the history of political thought.” political philosophy, and the student History of Jewish Philosophy (1997, They view the Hebraic political of Jewish political philosophy will 2003) and in The Cambridge tradition as “distinct” from others, consequently note that normative Companion to Medieval Jewish and occluded on account of the issues relating to how things should Philosophy (2003), and their authors, secularizing tendencies of the or ought to be are often embedded Abraham Melamed and Menachem Enlightenment. It remains to be in seemingly descriptive accounts. Lorberbaum, have written at greater seen how distinct the Hebraic Plato’s discussion of human nature length on historical subjects political tradition really is from is not “flat,” but the grounds for a (Melamed, Philosopher-King in other so-called Western political program of political reform. And Medieval and Renaissance Jewish traditions, and it should also be the same is true for Rambam, and Political Thought, 2003; noted that the Enlightenment itself 14 is increasingly reconceived as and Michael Rosenthal, and there is without divine (or metaphysical) abetting a religious vision of its even a collection edited by Heidi sanction. own. Ravven and Lenn Goodman, Jewish Themes in Spinoza’s Philosophy What can be said in conclusion A signal moment in contemporary (2002). about the general state of Jewish political theory is the contemporary Jewish political plethora of recent work on Spinoza Spinoza’s arch-enemy is thought? It is alive and well at the and his Tractatus Theologico- Maimonides, the greatest of the beginning of the new millennium. Politicus (TTP). Published medieval Jewish thinkers. The late Nonhistorical studies reflect a anonymously in 1670, it is a Lawrence Berman emphasized in healthy awareness of general (non- foundational text for political many articles (for example, Jewish) work in the field, and one liberalism and the separation of “Maimonides, the Disciple of hopes that this will remain the case. Church and State. It is read as a Alfarabi,” Israel Oriental Studies If I must hazard a guess, I would strong critique of traditional [1974]) the Farabian political say that normative work in Jewish Judaism and a vindication of the element in Rambam’s thought. One political thought will continue to freedom of the individual to think major point here is his refine a political theology that as he or she wishes. Steven Smith in indebtedness, via Farabi, to Plato makes ample room for a principled Spinoza, Liberalism, and the and the latter’s notion of the pluralism. Recent work on “liberal” Question of Jewish versions of virtue Identity (1997) theory and takes the TTP to THE DEBATE BETWEEN MAIMONIDES AND SPINOZA CAN “perfectionist” be less a critique accounts of political of a historical BE SEEN, THEN, AS NOT JUST ONE BETWEEN RELIGIOUS morality by, among religion than a others, William meditation on the AND NON-RELIGIOUS THINKERS, BUT ALSO AS A POLITICAL Galston, Joseph Raz, identity of modern and George Sher, as man, caught DEBATE BETWEEN A GREEK-INSPIRED METAPHYSICALLY- well as innovative between tradition work on the and history. GROUNDED POLITICS AND A HOBBESIAN-INSPIRED republican tradition Spinoza addressed by Phillip Pettit and the “Jewish POLITICS GROUNDED IN A CONTRACT WITHOUT DIVINE Quentin Skinner Question” long OR METAPHYSICAL SANCTION might be useful for before Marx’s Zur ( ) . Jewish political Judenfrage, and theorizing, for it some of the most provocative work philosopher-king for his very own allows one to incorporate a healthy in contemporary Jewish political understanding of prophecy. The sense of community (and theory turns out to be work on prophet (Moses) is a philosopher- peoplehood) while also making issues put forth by Spinoza. Spinoza king, wedding metaphysical insight room for notions of freedom and has been read as a proto-Zionist by with political power. Abraham autonomy so prized in discussions those who see in his work a stinging Melamed has contributed a learned of political liberalism. And finally, negation of Diaspora history and its treatise, mentioned previously, on historical work is also showing signs communal traditions and belief in the history of the notion of the of increasing awareness of external divine redemption. Even a work philosopher-king in Jewish political (non-Jewish) influences on Jewish such as J. Samuel Preus’s Spinoza thought. This turns out to be part political thinkers. This is not to be and the Irrelevance of Biblical of a longer story about the tension resisted, but welcomed as a sure Authority (2001) is not without within Jewish political theorizing sign that Jewish political thought clear political implications arising between democratic and non- (even and Jewish political thinkers, from Spinoza’s radical biblical anti-) democratic elements. The working on problems that define hermeneutics. Such political debate between Maimonides and them as such, are part of a grand readings of Spinoza serve to Spinoza can be seen, then, as not tradition of political theorizing. redefine a whole host of traditional just one between religious and non- subjects such as messianism, religious thinkers, but also as a Daniel Frank is Professor of prophecy, election, and even political debate between a Greek- Philosophy at Purdue University. religion itself. Of late, important inspired metaphysically-grounded work has been done on Jewish politics and a Hobbesian-inspired themes in Spinoza by Zev Harvey politics grounded in a contract

15 many abstracts) are available in English. IDI occasionally publishes THE ISRAEL DEMOCRACY Hebrew translations of relevant English texts (e.g., Robert A. Dahl’s INSTITUTE: PURSUING On Democracy [2002]). In a piece in Israel Affairs (7.4, DEMOCRACY IN 2001) on the history and function of IDI, founder and President Aryeh “THE JEWISH STATE” Carmon describes his participation Randy L. Friedman in negotiations among six members each of Likud and Labor that n his review of National Security to promote public discourse about produced the 1997 Beilin-Eitan and Democracy in Israel (1992), issues on the national agenda.” “Document of the National a collection of essays mostly I Agreement on the Principles of the stemming from an Israel Democracy The range of books, papers, and Permanent Settlement with the Institute (IDI) conference, Ira studies published by IDI now covers Palestinians.” He wonders whether Sharkansky reminds us that “there is almost every possible topic of his involvement was “natural.” Was no obvious explanation for Israel’s concern in an emerging democracy, there a line crossed that goes democracy. Most of the population as well as issues specific to life and beyond an effort to provide the came from societies of central and government in Israel most reliable professional help to eastern Europe or the Middle East (disengagement, creation of a decision-makers? When does the where democracy was weakly constitution). Series include The work of policy think tanks cross the established if it existed at all.” Add Army and Society (such as The boundaries of professional to this poor economic conditions research?” He asks a similar and cycles of violence and war, question of IDI’s involvement in a and Israeli democracy is quite broad-based discussion of secular- impressive, he concludes. It “says religious relations including much of significance about the members of IDF, jurists, clergy, and politics of a country that is often academics. “Does involvement in a wracked by issues demanding profound social-religious conflict as immediate decisions that [it an active agent of change alter the remains] sensitive both to the role of a public policy think tank?” nuances of democracy and to the ugliness of violence.” The conflict Not surprisingly, Carmon concludes between security and democracy is that active engagement in policy one of many issues pursued formulation (and reform) as well as through research and conferences outreach to the politically at IDI, or by politicians, sophisticated Israeli public (through academics, economists, diplomats, Reprinted from To Israel, with love, by Dosh [pseud.]. forums and publications) are or religious figures affiliated in New York, T. Yoseloff, c1960. responsible for IDI’s success. Two one way or another with the Israel Defense Forces and The projects in particular represent the Institute. In fact, one would be National Economy of Israel [2004], approach and interest of IDI: hard-pressed to find a leading Morality, Ethics and Law in “constitution by consensus” and a political scientist in Israel who has Wartime [2003]); Policy Papers secular-religious dialogue now not or is not currently involved with (such as On the Role of Jewish Law known as “Gavison-Medan.” IDI. The main goals of IDI, listed in Matters of Religion and State on the English version of its [2004], Inequality and Poverty in One of the central objectives of IDI homepage, are: “to promote Israel [2002]); The Annual has been to foster the creation of a structural, political, and economic Economic Conference (such as written constitution for the State of reforms; to be a source of Economic Challenges Facing Israel in Israel. The project “Constitution by information and comparative the New Millennium [2000]); The Consensus” (occasionally described research for the Knesset and Public Council (such as Anchoring as “constitution by broad government authorities; to serve as Civil Rights in the Constitution consensus”) includes the an advisory body for decision- [2003]); and many others. Books development of an education makers and the general public; and and papers appear mostly in curriculum entitled “Kids in Search Hebrew, though some titles (and 16 of Common Ground: the Education and theological-halakhic.” The in the constitutional movement, System Writes a Constitution” and Covenant, written under the embodies this exclusion. Though the organization of numerous supervision of Gavison and Medan sometimes it does invite Arabs to its conferences to address the various runs more than 100 pages, and conferences and activities, Rouhana aspects of constitution building. IDI covers, among other issues, the Law says, “they are essentially used to lists a series of political-social of Return, “personal status” provide cover for the effort to problems that it hopes to address in (marriage and divorce), religious consolidate a Jewish consensus on and through the process of dietary laws, burial, and national Israel’s ‘Jewish and democratic’ developing a constitution, including service. claim.” In a footnote to this claim, what it sees as a still unclear Rouhana adds “this charge about “collective identity, and the the IDI cannot be made lightly. relationship between Judaism, Obviously it requires some nationalism, and democracy.” IDI investigation into IDI’s has been concerned that ideological constitutional activities and the (and religious) rifts in Israeli society role it assigns to Arab threaten to tear apart the country’s participants.” She points to her developing democratic culture, own “‘Constitution by and, indeed, the democratic system Consensus’: By Whose itself. Corollary projects have Consensus?” Adalah Newsletter 7 included studies and reform of (November 2004), and “The Israel’s electoral system, and the Jewish Institute for Ethnic pursuit of structural changes in the Democracy: A Response to the legislative and executive branches Israel Democracy Institute (IDI),” of government. Adalah Newsletter 9 (January Reprinted from To Israel, with love, by Dosh [pseud.]. 2005). Amir Avramovitz, the Secular-religious relations are also New York, T. Yoseloff, c1960. General Director of “Constitution the focus of the Gavison-Medan by Consensus” at IDI, has Covenant (“a comprehensive IDI has received a certain amount of responded to Rouhana proposal for dealing with issues of criticism. In an article entitled (“Constitution by Consensus, religion and state in Israel”) worked “Jewish and Democratic? The Price Including, Certainly, the Consensus out under the auspices of the of a National Self-Deception” that of the Arab Minority in Israel” in Shalom Hartman Institute and the appeared in the Journal of Adalah Newsletter 8 [December Rabin Center with support from Palestinian Studies (Winter 2006), 2004]), by reiterating the broadly IDI (which published the Nadim M. Rouhana specifically inclusive goals of the project and Covenant). The goal of the addresses the project of creating a rejecting Rouhana’s claim that Arab Covenant is “the creation of a public constitution for Israel. She participation in the process served as and educational climate, underlying concludes that “to be effective, a “fig leaf” for the majority Jewish which is the notion that our voices that reject the ‘Jewish and participants. commonalities must prevail over our democratic’ campaign must be differences. Recognition of this fact consistent and unwavering; they The challenges facing IDI are the will enable the creation of an must be assertive in their demand same challenges that face Israel as a operative framework for devising for the state’s transformation from whole, a collective fraught with solutions, and discourage a an ethno-religious Jewish state inter- and intraethnic and religious particular side from forcing defeat (whether it defines itself as tensions and conflict. Through its on the other.” The main work democratic or not) to a genuinely, many conferences, publications, and involved a lengthy series of dialogues and therefore obviously, de- research, IDI engages these between Professor Ruth Gavison, Zionized, state (whether with a tensions, and continues to work at the Haim Cohn Chair of Human Jewish majority or not).” Rouhana the development of Israeli Rights in the Law in the Law directly criticizes the approach of democratic culture. Faculty of the Hebrew University, IDI, accusing it of defining and Rabbi Ya’acov Medan, who “consensus” as “Jewish consensus,” Randy Friedman is Visiting Assistant teaches at the Har Etzion Yeshiva since Israel’s Arab citizens, though Professor of Philosophy and Judaic and the Ya’acov Herzog College in comprising more than 16 percent of Studies at Binghamton University. Alon Shevut. The discussions the population, have been left out of required three categories of inquiry: the constitutional debates. IDI, “legal-civic, theoretical-universal, which has lately played a leading role

17 18 19 More recently, studies. But the difference between the Shalem these two journals is not as clear-cut FROM “AZURE” TO Center has as the manifestos of their (entirely introduced a new different) editors might seem to “HEBRAIC periodical that suggest. Hebraic Political Studies bears the title has already published in its very Hebraic Political short lifetime articles that resemble POLITICAL STUDIES” Studies and others that have appeared in Azure, Allan Arkush identifies itself as including a piece by Shalem Center he Jerusalem-based but by “an international peer-reviewed founder and frequent Azure no means exclusively Israeli journal.” This journal seeks above contributor Yoram Hazony entitled TShalem Center calls itself “a all to recover “the Hebraic political “Does the Bible have a Political research institute dedicated to tradition” developed through the Teaching?” And Azure has Jewish and Israeli social thought ages “by Jewish, Christian, and published articles that could easily and policy.” Islamic thinkers— be imagined in the pages of Hebraic Outside observers rabbis, theologians, Political Studies, such as Joseph commonly scholars, and Dan’s “Jewish Sovereignty as a describe it as a statesmen—who Theological Problem” and Yosef “neoconservative drew ideas with Yitzhak Lifshitz’s “Foundations of a think tank” political import Jewish Economic Theory.” funded by from the Hebrew wealthy Bible, and who In fact, the article that seems to Americans and interacted with have served as the inspiration for devoted to each other and the creation of Hebrew Political providing the with the Studies, Fania Oz-Salzberger’s “The Israeli right with philosophical Jewish Roots of the Modern more solid traditions they Republic,” originally appeared in intellectual Azure in 2002. In grounding. In this essay Oz- carrying out its Salzberger, who mission, the teaches modern Center, however history at the one chooses to University of Haifa, characterize it, Courtesy of the Shalem Center maintains that “the has for ten years been publishing encountered.” story of political Azure, a quarterly that focuses on The editors of Hebraism, the what its subtitle refers to as “Ideas Hebraic Political sustained effort to for the Jewish Nation.” Since its Studies articulate read the Bible inception this journal has been no broader aim politically during engaged in a “comprehensive than evaluating the seventeenth attempt at understanding the basic the place of this century, is one of concepts and values which have tradition in the most exciting caused” what its editors perceive to “political history chapters in the be the current “crisis in Jewish and the history history of political nationalism.” It has been concerned of political thought.” If it is not only with interpreting the world thought” in Courtesy of the Shalem Center now little known, but with changing it as well. In general. the fault basically lies with the their very first issue Azure’s editors influential Enlightenment philosophes announced their intention “to seek A comparison of the very who “no longer needed the Old out and consolidate a new common pronounced political goals of the Testament and the republic of the denominator among Jews who still older publication with the Hebrews” in order to formulate believe in the Jewish state.” They emphatically academic character of their political theories. Observing aimed “to form a new consensus the newer one might seem to the manifest weaknesses of the “thin capable of refashioning our national indicate that the latter is more liberalism” to which these theories goals.” deserving of attention in our survey ultimately gave rise, however, Oz- of the field of Jewish political Salzberger calls for a re-examination 20 of the texts rendered almost seventeenth-century laboratory that Hugo Grotius, Petrus Cunaeus, and obsolete by the philosophes. Her is of such importance to Oz- John Locke, who were singled out point is “not to glory in whatever Salzberger but, as we have already by Oz-Salzberger in her article and Jewish chromosomes may be found seen, it goes considerably beyond it, Shochet and Eyffinger in their initial in the genome of Western political emphasizing the productive role of editorial statement. The Spring thought.” It is “to consider and the Hebraic political tradition from 2006 issue, for instance, includes an reconsider which parts of these antiquity to the present. In seeking article by Wilhelm Schmidt- sources, and of the inspiration they an explanation for recent Biggemann entitled “Political offered to European Theology in theorists of liberty, Renaissance might be of value to DESPITE ITS ORIGINS, “HEBRAIC POLITICAL STUDIES” Christian Kabbala: us today.” MAY TURN OUT TO BE A JOURNAL OF MORE INTEREST TO Petrus Galatinus and Guillaume Postel.” By “us” Oz- STUDENTS OF FORGOTTEN CORNERS OF MODERN But each issue also Salzberger means contains at least one not only Israelis or INTELLECTUAL HISTORY THAN TO PEOPLE WHO ASPIRE TO article that has an Jews but everyone ancient or a very who feels that the REVITALIZE LIBERALISM IN ISRAEL IN PARTICULAR OR IN modern theme. The “gamble on the part very first issue of post- THE WESTERN WORLD IN GENERAL. includes a piece by Enlightenment Steven Grosby on liberalism did not pay off . . .” She indifference to the Hebraic tradition “The Biblical ‘Nation’ as a Problem invites all such people to “return to in political thought, they do not for Philosophy,” and the latest issue the great laboratory of the identify specific culprits but are includes an article by Avinoam seventeenth century” for prepared only to assert that it is Rosenak on “Law, Halacha, and reorientation. If “we look again,” “perhaps due to a persistent and Education: New Directions in the she concludes, “to the ancient self-consciously secular Philosophy of Halacha.” Hebrew republic for inspiration . . . Enlightenment heritage . . .” And we may yet restore the questions of they conclude their opening After the appearance of its first human nature, communal statement not with an expression of three issues, it is clear enough that responsibility, and the deliberate hope that contemporary political Hebraic Political Studies will be as actions of the individual into the discourse can be transformed but wide ranging as its editors have heart of our own political with nothing more than a wish promised it would be. It also discourse.” “that Hebraic Political Studies will appears clear that the political vision help initiate a new field of that contributed to its founding will scholarship . . .” In this connection In her endnotes, Oz-Salzberger not necessarily find direct expression it is worth noting that this journal extends her gratitude to Yoram in its pages. Despite its origins, appears only in English and not, like Hazony, the founder of the Shalem Hebraic Political Studies may turn Azure, in a simultaneous and Center, for his “deep interest” in out to be a journal of more interest identical Hebrew version. her work. And it is indeed easy to to students of forgotten corners of see how Hazony might regard it as modern intellectual history than to a very promising tool for Not surprisingly, most of the articles people who aspire to revitalize developing ideas for the Jewish in each of the first three issues of liberalism in Israel in particular or in nation that could help it to Hebraic Political Studies are devoted the Western world in general. Time refashion its goals. Inspired by Oz- to seventeenth-century topics. One, will tell. Salzberger, he brought together his Warren Zev Harvey’s “The Israelite dissertation adviser at Rutgers, Kingdom of God in Hobbes’ Allan Arkush is Professor of Judaic Gordon Schochet, who is a Political Thought,” is a translation Studies and History at Binghamton specialist in seventeenth-century of a piece that first appeared in University. political thought, and the Dutch Iyyun twenty-five years earlier. Many expert on Grotius, Arthur Eyffinger, are expanded versions of papers to edit Hebraic Political Studies. initially given at a conference on The statement of their intentions in “Political Hebraism: Judaic Sources Events in Jewish Studies the journal’s first issue devotes a in Early Modern Political Thought” now online at great deal of attention to the held at the Shalem Center in 2004. These deal mostly with figures like www.ajsnet.org/events.php 21 22 23 PERSPECTIVES ON TECHNOLOGY August 1, 2006, unless monographic series, journals, and otherwise noted.) print and nonprint ephemera. JEWISH POLITICAL Digital versions of many of these are Listservs and posted at Web sites hosted by a STUDIES ON THE Discussion Lists particular center or organization. Many scholarly and Scholars and researchers need to be disciplinary very careful with this information, INTERNET communities sponsor since unreliable, inaccurate, biased, Heidi Lerner online discussions and sometimes totally incorrect his column reviews the most groups called listservs. These are e- information is often posted on useful and reliable Internet- mail-based groups that academics seemingly authoritative Web sites. Tbased resources available to use to discuss topics, look for help Think tanks that appear to function scholars and researchers of Jewish and exchange information, as centers for research and analysis political studies to may be little more than supplement their public relation fronts for teaching and assist them THINK TANKS THAT APPEAR TO FUNCTION AS special-interest groups in their research. These that are funded by include political science CENTERS FOR RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS MAY BE private businesses and and Judaic information foundations. portals and subject LITTLE MORE THAN PUBLIC RELATION FRONTS FOR directories, discussions Some of Israel’s major lists, the Web sites for a SPECIAL-INTEREST GROUPS THAT ARE FUNDED BY universities host research variety of research PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND FOUNDATIONS centers that conduct centers and other . policy-relevant research organizational bodies, as it relates to Israel’s online indexes and catalogs, full-text announce conferences, fellowships, national security and foreign policy. books and journals, audiovisual and job opportunities, and review These include the Begin-Sadat materials and statistical data. books and scholarly literature. The Center for Strategic Studies at Bar- H-NET (Humanities and Social Ilan University (BESA, Gateways Sciences Online, h-net.org) www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa); the Subject directories (also known discussion network sponsors two Harry S. Truman Center for the variously as gateways or portals) groups that scholars of Jewish Advancement of Peace at Hebrew organize Internet sites into subject political studies should be aware of: University in Jerusalem categories, provide links to the sites H-Judaic (h-net.org/~judaic) which (truman.huji.ac.il); the Jaffee Center and sometimes offer reviews. The is the most active scholarly for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv quality and currency of these electronic discussion for Jewish University (www.tau.ac.il/jcss); the directories are only as good as their studies and Judaica, and PSRT-L Leonard Davis Institute for creators. The subject directory (Political Science Research and International Relations, Hebrew “Politics: General Israel/Jewish Teaching List, h-net.org/~psrt). University of Jerusalem Politics, Israel/Arab Relations” (atar.mscc.huji.ac.il/~davis); the (pages.videotron.com/jackross/jt- Think Tanks and Research Moshe Dayan Center for Middle politics.htm) offers a comprehensive Organizations Eastern and African Studies, Tel list of Web resources relevant to Jewish political studies scholars Aviv University Jewish Political Studies. It provides depend on university research (www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter); and links to Web sites on general Israeli centers and governmental and the Tami Steinmetz Center for and Jewish politics, Israeli elections, nongovernmental public policy Peace Research, Tel Aviv University and Israel-Arab relations. The Israel institutes as resources for their (TSC, www.tau.ac.il/peace). Government Gateway research and teaching. These (www.gov.il/firstgov/english) organizations and bodies study Several research institutes in Israel provides easy-to-use and quick current policy issues and distribute and the United States link the access to most government agencies their findings via working papers, political and academic spheres. The and to an array of public affairs reports, current and archived media Israel Democracy Institute documents. (This and all summaries, conference proceedings, (idi.org.il), the Jerusalem Center for subsequent Web sites were accessed 24 Public Affairs (jcpa.org), the Van conferences. The traditional method of the content. It also categorizes Leer Jerusalem Institute for accessing presentations has been the webcasters by subject areas, (vanleer.org.il), the Israel Policy conference proceedings and offers a search capability, and Forum (israelpolicyforum.org), the audiotapes. However, these may includes information about how to Israel/Palestine Center for Research have copyright and distribution use webcasting software. and Information (IPCRI, ipcri.org), issues. Many organizations, and the Taub Center for Social institutions, and government bodies The Online Speech Bank Policy Studies (americanrhetoric.com) has (taubcenter.org.il) are more than 5000 links to full independent and text material, and audio and nonpartisan. video files of speeches, sermons, debates, lectures, Scholars can go directly to forums, and other recorded the Web sites of the various media events and is growing all institutes for the available the time. This site directs users content. But they benefit to the Web site of the Prime when access to these Minister of Israel’s office. materials is improved. Web- based open access archives Other types of sound and are not simply collections visual files are available that built for browsing but also supplement textual material. serve as open data sources Screenshot of the Daniel Elazar On-Line Library, Political science scholars for powerful, automated www.jcpa.org/djeindex.htm. should not ignore Web Courtesy of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. independent services such as exhibits. The Jewish Women’s search, aggregation, and impact now use webcasts to distribute Archive recently mounted Jewish measurement. Political Research lectures and conference proceedings Women and the Feminist Online (PROL, via Web servers. These Revolution (jwa.org/feminism). allacademic.com/one/prol/prol01) “cyberlectures” enable distant This online exhibit offers well- is a repository for political science viewers to “attend” a conference or indexed and valuable primary research. It includes conference forum. The Israel Democracy source image, visual, and audio papers, and emerging scholarship. It Institute often broadcasts its events content to highlight the is also a “one-stop shopping place” live. The Web site offers a list of contributions of American Jewish for papers available through webcasts of forums, conferences, women to the women’s movement. research and policy centers. Search and lectures in Hebrew and in options include subject, abstract, English. The Van Leer Jerusalem The Israel Government Press Office author, title, and full-text. Institute has an online collection of (147.237.72.31) has made its unedited video recordings of national photo collection digitally In addition to the usual array of conferences going back to 1993. available. Photos can be materials, many of these institutes The United Nations maintains a downloaded in a low resolution and have unique collections. The Web site of webcasts of UN events are available for personal, non- Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs that relate to the Israeli-Palestine commercial use only. It is possible has an extensive online library of conflict (www.un.org/webcast/ to order quality high-resolution the written works of Founder and sc.html). “Live from the Knesset” photographs from the collection for President of the Center Daniel J. (knesset.gov.il/broadcast/eng/scree a fee. Elazar (1934–1999, n_eng.asp ) broadcasts when the jcpa.org/djeindex.htm). The Harry Knesset is in session. The University of Texas Perry- S Truman Institute for the Castaneda Library Map Collections Advancement of Peace issues the The best way to locate archived (www.lib.utexas.edu/maps) holds results of a number of Israeli- webcasts is through the use of an extensive collection of Middle Palestinian Public Opinion Polls at directories or searchable Web sites East maps. Most of these were its Web site that point to well-indexed archives produced by the Central (truman.huji.ac.il/projects.asp). of available webcasts. The “Jewish Intelligence Agency. The majority of Webcasting Guide” the images are JPEG images within Multimedia (Sound and Visuals) (jewishwebcasting.com) lists more the 200K to 300K range, however, Many research centers sponsor than 350 webcasters and provides some of the images are quite large. forums, lectures, discussions, and Web links and detailed descriptions

25 Full-text Databases, Journals, factsheets/sagepol-set-c.php) resources has been the exponential and Books includes twenty-four peer-reviewed emergence of weblogs (commonly Commercial and noncommercial journals going back almost a referred as “blogs”). These cannot suppliers provide subscription-based quarter of a century. A search using be ignored. Academics can find the and open access to full-text journals, the descriptor “Jews, Jewish creation of a blog tempting. Blogs books, and working papers that are people” retrieves seven journal offer political scientists an useful for scholars. Access to current articles. opportunity to put forth one’s own and retrospective offerings is perspective on current events. They available via a variety of search Expanded Academic ASAP can be used as teaching tools and options. Stanford University has (available by subscription) is a reach a far-ranging readership. But partnered with ebraryTM to offer general periodical index offering the medium is too new to permit full-text searching and retrieval on some full-text content with varying one to say whether or not it will electronic books. ebrary has a coverage from 1980 through the emerge as a serious academic tool. number of services that enable users present. A search string “(Jew* or to locate and use books relevant to Judaism) and politic*” and limited This article describes some of the their research. Search criteria to refereed and full-text citations online resources that are useful for include the Library of Congress retrieved 663 hits. In Israel, Jewish political studies researchers (LC) Subject Headings, which is RAMBI (free access, and teachers. But digital the main list of subject terms used jnul.huji.ac.il/rambi) and Index to technologies are evolving so quickly for cataloging books in the United Hebrew Periodicals (available by that scholars who are busy States. Library of Congress subject subscription, familiarizing themselves with what is headings for Jewish political studies libnet1.ac.il/~libnet/ihp/ihp- out there now also need to utilize include “Judaism and politics” (with eng.htm) both direct researchers to their knowledge and initiative to various subdivisions); “Jews— full-text articles in Jewish Political help plan for what lies ahead. [Geographic subdivision option]— Studies: a simple keyword search in Politics and government;” “Political the Index to Hebrew Periodicals Heidi Lerner is the aspects” under individual Jewish combining the terms “???? ???” and Hebraica/Judaica Cataloger at sects (i.e. Orthodox Judaism— “?????????” brought 214 hits; Stanford University Libraries. Political aspects); and “Israel— combining the keyword “full text” Politics and government.” and subject term “politics” yielded twenty-five results in RAMBI. Some Jewish political studies- (Search results above from July 10, oriented, full-text electronic journals 2006.) ANNOUNCING (e-journals) are available freely on the Web or via subscription. The Statistical Data THE LAUNCH OF Jewish Center for Public Affairs Several social science data and Web site has placed the entire run statistical services maintain Web “RESOURCES” of Jewish Political Studies Review sites that offer online data files and on the AJS website: (free access) on its Web site. The documentation. The Mandell L Shalem Center (shalem.org.il), a Berman Institute–North American research institute in Jerusalem plans Jewish Data Bank (NAJDB, www.ajsnet.org/ on making all the issues of Hebraica jewishdatabank.org) provides social Political Studies available full-text and demographic data on the resources.htm online. Currently, articles from Jewish community in the United volume 1 can be accessed at the States. The Association of Religion journal’s Web site. Azure, the Data Archives (ARDA, Keep up with the latest quarterly journal of the Shalem thearda.com) offers datasets for the news about fellowships, Center has created a free electronic study of religion. The State of archive of all of its current and Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics grants, conferences, retrospective issues. Web site (cbs.gov.il) makes available calls for papers, statistical information about the Scholars also need to access broader population, economy, and society of doctoral research, scoped political science e-journals. Israel. and visiting scholars. The SAGE Full-Text Collection for Political Science (available by What’s New? subscription, www.csa.com/ The newest form of Internet-based 26 N ot to be a Nudnik, but You Should Buy This Book!

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29 4`][AVbSbZab]@SPPSbhW\¬ Bwbjmbcmf!Pdupcfs!3117"! Bwbjmbcmf!Efdfncfs!3117" 8SeWaVE][S\>W]\SS`W\U BVSAVbSbZ bVS4`]\bWS`B`OWZ Ofx!Fwbmvbujpot B!Ijtupsz!jo!uif!Bnfsjdbo!Xftu Fejufe!cz!Tufwfo!U/!Lbu{ Kfboof!F/!Bcsbnt Evsjoh!uif!mbtu!uijsuz!zfbst!uif!tiufum!ibt!buusbdufe!b!hspxjoh! µUijt!^W]\SS`W\UabcRg!qvtift!uif!gspoujfs!pg!Kfxjti! bnpvou!pg!buufoujpo-!uipvhi!hfofsbmj{bujpot!boe!spnboujdj{fe! xpnfoÖt!ijtupsz!boe!P`]ORS\a]c`c\RS`abO\RW\U!pg!uif! optubmhjb!dpoujovf!up!bggfdu!ipx!uif!upqjd!jt!usfbufe/!Uijt! Bnfsjdbo!Kfxjti!fyqfsjfodf!bt!b!xipmf/ ! wpmvnfbOYSaO\SeZ]]Y!bu!uijt!nptu!jnqpsubou!gbdfu!pg! ¶ Fbtu!Fvspqfbo!Kfxjti!mjgf/ 8=

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30 31 reconciliation. Lieberman and THE HISTORY Scholem had been friends OF NONSENSE and rivals for a Abe Socher quarter of a century by n the spring of 1957 Saul then, and the Lieberman famously introduced appendix seems IGershom Scholem’s lectures on more like an act of Merkabah Mysticism at the Jewish friendly one- Theological Seminary (JTS) by upsmanship (that saying “Nonsense is nonsense, but is to say academic the history of nonsense is a very collaboration) than important science.” Lieberman’s a kapparah. Portrait of Gerhom Scholem, 1962. Gershom Scholem Archive, bon mot has been widely repeated, Scholem is invited Jewish National and University Library, Jerusalem. adapted, and occasionally mangled. Photo courtesy of the Leo Baeck Institute, New York. to Lieberman’s It inspired—or perhaps provoked is Potok himself was probably not academic fiefdom, speaks about a better word—a disappointing present for Lieberman’s joke or previously unrecognized gnostic novel by Chaim Potok and may Scholem’s lectures. He had developments in the heart of the have been appropriated by W. V. O. graduated from JTS several years Rabbinic period, and succeeds Quine as a curricular motto. It is earlier, served as a chaplain in Korea brilliantly. So Lieberman responds certainly among the wittiest things (the second setting of the novel) with another set of prooftexts which ever said in and was, at the time, running Camp academic Jewish Ramah in Ojai, studies, though wit IN THE SPRING OF 1957 SAUL LIEBERMAN FAMOUSLY California. is not, perhaps, Indeed, I have not our most INTRODUCED GERSHOM SCHOLEM’S LECTURES ON met anyone who competitive field. actually attended MERKABAH MYSTICISM AT THE JEWISH THEOLOGICAL the lectures, which are now Scholem, who EMINARY BY SAYING ONSENSE IS NONSENSE BUT thought that the S (JTS) “N , approaching their fiftieth Jewish mystical THE HISTORY OF NONSENSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT SCIENCE.” tradition preserved anniversary, and deep and only one might wonder Scholem hadn’t considered. partially expressible symbolic truths, whether Lieberman’s introduction is is unlikely to have been amused, but entirely apocryphal. Fortunately, This rivalry is somewhat heightened I know of no direct response on his there is a textual version of the in Chaim Potok’s Book of Lights, part. In fact, Lieberman’s remark, witticism. Lieberman repeated the where the Lieberman figure is called though often repeated, is itself not remark in another appendix, one to Kleinman and the Scholem figure is perfectly attested. According to the his classic essay “How Much Greek Keter: the “little man” of lore which often accompanies its in Jewish Palestine.” There is no rationalism and the “crown” of retelling, Lieberman contributed an reference to Scholem in the text supernal wisdom. Potok was not appendix to the published version of here, but there is a literally subtle in his preferences (though, to Scholem’s lectures by way of subtextual one: the adjacent be fair, there is probably an allusion apology for the public footnote cites Scholem’s lectures on here to the Talmudic statement that embarrassment he had caused his Merkabah Mysticism. So it seems the halakic disputes of Abbaye and friend. probable that the oral tradition is Rava are a little thing compared to correct and that Lieberman did say mysteries of the Divine Chariot). Lieberman’s appendix to Jewish it, and later could not resist The thematic argument of the novel Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism and publishing it somewhere. is that dry rationalism like Talmudic Tradition is a brief and Lieberman’s leads to the atomic brilliant analysis of mystical rabbinic I have also heard the remark nightmare of Hiroshima, while interpretations of the Song of attributed verbatim to the great mysticism has the power to heal. (It Songs, but it bears no sign of philosopher and logician W. V. O. does not improve in the telling.) having served as a means of Quine, meaning here: “Continental philosophy is nonsense, but the 32 history of Continental philosophy is colleague Burton Dreben was end to be nonsense? Scholem a very important science,” or at widely quoted as saying, “Garbage certainly did not think Kabbalah least not further nonsense. So, if is garbage but the history of was nonsense, nor, for that matter forced to include Heidegger among garbage . . .” which is very close did Lieberman think that of midrash its course offerings, the department indeed. halakah, though neither of them should hire a historian. was quite willing to affirm Dreben was said to be the only straightforwardly the propositions person who knew more about of their textual subjects either. This Quine than the great philosopher question abides. himself, so it is difficult to distinguish between their respective Wit, I can imagine a reader wearily epigrams. “That is what I said, isn’t replying to all this, is wit, but the it Burt?” Quine is supposed to have history of wit, is pedantry. said when quoting or clarifying Nonsense. Every student of past himself in his final years. Dreben, texts and ideas must contend with however, had been married to the the worry that lurks beneath daughter of Lieberman’s JTS Lieberman’s witticism, and we are colleague Shalom Spiegel and was also obliged to honor our familiar with the infamous witticism. predecessors, our mighty dead, not So it seems likely to suppose that least by retelling their jokes. Quine did indeed make the remark, or something very close to it, Abe Socher is Associate Professor of though he was not first or even Religion at Oberlin College. second.

This leaves us, finally, with the deep question. Can one spend a lifetime studying what one believes in the

From a photo of Saul Lieberman with Louis Finkelstein, in Seminary courtyard, 1960s. Courtesy of the Ratner Center for the Study of Conservative Jewish, Jewish Theological Seminary.

This raises two questions, one shallow, the other deep. Let’s take care of the shallow one first. Did Quine say it? And if so, did he say it first? Sort of and no. It was certainly his curricular policy to prefer the history of philosophical nonsense to the unmediated stuff. In his philosophical dictionary Quiddities, under “Tolerance,” he wrote “Scholarship is a matter on which an objective and essentially scientific consensus can prevail, however disreputable its subject matter.” But I know of nothing closer than this in print. However his close Harvard 33 34 35 36 Call for Papers

Poverty, Welfare, and Religion: Family, Gender, and Justice

Hebrew Union College-University of Cincinnati Center for the Study of Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems and the Graduate College of Union Institute & University

Cincinnati, Ohio May 18-20, 2007

Papers may focus on religious thought and practice and the implications of poverty and welfare on family structures, gender roles, and social institutions. Submissions from scholars in history (including: medieval studies, renaissance, and the modern period), religious studies, philosophy, sociology, social work, and political science are welcome.

Abstracts must be submitted by November 29, 2006, should not exceed fi ve hundred words, and must include title, author’s name and address. Students, who are engaged in academic research, are encouraged to submit proposals based on their work to the editorial committee. Student status should clearly be indicated.

Proposals should be sent electronically ([email protected]) or by mail to:

HUC-UC Ethics Center 3101 Clifton Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45220

For more information visit www.huc.edu/ethics and www.tui.edu

37 culture; culinary language hybridization; Yiddish theatre; YIDDISH/JEWISH CULTURES: theories of Yiddish culture; Yiddish conferences of the early twentieth A GRADUATE STUDENT century; Yiddish film melodrama; and studies of Yiddish literature, including Der Nister, Deborah CONFERENCE Vogel, Israel Aksenfeld, David Shiri Goren, Hannah Pressman, and Lara Rabinovitch Fogel, and Kadya Molodovsky. hat’s in a name? As presented on topics as varied as The rigorous level of scholarship organizers of a Yiddish poetry, education, cabaret, film, and and breadth of topics reflect the Wstudies conference-in-the- the Holocaust. Their research new approaches these emerging making, our first thorny question spanned much of the globe, ranging scholars are bringing to the field of was how best to name the from Vilna to Paris, Warsaw to Tel Yiddish studies as they dialogue gathering. We wanted to emphasize Aviv, and Helsinki to New York. with other academic disciplines. the focus on Yiddish, but not to the These diasporas represent the varied Themes of gender, performativity, exclusion of other terrains of Jewish points of origin of the presenters and transnationalism inform their studies; we sought papers on themselves: nearly half of our thirty- work, which is often based on modern Jewish culture and history, two participants came from outside multimedia sources and but struggled with the geographical the United States, defying our multidisciplinary interactions. and chronological boundaries of modest expectations that the those terms. To encapsulate the conference would draw mainly Besides diverse conference sessions, fascinating multiplicity of the field, Northeast-based students. The the conference featured a keynote we decided upon the title, Yiddish / conference thus provided an address by Barbara Kirshenblatt- Jewish Cultures: Literature, History, opportunity to showcase the Gimblet entitled “Yiddish Studies: Thought in Eastern European interdisciplinary methodologies that Towards a 21st Century Mandate.” Diasporas. a new generation of scholars is The Israeli group Sala-Manca using to research Yiddish-related (discussed by Jeffrey Shandler in the topics not only in Spring 2006 issue of AJS North America, Perspectives) presented a unique but all over the digital art performance on the world as well. Yiddish poet Avrom Sutzkever. The second day of the conference Diaspora was featured a lively roundtable therefore a discussion moderated by Hasia common theme Diner on the question, “What does throughout the the field of Yiddish Studies mean in paper the 21st century?” The faculty presentations. The participants included Jeremy creative scheduling Dauber, Gennady Estraikh, Kathryn of the conference Hellerstein, Barbara Kirshenblatt- sessions allowed Gimblet, David Roskies, and Jeffrey participants to Shandler. While providing a make intellectual stimulating and often humorous The three graduate student organizers of Yiddish/Jewish Cultures: links between the coda to the conference sessions, Shiri Goren, Hannah Pressman, and Lara Rabinovitch, all Ph.D. students Yiddish their comments also emphasized the at NYU’s Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies. communities of challenging reality of teaching As signified by the slash in our title, Montreal and Johannesburg, among (about) Yiddish in contemporary the complicated nexus between other diverse geographical areas. university settings. The conference “Yiddish” and “Jewish” became an The range of academic topics and concluded with a book party issue at the heart of the conference, themes presented was wide, celebrating recent scholarly hosted by the Skirball Department including the Yiddish press; Yiddish publications in the field. of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at science books and other models of New York University on February education; African Americans in We see our conference on Yiddish / 26–27, 2006. Our graduate student Yiddish literature; iconographic Jewish Cultures as a model for the and postdoctoral colleagues images of the violin in Yiddish visual way in which departmental support 38 can provide graduate students conference sponsors demonstrates field of Yiddish studies. In two important leadership opportunities. how different branches of Jewish significant ways, the conference Thanks to the mentorship we studies within and outside of our attests to the fascinating politics of received, we ran a successful academic institution came together choosing Yiddish. Many of the interdisciplinary event that among in creating this special event. The papers explored the personal politics and public consequences of IDDISH EWISH ULTURES WAS A MEETING OF MINDS A choosing Yiddish as a means of Y / J C , cultural expression in various places GATHERING THAT ENABLED A DYNAMIC GROUP OF and times in Jewish history. However, the conference also EMERGING SCHOLARS TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER AND demonstrated the contemporary politics of choosing Yiddish as an WITH SEVERAL FACULTY MEMBERS. IT WAS ALSO A UNIQUE academic field of study, at a time when the borderlines between OPPORTUNITY TO GRAPPLE WITH THE “METAQUESTIONS” Yiddish and other disciplines are particularly fluid. Therefore, this CONCERNING THE FIELD OF YIDDISH STUDIES. conference was not just a milestone for the graduate students who other things taught us the meaning conference was principally participated in it; it was also an of academic collaboration. In sponsored by New York University’s important moment for Yiddish planning the conference we worked Skirball Department of Hebrew and studies, and hence Jewish studies as Judaic Studies with well. the support of the Melvin Rauch Hannah Pressman and Shiri Goren Foundation, Inc. are Ph.D. candidates in modern The NYU Hebrew literature at NYU. Lara Graduate School of Rabinovitch is a Ph.D. candidate in Arts and Science, modern Jewish history at NYU. the Goldstein- Following the success of the conference, Goren Center for they were awarded the 2006 NYU American Jewish President’s Service Award for History, and the Programming. Taub Center for Israel Studies at The full Yiddish / Jewish Cultures NYU also provided conference schedule may be accessed generous support. at: http://www.nyu.edu/gsas/dept/ In addition, the hebrew/YiddishConf.html Panel on Yiddish Text and Context: YIVO Institute for Itay Zutra (JTS), Dara Horn (Harvard), Beverly Bailis (JTS). Jewish Research primarily with Gennady Estraikh, and the Yiddish Forward partially the Rauch Associate Professor of sponsored the conference. The To advertise in AJS Yiddish Studies at NYU, but we also assistance of all of these institutions, Perspectives, please benefited from the input and in addition to their generous encouragement of such faculty as financial support, enabled us to contact the AJS office Hasia Diner, David Engel, Barbara think “outside the box” regarding by e-mail at Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, and the scope of the conference, its [email protected] or Lawrence Schiffman. We would also programming, and publicity. like to thank the incredible by telephone at departmental administrative team of Yiddish / Jewish Cultures was a (917) 606-8249. Shayne Figueroa and Diane Leon- meeting of minds, a gathering that Ferdico. enabled a dynamic group of Visit our website at emerging scholars to engage with www.ajsnet.org Planning the conference also each other and with several faculty exposed us to the delicate art of members. It was also a unique for prices and seeking and securing funding for opportunity to grapple with the specifications. academic gatherings. The variety of “metaquestions” concerning the 39 40 41 REMEMBERING OUR COLLEAGUES ISAAC EINSTEIN BARZILAY (1915–2006) Stanley Nash rofessor Isaac Einstein “Italian Haskalah” and his Barzilay, who died on April pathbreaking book on this subject P15 of this year, was a scholar (Between Reason and Faith: Anti- of enormous breadth and a teacher rationalism in Italian Jewish of engaging warmth and dynamism. Thought 1250–1650 [1967]) The son of a Lithuanian rabbi, likewise emerged from his Barzilay received a traditional Jewish conviction that detailed knowledge education in Bialystok, Poland; an of this earlier phase of Jewish M.A. from the Hebrew University Enlightenment was essential for Oz, and even the output of more in Jerusalem, where he studied understanding his primary objective, modern authors (such as Meir Jewish thought, literature, and the Berlin Haskalah. Some of his Shalev) of whom he always kept history; and a Ph.D in Jewish articles on the Berlin Haskalah, abreast and about whom he history under Salo Baron at which he treated at length only in continued to publish articles well Columbia University. Barzilay his unpublished dissertation, are still after his retirement. Loving history taught at the Bialik Gymnasium in widely cited as seminal studies in as he did, Barzilay gravitated Haifa until 1941 and then served as this area. As a product himself of towards the historical novel, and in an interpreter with the British the Lithuanian Haskalah, Barzilay this subgenre he had total mastery. Intelligence Corps from 1942 to combined the fearless passion of the He also brought a combined 1944. In the United States he ingenious and epoch-making historical and literary flair to bear taught at the Herzliyah Hebrew autodidacts he studied so particularly on his reading of Teachers Institute for twelve years. voraciously with the discipline of Agnon. To be a student of Professor After receiving his doctorate, the academy, which he absorbed at Barzilay meant always striving to Barzilay taught at Wayne State the Hebrew University and at catch up, to encompass and to delve University in Detroit for two years Columbia. into hidden corners and influences before assuming the position of in the work of the author or subject Professor of Hebrew Language and For his students Isaac Barzilay under scrutiny. His published Culture at Columbia in 1960. radiated a love of history, articles on Agnon, Shofman, Sadeh, During his twenty-five years at philosophy, and literature that was Appelfeld, Yizhar, Tammuz, and Oz Columbia he also held many infectious. Only rarely teaching the indicate just how thorough, executive posts at the American specific areas in which he had done probing, and inventive at drawing Academy for Jewish Research, important research, Barzilay sought connections his mind could be. including its presidency. to impart what was, in a manner of speaking, his striking equality of Barzilay also had a flair for the Isaac Barzilay’s range of interests in infatuation with such diverse fields dramatic and could eloquently many ways reflected the legendary as Maimonidean philosophy, discuss a wide variety of subjects. scope of his prodigious teachers, medieval Hebrew poetry and His reputation as a spellbinding Joseph Klausner and Salo Baron. historiography, the literature of the teacher at Herzliyah Teacher’s His own ambitious drive to embrace Haskalah and the modern Hebrew College and Wayne State preceded formidably vast and esoteric subjects Renaissance periods, and modern him when he came to Columbia in helps to explain why he chose to Hebrew literature. In this last area 1960, and his lecture classes there study and write book-length studies he focused not only on the classic were always full. In the early years of such early modern polymaths as works of Agnon and Hazaz, and at Columbia, Barzilay taught Joseph Solomon Delmedigo, great numbers of Hebrew historical elementary Hebrew as well, and Shlomo Yehudah Rapaport, and novels by Kabbak, Aricha, Shamir, here, too, he excelled. His Menasseh of Ilya. Barzilay’s initial and others, but also on the works of postgraduate seminars attracted a immersion in what he termed the Yizhar, Tammuz, Appelfeld, and 42 variegated group of individuals, ancient Near East, Italian Jewish through the American Academy for many of whom were captivated by history, medieval historiography and Jewish Research were extensive, and his personality and brilliance. history of science, comparative a representative number of articles Barzilay cultivated more than a few literature, Jewish philosophy, and by these colleagues and students doctoral students, who wrote on American Jewish history, to name appear in the Barzilay Jubilee topics ranging from medieval poetry just the sample I encountered Volume, Bein Historiyyah le-Sifrut to the work of the early critical during my years of residency at (Israel: Hakibbutz Hame’uchad, Talmud scholar, Tzvi Hirsch Columbia. For some years Barzilay 1997). This volume contains a Hayyut, the generation of Ahad taught history at the Jewish bibliography of Professor Barzilay’s Haam, the works of the American Theological Seminary, which writings as well. Yiddish and Hebrew poet Gabriel granted him an honorary doctorate, Preil, and of course, modern Israeli and his students there spoke of him Stanley Nash is Professor of Hebrew literature. But he also had a with much enthusiasm. Literature at Hebrew Union profound influence on students who College–Jewish Institute of Religion received doctorates in other areas Barzilay’s associations with scholars in New York. such as Arabic law, Bible and the in Israel and the United States ARTHUR HERTZBERG (1921–2006) David Starr any of the obituaries of preparation for this trip, I have Arthur Hertzberg that asked the participants to read, or Mappeared in The New re-read, Hertzberg’s introduction York Times, Ha’aretz, and a host of to The Zionist Idea (1959). I have other publications in the aftermath also asked them to bring this book of his death on April 17 charted in with them. It will be our constant considerable detail the path that he companion as we explore the land traveled from his Orthodox home of Israel. That we have found to the Conservative rabbinate, Hertzberg’s anthology himself, typically from Hebrew or moral and communal leadership, indispensable will surprise no one. German. Like Nahum Glatzer’s and great scholarly achievement. But few people remember today roughly simultaneous pioneering Rather than survey once again all that he put it together in the first editorial efforts to bring the work of Hertzberg’s multifarious place, in the 1950s, at the behest of Franz Rosenzweig to the activities, I would like to focus on of Hadassah, as part of that attention of the English-speaking one of the less commonly organization’s commitment to public, Hertzberg’s The Zionist emphasized dimensions of his adult Jewish education. Idea reminds us how few of these career, his accomplishments as an A great anthology, like a great precious primary sources were adult educator, the kind of adult performer, makes the difficult look available fifty years ago to those educator the likes of which we easy. To assemble the material that who could not read them in the rarely see. And I would like to made up The Zionist Idea languages in which they were reflect a little on the way in which Hertzberg had to search through originally written. Hertzberg melded in his life and the collected works of the key career ideals that are now all too figures in the Zionist movement as As with any anthology, one may rarely bound together in the same well as the ideological writings of take issue with the finished product person. innumerable other thinkers and political activists. He had to select and the assumptions that drove it. Hertzberg violated the historian’s I write these words in June as I from their respective works the commandment of avoiding prepare to embark on a Me’ah essays he judged to be both central anachronism. His very designation study tour in Israel, leading fifteen to each author’s message and of certain early thinkers as adults on a two-week exploration accessible to the general reading “precursors” itself suggests some of the history of the Zionism and public. And in many if not most degree of anachronistic thinking in contemporary Israel. In cases he had to translate the essays

43 his approach to them. A self- in America (1989), also flirted the Jew. Hertzberg’s life confessed “cultural Zionist,” with normative questions as it represented such a synthesis— Hertzberg prominently features wrestled with the question of who however much he himself may have Ahad Ha’am as a man who came to America, what they built lamented that he failed to live up represents love of tradition, a here, and what became of Jewish either to his rabbinic ideals like his modern openness to rebellion culture in the realm of father or his scholarly ideals like against it, the need to make Jewish acculturation and assimilation. This Levi Ginsberg or Salo Baron. His nationalism as much about Jewish cut against the grain of scholarship rabbinate informed and elevated identity and culture as about that insisted on the creativity and the scholarly choices he made politics, and at the same time a transformative character of Judaism about what to write and what to resolute avoidance of anything that in America, even as it skirted argue; his scholarship affected his smacked of messianism. He paid questions of decline in the level of vision for Jewish public affairs, as is relatively little attention to Jewish culture. evidenced by his famous jeremiad religious Zionism, and barely any insisting that communal leaders to Jabotinsky or Revisionism, Hertzberg was both a scholar and a should actually know something which he reviled. But his short rabbi. Though traditionally these about the Jewish culture and shrifting of these two trends roles were often combined in one civilization they professed to want reminds us of how relatively person, they have become largely to preserve for the next generation. unimportant they were in Jewish separate and distinct professions. life, certainly prior to the Six Day Nowadays scholars and rabbis My own personal experience with War or Begin’s election in 1977. stand for educational visions and the Me’ah adult education program methods that are often far apart, and with my colleagues from All of Hertzberg’s books on and they play different roles in academia who teach in it points to European Jewish history, American public life. the truth of Hertzberg’s synthesis Jewry, and Zionism and Israel of learning and leadership. covered big topics and themes, This separation has come upon us Nothing other than education will drawing a wide and diverse rather abruptly. One has only to save serious Jewishness. Most of readership into a conversation look at back volumes of HUCA or my colleagues grasp this simple about the intersection of the CCAR Journal or the truth. Indeed, I think that many modernity and Jewish existence, Proceedings of the Rabbinical would acknowledge that inside challenging assumptions and theses Assembly or Conservative Judaism every devoted scholar there lurks as he went. The Zionist Idea or especially Judaism to see how “a pintele rav.” Such a person cares situated Zionist thinkers within the recently they boasted of the passionately for Jews and Judaism context of European social contributions of rabbis who were and sees his or her knowledge as a thought, insisting that Zionism scholars, scholars who were rabbis. tool for serving others and making represented a profound break with A half-century ago such rabbi- the world a bit more civilized. Jewish history and thought even as scholars were prominent if not Such a person could set himself or it sought to renew Jewish life predominant in the rabbinate. Such herself no higher goal than to live politically and culturally. men chose the rabbinate partly up to the standards set by Arthur Hertzberg’s first scholarly because Jewish studies had not yet Hertzberg. monograph, The French found a place in the American Enlightenment and the Jews (1968), academy, partly because the pulpit David Starr is the Dean of Me’ah at took on what was for most modern still seemed a place hospitable to Hebrew College, where he is also the Jews the sacred cow of the scholarship, a place requiring Assistant Professor of Jewish History. Enlightenment, arguing that its learning as well as pastoral care. seamy side—anti-Semitism—cast doubt on secularism as the solution In this sense, Arthur Hertzberg’s to the Jewish problem. Scholars passing reminds us of that now continue to debate this point, with largely bygone era, when scholars many suggesting that Hertzberg’s and rabbis were often one and instincts were right in questioning same. Y. L. Gordon’s dictum, “Be the benevolence of the a man on the street and a Jew in Enlightenment from a your tent” called upon the Jew to philosophical and historical be a humanist and the humanist to perspective. His most heavily be a Jew, creating a new sort of criticized scholarly effort, The Jews synthesis between the world and

44 DAVID PATTERSON (1922–2005) S. Ilan Troen avid Patterson was a pioneer America in the 1960s and thereafter. in the reemergence of Jewish David Patterson consciously Dstudies in postwar Europe undertook the often lonely and one of the preeminent figures in responsibility of fostering a the field. In 1945, Jewish studies in renaissance of Jewish learning in the universities of Great Britain Europe. Indeed, he sometimes scarcely ranged beyond the study of described the endeavor in which he Hebrew and the Bible, and was for was engaged as an attempt to raise a the most part little more than a phoenix out of the ashes of handmaiden to theology and destruction. The prime locale for this of Israel. By 1990 it had four philology. At Oxford, Cambridge, project was Oxford University, to specialists in different areas of Israel and Manchester scholarly attention which he came in 1956 as the studies, a number larger than that was focused almost exclusively on Cowley Lecturer in Post Biblical found at perhaps any other university ancient texts and rabbinic literature. Hebrew. Starting with but one room outside of Israel. His own literary Only at the School for Oriental and in the Oriental Institute of Oxford interests led to the establishment of a African Studies in London was it University in 1972, he imagined and visiting Hebrew authors program that possible to receive a diploma (but not realized the Oxford Centre for attracted a galaxy of the best-known a degree) in modern Hebrew. In Hebrew and Jewish Studies and most creative writers of modern 1945 Manchester initiated an (originally the Oxford Centre for Israel, including Amos Oz, A. B. Honours Degree in which modern Postgraduate Hebrew Studies) with Yehoshua, and Aharon Appelfeld. Hebrew played a significant part. facilities in Oxford as well as a Not a few contemporary classics took David Patterson was the first to enroll splendid campus at the Yarnton shape in the environment he created. and the first to graduate. He recalled Manor Estate. These venues A natural consequence of his interests “the thrill of excitement when the constituted a wonderfully vital setting was the sponsorship of lectures, first books of modern Hebrew for a renewal of Jewish scholarship. seminars, and conferences on topics literature, about two dozen in all, Under Patterson’s leadership as many germane to the diverse interests of arrived at the Manchester University as fourteen fellows taught at Oxford students of Israel. Indeed, the journal Library early in 1946.” It was in this a variety of subjects from classic to Israel Studies was spawned at one of field that Patterson established his modern Jewish studies; diploma the international workshops at scholarly reputation with studies of programs were authorized; an Yarnton Manor. He was a visionary Abraham Mapu and of the Hebrew impressive library and archives were who understood the academic validity novel in Czarist Russia. Fascinated by established; and seminars and of the subject and the need for it, and the conferences were organized. Yarnton consistently nurtured it. It was for challenges facing a translator, he both became one of the most important this and for his encouragement to wrote about this issue and provided venues in the world for scholars of Jewish studies generally that in the readers of English with extraordinary Jewish studies, with more than 350 Queen’s Honours List of 2003 he examples of the genre, including senior scholars spending extensive was awarded the CBE “for services to translations of Bialik, Brenner, and periods of time there. Jewish Studies,” the only individual Moshe Shamir. ever to be so recognized. Israel Studies was an area of great Europe’s decline as a setting for personal interest for David Patterson. David Patterson passed away on Jewish scholarship was of course a Active as a youth in Habonim, he December 10, 2005. consequence of the Holocaust. In lived in Israel on a kibbutz and in fact, as Patterson himself wrote, “At Haifa, and delighted in presenting his S. Ilan Troen is the Sam and Anna the end of the World War II in 1945, Israeli passport on his frequent Lopin Professor of Modern at Ben- Jewish Studies in Europe had ceased returns to the country. During his Gurion University of the Negev and to exist.” It was therefore inevitable presidency the Centre probably the Karl, Harry, and Helen Stoll that scholarship in Britain and the hosted more scholars of the Family Chair in Israel Studies at continent would be outpaced by the literature, culture and history of Israel Brandeis University. surge in Jewish studies in Israel and than any academic institution outside 45 46 47 48 YAD HANADIV FELLOWSHIPS IN JEWISH NEW IN PAPERBACK STUDIES FOR 2007-2008 A New Edition with a foreword by John L. Esposito Yad Hanadiv and the Beracha Foundation have One of Choice’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2005 established a Visiting Fellowship Program in Jewish The Children of Abraham Studies. Fellowships will be granted each Judaism, Christianity, Islam year to scholars of Jewish Studies who hold non- F. E. PETERS tenured university postions (or who will receive tenure after September 2007). Fellows will spend the academic “As John L. Esposito makes clear in his helpful foreword, year in Israel pursuing their own research while also Professor F. E. Peters’ revision working with a senior scholar in their field. The of this important, accessible fellowship for 2007-2008 will be in the sum of $20,000., discussion of the Judeo-Christian- Islamic tradition is a welcome with an additional $2000. for spouse, plus $2000. per contribution for a new generation child. Fellows are required to confirm that upon of readers facing an international completion of the fellowship they will resume teaching political environment where Jewish Studies at a university abroad. respectful engagement is imperative.” The deadline for receipt of applications is 31st December 2006. —Jewish Book World A Princeton Classic Edition Application forms and additional information Paper $16.95 0-691-12769-7 Due October may be obtained by writing to: Yad Hanadiv/Beracha Foundation Fellowships 16 Ibn Gvirol St., Jerusalem 92430 ISRAEL 800-777-4726 PRINCETON Read excerpts at or e-mail: [email protected] or: [email protected] University Press www.pup.princeton.edu

49 December 17-19, 2006 38th Annual Manchester Grand Hyatt Conference of the San Diego, CA Association for Jewish Studies ADVERTISERS EXHIBITORS American Academy for Jewish Research Association Book Exhibit Baltimore Hebrew University Bnei Baruch Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Goldstein-Goren International Brill Academic Publishers Center for Jewish Thought Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press Center for Cultural Judaism Center for Cultural Judaism CET Academic Programs Emory University, Rabbi Donald A. Tam Institute for Jewish Studies Continuum International Publishing Group Harmonie Park Press Indiana University Press Hebrew Union Colege Press Jerusalem Books Ltd. Indiana University Jewish Studies Program The Jewish Publication Society Indiana University Press The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization Indiana University Press Journals Merkos Publications Jerusalem Books Ltd. Mohr Siebeck The Jewish Publication Society New York University Press Knopf/ Random House Nextbook The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization Rowman & Littlefield Publishers M.E. Sharpe Rutgers University Press Mohr Siebeck Schoen Books New York University Press The Scholar's Choice Nextbook Schwartz Judaica Purdue University Press Stanford University Press Rowman & Littlefield Publishers United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Rutgers University Press University of California Press Samuel Rosenthal Center, Case Western Reserve University University of Pennsylvania Press Society of Biblical Literature University of Texas Press Stanford University Press University Press of America United States Holocaust Memorial Museum University Press of New England University of California Press Wayne State University Press University of Connecticut Center for Jewish Studies Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company University of Michigan, Frankel Institute for Advanced Judaic Studies Yale University Press University of Pennsylvania Press YIVO Institute for Jewish Research University of Pennsylvania Press Journals Division University of Tennessee Press University of Texas Press University Press of New England Vallentine Mitchell Publishers For book exhibit hours and information on Wayne State University Press exhibiting/advertising at the AJS Conference, Yale University Press go to: www.ajsnet.org Yale University Press

THE AJS NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT Please help the AJS support its members and fulfill its mission to promote, facilitate, and improve teaching and research in Jewish studies at colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning. Your contribution will ensure that AJS can continue to provide singular services to graduate students, college and university faculty and independent scholars in Jewish studies. I pledge: ___ $1000 ___ $500 ____ $100 ____ $72 ____ $36 ____ Other: $____ to the Association for Jewish Studies. I want my gift to go towards: ____Eastern European Scholar Travel Grants ____Publications (AJS Review/Perspectives) ____Website Development ____Website Development ____Gala Banquet Fund ____General Support You may make your contribution online at http://www.ajsnet.org/opportunities.htm or by mailing this form, with check made payable to the Association for Jewish Studies, to: AJS, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011 Thank you for your support. If your institution is interested in becoming an Institutional Member of the AJS, please contact AJS Executive Director Rona Sheramy at [email protected] or 917.606.8249.

50 December 17-19, 2006 38th Annual Manchester Grand Hyatt Conference of the San Diego, CA Association for Jewish Studies Program online at www.ajsnet.org Join the AJS for more than 140 sessions devoted to the latest research in all fields of Jewish studies. Special conference events include: • Plenary lecture by Professor Sander Gilman, Sunday, December 17 at 8:00 p.m. • Book Exhibit featuring leading publishers of Judaica and related scholarship • Film screening on Sunday, December 17 at 9:30 p.m. • Special reduced prices for the AJS Annual Gala Banquet, Sunday, December 17, 2006 at 6:45 p.m. ($25 for regular and associate members and their guests; $15 for student members)* Deadlines: November 15, 2006 is the deadline for: • reserving kosher meals, including the Annual Gala Banquet, at www.ajsnet.org • registering for conference at the reduced rate ($90/regular/associate member; $50/student member; $125/non-member) after November 15, conference registration will take place at the Hyatt at the regular rate ($115/regular/associate member; $65/student member; $150 non-member) • reserving a hotel room at the Manchester Grand Hyatt (1-800-233-1234) at the reduced rate ($119/regular; $99/student) after November 15, reduced rate room reservations will be based on availability For further information about sessions, meals, hotel reservations, visiting San Diego and special conference events, please refer to the AJS website at www.ajsnet.org or contact the AJS office at [email protected] or 917.606.8249)

Please join us Sunday, December 17 Gala Banquet for the... Gala Banquet at the 38th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies 6:15 – 6:45 p.m. reception sponsored by NEXTBOOK (www.nextbook.org) 6:45 – 8:00 p.m. banquet • 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. plenary lecture The AJS is pleased to announce special reduced price tickets to its Annual Gala Banquet. Through November 15, tickets are $25 for regular and associate members and their guests and $15 for student members. These prices represent a significant discount from the original banquet fee of $57. Space is limited, so reserve your ticket right away at www.ajsnet.org (select link, “Purchase Meals for the Conference”).* AJS GALA BANQUET SPONSORS The AJS wishes to thank the following West Coast Jewish Studies Programs, Departments, and Institutions for sponsoring the Gala Banquet: Jewish Studies Program, Arizona State University Jewish Studies Program, California State University at Northridge Jewish Studies Program, California State University, Long Beach Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies, California State University, San Diego Center for Cultural Judaism Friends of the AJS Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies, University of Oregon Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion The Jewish Theological Seminary Jewish Studies Program, San Francisco State University Taube Center for Jewish Studies, Stanford University Center for Jewish Studies, UCLA Judaic Studies Program, University of California, San Diego The Casden Institute for the Study of Jews in American Life, University of Southern California Jewish Studies Program, University of Texas at Austin

*Those who purchased banquet tickets for $57.00 will receive a refund for the difference between the full price and the new, reduced price. 51 “The Jew and His [Political] Parties,” Di Bin, Warsaw, March 22, 1906. The Jews are represented as a skeleton, implying an unsteady, weak polity about to be pulled apart by the wide variety of new political parties that are dragging it in different directions. Courtesy of Edward Portnoy.

(Cover Photo) From “This year’s hakofes in the radical shul,” Der groyser kundes, New York, October 21, 1921. Courtesy of Edward Portnoy.

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