ERSPECTIVES TheNewsletter of the Association for Jewish Studies AJSP Spring/Summer 2004 In This Issue: GERMAN-JEWISH STUDIES Recent Developments in German-Jewish Studies The Leo Baeck Institute and German-Jewish Studies Noah Isenberg . 6 Frank Mecklenburg . 10 The Study of Early German-Jewish Autobiographies ALSO...Reactions to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ Liliane Weissberg. 8 Adele Reinhartz/David Kraemer . 12/14 AJS Perspectives: The Newsletter TABLE of the Association for Jewish Studies President OF Judith R. Baskin University of Oregon CONTENTS Editor Riv-Ellen Prell From the Editor. 3 University of Minnesota From the President . 4 Editorial Board Marc Brettler From the Executive Director . 5 Brandeis University German-Jewish Studies Jonathan Decter Brandeis University Recent Developments in German-Jewish Studies (1980–Present) Steve Fine Noah Isenberg . 6 University of Cincinnati The Study of Early German-Jewish Autobiographies Sara Horowitz Liliane Weissberg . 8 York University Inventing a Discipline: Heidi Lerner The Leo Baeck Institute and German-Jewish Studies Stanford University Frank Mecklenburg . 10 Frances Malino Wellesley College “The Passion of the Christ”: Reflections of Two Jewish Studies Scholars Deborah Dash Moore Adele Reinhartz . 12 Vassar College David Kraemer. 14 Jane Rothstein New York University The Shtetl on the Silver Screen: Two Recent Films Jeffrey Shandler. 15 Jeffrey Shandler Rutgers University The Island Within the Island: Steven Zipperstein A Call for Inter-Graduate Student Support AJS Vice President for Publications Keren McGinity. 17 Stanford University Perspectives on Technology Managing Editor Hebrew in Bits and Bytes: Karin Kugel An Introduction to Coding and Formatting Executive Director of Hebrew Electronic Resources Rona Sheramy Heidi Lerner . 18 Graphic Designer Thanks to Aaron Katchen Matt Biscotti Lawrence H. Schiffman . 20 Wild 1 Graphics, Inc. Calendar of Conferences in Jewish Studies. 29 Please direct correspondence to: Association for Jewish Studies Calls for Papers . 30 Center for Jewish History Awards and Announcements . Inside Back Cover 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011 (Cover Photo) Voice: (917) 606-8249 Albert Einstein and His Sister Maja with Umbrella, 1893 approx. Fax: (917) 606-8222 Courtesy of the Leo Baeck Institute, New York. E-Mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.brandeis.edu/ajs AJS Perspectives encourages submissions of articles, announcements, and brief letters to AJS Perspectives is published the editor related to the interests of our members. Materials submitted will be published at bi-annually by the Association the discretion of the editors. AJS Perspectives reserves the right to reject articles, for Jewish Studies. 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 © Copyright 2004 Association for Jewish Studies style. AJS Perspectives disclaims responsibility for statements made by contributors. ISSN 1529-6423 network of graduate students in the In coming issues Perspectives will Boston area. She describes how their focus on teaching translated texts, FROM group began and what issues have Sephardic studies, and a variety of been important for them. We hope innovations in technology and media. THE that this will be a useful model for We hope that the AJS newsletter will other regional student networks. increasingly take up the key issues EDITOR Jeffrey Shandler’s discussion of films related to our teaching and research, about the shtetl, historical and and our relationship to the university Dear Colleagues, current, makes evident the value of and our communities. ur spring issue reflects the using film to analyze history and This issue is the first to be produced central concerns of AJS memory. Shandler rightly reminds us through the new AJS office. Karin Perspectives. The issue’s that we must be aware of our O students’ literacy in media even as we Kugel and Rona Sheramy have been theme is German-Jewish studies, one highly effective in ushering their first of the most exciting developments in teach through texts. Heidi Lerner’s issue of Perspectives through the both Jewish studies and German discussion of Unicode is essential for demands of production. We have studies of the past decade. We want anyone teaching with and about been helped by Miriam Intrator from our readers to have a sense not only Hebrew language. the Leo Baeck Institute and Shalom of how the field has developed of The debut of the controversial film, Sabar from the Center for Advanced late, but also an awareness of an The Passion of the Christ, directed by Judaic Studies at the University of important institution that anchors it Mel Gibson, led us to invite two Pennsylvania and Hebrew University and current research that is emerging scholars to see the film on its in finding photographs and other from it. Noah Isenberg’s overview of opening day and write about it for illustrations. Thanks also to Leslie German-Jewish studies examines Perspectives. I am exceptionally Morris of the University of recent intellectual developments and grateful to Adele Reinhartz and Minnesota for her help with the provides a review of contemporary David Kraemer for agreeing to do German-Jewish theme section, scholarship. Liliane Weissberg’s essay this in such a timely fashion. Many of including her thoughtful editing of on German-Jewish autobiographies us will be asked to comment on the Noah Isenberg’s essay to a in the late eighteenth and early film in classes, with friends and publishable length. nineteenth centuries is a rich account colleagues, and in our communities. of the complexity of life in the period If there is a topic on which we need a I appreciate the e-mails and and gives us a sense of the excitement “perspective,” this is certainly it. By comments I have received from you. of current research. Finally, Frank including this section we wish to Please continue to let me know what Mecklenburg’s description of the communicate to our readers that we is interesting, what isn’t, and what holdings and publications of the Leo are committed to dealing with topics you would like to be reading about. Baeck Institute makes clear that this that are both current and You can reach me at field is flourishing partly because of controversial. [email protected]. the foresight of those who established this institution. The issue concludes with an excerpt Riv-Ellen Prell from our immediate past president University of Minnesota We continue our regular columns on Lawrence Schiffman’s remarks upon Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the graduate student concerns, classroom University of Pennsylvania the retirement of Aaron Katchen, our teaching, and technology. We invited former executive director. Keren McGinity to write about a new Association AJS welcomes proposal submissions in all fields of Jewish studies. for Jewish Studies The Call for Papers and proposal submission site can be found online at www.brandeis.edu/ajs. 36th Annual Conference Proposal Deadline: April 26, 2004. December 19-21, 2004 • Hyatt Regency Chicago • Chicago, Illinois 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Colleagues, thanks of the organization at the conference Plenary Banquet (see am honored to assume the position Lawrence Schiffman’s remarks, p. 20). of president of the Association for our membership increasingly spans the I know all our members congratulate IJewish Studies. My election comes at continent; directors and chairs of over Aaron on his retirement and wish him a time of transition for our organization, eighty-five Jewish studies programs and the greatest of success in his future marked not only by a new executive departments are now part of a listserve endeavors. Thanks and best wishes are director, Rona Sheramy, and her begun by Arnold Dashefsky to discuss also due to Miranda Rich Winer who administrative assistant, Karin Kugel, but shared issues and concerns. During my served most ably as our administrative also by our move to the Center for presidency the Association for Jewish assistant in the Brandeis office in recent Jewish History in New York City. These Studies will establish a database of these years. I would also like to thank are among a number of changes in programs, their academic offerings, and Brandeis University for graciously recent years that include an increasingly the populations they serve. Another of making space and a variety of services professional organizational profile, a my early goals in office is to regularize available to us for a long period of time. significant growth in membership, and our relationships with regional and steady improvements in the services we international Jewish studies Our move to the Center for Jewish provide. My assumption of this office is organizations, including the Midwestern History in New York City offers both also indicative of an increasing diversity Jewish Studies Association, the Western challenges and opportunities. At the and inclusiveness in the AJS and its Jewish Studies Association, and the moment, significant efforts are being leadership. nascent Canadian association dedicated devoted to upgrading our membership to academic Jewish studies. I particularly database. Our new administrative staff is I am privileged to be working with an ensuring that all members who have met outstanding group of officers who have look forward to finding effective ways for us to work constructively with their financial obligations to the AJS are graciously volunteered their time and accurately listed on our rolls and are creative energies. I am glad to welcome fledgling and struggling Jewish studies programs in the former Soviet Union. receiving all AJS communications and Sara Horowitz of York University as Vice publications. I urge any members with President for Program; Ephraim Our thirty-fifth annual meeting at the unresolved concerns regarding their Kanarfogel of Yeshiva University as Vice Sheraton Boston Hotel, December status with the AJS to contact our New President for Membership and as our 21–23, was a wonderful success.