I have taught an introductory level undergraduate course, "How the Bible Became Holy," several times at Brown and will be doing so again this fall. The course gives (but does not insist on) a loose narrative to the history of the biblical text, but … [Continue reading] about Course: How the Bible Became Holy (Again)
The Poor and Their Relief in the Mishnah
Last month there was a workshop in Jerusalem on charity in rabbinic literature that I was sorry to miss. There has been a great deal of scholarly interest lately on the topic of charity generally in antiquity, among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. … [Continue reading] about The Poor and Their Relief in the Mishnah
The Geonim: An Introduction
I have been teaching for many years in the Me'ah adult learning program run by Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. I've always enjoyed teaching in this program and having the opportunity to interact with the wider Jewish community. Such … [Continue reading] about The Geonim: An Introduction
Philo’s Definition of “Judaism”
With the publication of Daniel Boyarin's book, Judaism: The Genealogy of a Modern Notion, "Judaism" is back on the scholarly agenda. The book (for which I supplied a blurb) was recently the center of an interesting forum in Marginalia, and comes on … [Continue reading] about Philo’s Definition of “Judaism”
The College Admissions Process
In light of the latest college admissions scandal (now almost old news), I wrote something on how a simple but radical reform can improve not just the process at selective universities, but ripple down to make our world a better place (admittedly, in … [Continue reading] about The College Admissions Process