I had the pleasure this last week of listening to a lecture by Professor Carlos Eire, of Yale University. (Full dislosure: I was a colleague of Carlos's at University of Virginia, and in addition to finding him a supportive senior colleague, have … [Continue reading] about Death, and the Modern American Synagogue
Larry Axel Memorial Lecture
I just presented the Larry Axel Memorial Lecture at Purdue University. The talk was entitled, "Big Givers: The Origins of Jewish Philanthropy." The publicity paragraph reads: Whether by naming buildings, erecting plaques, or publishing name-lists, … [Continue reading] about Larry Axel Memorial Lecture
"Day of Judgment"
Tonight Rosh HaShanah begins. It is probably safe to say that many Jews associate the holiday with two theological themes. The first, emphasized especially in children's books and early Jewish educational settings, is the birthday of the world - … [Continue reading] about "Day of Judgment"
Memory, History, and Jews in the Eighteenth Century
I've just spent a fascinating few days reading through Jewish ritual calendars luhot - that date from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many of these calendars contain a short, one or two page, list of important Jewish historical events, … [Continue reading] about Memory, History, and Jews in the Eighteenth Century
"Fruit and the Fruit of Fruit"
My article, "Fruit and the Fruit of Fruit: Charity and Piety among Jews in Late Antique Palestine" has just appeared the Jewish Quarterly Review 100 (2010): 244-277. It can be accessed online here, with an institutional subscription. … [Continue reading] about "Fruit and the Fruit of Fruit"