Bedste Jewish Studies-podcasts (2024)

1
Hartley Lachter, "Kabbalah and Catastrophe: Historical Memory in Premodern Jewish Mysticism" (Stanford UP, 2024) 45:29

4h ago45:29

45:29

While premodern kabbalistic texts were not chronicles of historical events, they provided elaborate models for understanding the secret divine plan guiding human affairs. Hartley Lachter analyzes innovative kabbalistic doctrines, such as the idea of reincarnation and the notion of multiple successive universes, through which Jewish mystics sought t…

1
Vayeshev 5785: Sibling Rivalry 32:58

6d ago32:58

32:58

Could the animosity between Yosef and his brothers have been avoided through different choices?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Ilana Gleicher-Bloom delve into the complex family dynamics of Yaakov, Yosef, and his brothers in Parshat Vayeshev. They explore how favoritism, communication breakdowns, and perceived inevitabilities lead to choices w…

1
Christian Bailey, "German Jews in Love: A History" (Stanford UP, 2022) 1:13:18

1d ago1:13:18

1:13:18

German Jews in Love: A History (Stanford UP, 2022) explores the dynamic role of love in German-Jewish lives, from the birth of the German Empire in the 1870s, to the 1970s, a generation after the Shoah. During a remarkably turbulent hundred-year period when German Jews experienced five political regimes, rapid urbanization, transformations in gende…

1
Ariel Evan Mayse, "Laws of the Spirit: Ritual, Mysticism, and the Commandments in Early Hasidism" (Stanford UP, 2024) 1:16:00

2d ago1:16:00

1:16:00

The compelling vision of religious life and practice found in Hasidic sources has made it the most enduring and successful Jewish movement of spiritual renewal of all time. In Laws of the Spirit: Ritual, Mysticism, and the Commandments in Early Hasidism (Stanford UP, 2024), Ariel Evan Mayse grapples with one of Hasidism's most vexing questions: how…

1
Yaacov Yadgar, "To Be a Jewish State: Zionism as the New Judaism" (NYU Press, 2024) 1:02:06

5d ago1:02:06

1:02:06

In one of the first books to ask head-on what it means for Israel to be a Jewish state, Yaacov Yadgar delves into what the designation "Jewish" amounts to in the context of the sovereign nation-state, and what it means for the politics of the state to be identified as Jewish. The volume interrogates the tension between the notion of Israel as a Jew…

1
Adin Steinsaltz, "The Steinsaltz Nevi'im" (Koren, 2019) 16:19

6d ago16:19

16:19

The Steinsaltz Nevi'im is the long-awaited English version of Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz's pioneering translation and commentary. Like his monumental translation and commentary of the entire Talmud, the new Steinsaltz Nevi'im includes a treasure trove of information to make the text clear, fascinating, and relevant to users of all background…

1
Dianne Ashton and Melissa R. Klapper, "The Civil War Diary of Emma Mordecai" (NYU Press, 2024) 58:38

6d ago58:38

58:38

Emma Mordecai lived an unusual life. She was Jewish when Jews comprised less than 1 percent of the population of the Old South, and unmarried in a culture that offered women few options other than marriage. She was American born when most American Jews were immigrants. She affirmed and maintained her dedication to Jewish religious practice and Jewi…

1
Emanuela Trevisan Semi, "Taamrat Emmanuel: An Ethiopian Jewish Intellectual, Between Colonized and Colonizers" (Centro Primo Levi, 2018) 1:38:27

7d ago1:38:27

1:38:27

Emanuela Trevisan Semi’s Taamrat Emmanuel: An Ethiopian Jewish Intellectual, Between Colonized and Colonizers (Centro Primo Levi, 2018) is an insightful biographical study of a key figure among Ethiopian Jews of the early 20th Century. Taamrat Emmanuel was profoundly fascinated by European Jewish culture, by Western thought, and by Italy’s language…

1
Angela Kim Harkins, "Reading with an "I" to the Heavens: Looking at the Qumran Hodayot Through the Lens of Visionary Traditions" (de Gruyter, 2018) 1:04:04

8d ago1:04:04

1:04:04

Reading with an "I" to the Heavens: Looking at the Qumran Hodayot Through the Lens of Visionary Traditions (de Gruyter, 2018) examines the collection of prayers known as the Qumran Hodayot (= Thanksgiving Hymns) in light of ancient visionary traditions, new developments in neuropsychology, and post-structuralist understandings of the embodied subje…

1
Beth Kaplan, "Finding the Jewish Shakespeare: The Life and Legacy of Jacob Gordin" (Syracuse UP, 2007) 1:09:06

9d ago1:09:06

1:09:06

Born of an Anglican mother and a Jewish father who disdained religion, Kaplan knew little of her Judaic roots and less about her famed great-grandfather until beginning her research, more than twenty years ago. In Finding the Jewish Shakespeare: The Life and Legacy of Jacob Gordin (Syracuse UP, 2007), Kaplan describes the commune he founded and led…

1
Nick Posegay and Melonie Schmierer-Lee, "The Illustrated Cairo Genizah" (Gorgias Press, 2024) 1:03:57

10d ago1:03:57

1:03:57

Starting nearly a thousand years ago at the Ben Ezra Synagogue of Old Cairo, worn-out books and scrolls were put in the genizah, a storage area for sacred texts. In The Illustrated Cairo Genizah: A Visual Tour of Cairo Genizah Manuscripts at Cambridge Univertity Library (Gorgias Press, 2024), Nick Posegay and Melonie Schmierer-Lee tell the story of…

1
Rebecca Brenner Graham, "Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkins's Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany" (Citadel Press, 2025) 45:58

11d ago45:58

45:58

She was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet, the longest-serving Labor Secretary, and an architect of the New Deal. Yet beyond these celebrated accomplishments there is another dimension to Frances Perkins’s story. Without fanfare, and despite powerful opposition, Perkins helped save the lives of countless Jewish refugees fleeing Naz…

1
Jacob Flaws, "Spaces of Treblinka: Retracing a Death Camp" (U Nebraska Press, 2024) 1:00:11

12d ago1:00:11

1:00:11

Spaces of Treblinka: Retracing a Death Camp (U Nebraska Press, 2024) utilizes testimonies, oral histories, and recollections from Jewish, German, and Polish witnesses to create a holistic representation of the Treblinka death camp during its operation. This narrative rejects the historical misconception that Treblinka was an isolated Nazi extermina…

1
A. J. Berkovitz, "A Life of Psalms in Jewish Late Antiquity" (U Pennsylvania Press, 2023) 1:11:23

12d ago1:11:23

1:11:23

The Bible shaped nearly every aspect of Jewish life in the ancient world, from activities as obvious as attending synagogue to those which have lost their scriptural resonance in modernity, such as drinking water and uttering one’s last words. And within a scriptural universe, no work exerted more force than the Psalter, the most cherished text amo…

1
Vayishlach 5785: Wrestling with the Divine 30:18

13d ago30:18

30:18

What can Yaakov's struggle teach us about the complexities of identity and faith?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Michael Hattin delve into Yaakov’s dramatic encounter with the mysterious "Ish" in Parshat Vayishlach. They explore themes of personal transformation, the meaning of Yaakov's name change to Yisrael, and how this pivotal moment…

1
Jonathan Adams and Cordelia Heß, "Antisemitism in the North: History and State of Research" (de Gruyter, 2019) 1:07:49

17d ago1:07:49

1:07:49

Is research on antisemitism even necessary in countries with a relatively small Jewish population? Absolutely, as Antisemitism in the North: History and State of Research (de Gruyter, 2019) shows. Compared to other countries, research on antisemitism in the Nordic countries (Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Swede…

1
Vayetze 5785: Finding the Makom 28:55

19d ago28:55

28:55

How does the Torah guide us to create sacred spaces in moments of transition and uncertainty?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Rafael Polisuk explore Yaakov’s profound journey in Parshat Vayetze. Together, they delve into Yaakov's encounter with the "Makom"—a sacred space where the displaced patriarch begins to find his grounding. Through …

1
Krzysztof Bielawski, "The Destruction of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland" (Academic Studies Press, 2024) 1:02:35

20d ago1:02:35

1:02:35

The Destruction of Jewish Cemeteries in Poland (Academic Studies Press, 2024) in Poland offers a comprehensive examination of the history of Jewish cemeteries in Poland, shedding light on an overlooked aspect of Holocaust history. Beginning with the settlement of Jewish communities in Poland, the book covers the establishment and subsequent destruc…

1
Elliot R. Wolfson, "Nocturnal Seeing: Hopelessness of Hope and Philosophical Gnosis in Susan Taubes, Gillian Rose, and Edith Wyschogrod" (Stanford UP, 2024) 45:59

21d ago45:59

45:59

In Nocturnal Seeing: Hopelessness of Hope and Philosophical Gnosis in Susan Taubes, Gillian Rose, and Edith Wyschogrod (Stanford UP, 2024), Elliot R. Wolfson explores philosophical gnosis in the writings of Susan Taubes, Gillian Rose, and Edith Wyschogrod. The juxtaposition of these three extraordinary, albeit relatively neglected, philosophers pro…

1
Zsuzsanna Szanto, "The Jews of Ptolemaic Egypt: The History of a Diaspora Community in Light of the Papyri (De Gruyter, 2024) 46:04

22d ago46:04

46:04

The Jews of Ptolemaic Egypt: The History of a Diaspora Community in Light of the Papyri (De Gruyter, 2024) offers a comprehensive and nuanced history of the Jews of Egypt, who constituted an important ethnic minority ever since they first appeared in the country. As part of the Greek-speaking ruling class, the Jews played an active role in the poli…

1
Elliot R. Wolfson, "The Philosophical Pathos of Susan Taubes: Between Nihilism and Hope" (Stanford UP, 2023) 53:29

24d ago53:29

53:29

The Philosophical Pathos of Susan Taubes: Between Nihilism and Hope (Stanford UP, 2023) offers a detailed analysis of an extraordinary figure in the twentieth-century history of Jewish thought, Western philosophy, and the study of religion. Drawing on close readings of Susan Taubes's writings, including her correspondence with Jacob Taubes, scholar…

1
Nina Valbousquet, "Lukewarm Souls: The Vatican facing the Shoah" (La Découverte, 2024) 1:04:19

25d ago1:04:19

1:04:19

The exceptional opening of the archives of the pontificate of Pius XII (1939-1958) in 2020 did not end the controversies surrounding the silence of the pope in the face of Nazi atrocities. But, beyond the controversies, what do these new sources reveal? What do they contribute to our understanding of the Shoah, the Second World War and religious po…

1
Yermiyahu Ahron Taub, "Prayers of a Heretic: Poems" (Plain View Press, 2013) 1:02:18

25d ago1:02:18

1:02:18

In the poetry collection Prayers of a Heretic (Plain View Press, 2013), Yermiyahu Ahron Taub explores the "crime" of heresy and the condition of existential displacement through the language of prayer and prayerful voice/s. In the first section, "Visits and Visitations," the poet imagines a variety of protagonists in situations of supplication. The…

1
Toldot 5785: Brothers in Balance 34:26

27d ago34:26

34:26

What do Yitzchak’s blessings teach us about the balance of power between Yaakov and Esav?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits to unpack the intricate dynamics between Yaakov and Esav in Parshat Toldot. They explore the meaning behind Yitzchak’s blessings, the cycles of conflict and cooperation, and what these i…

1
Phillip Lieberman, "The Fate of the Jews in the Early Islamic Near East: Tracing the Demographic Shift from East to West" (Cambridge UP, 2022) 1:28:30

28d ago1:28:30

1:28:30

In The Fate of the Jews in the Early Islamic Near East: Tracing the Demographic Shift from East to West (Cambridge UP, 2022), Phillip Lieberman revisits one of the foundational narratives of medieval Jewish history--that the rise of Islam led the Jews of Babylonia, the largest Jewish community prior to the rise of Islam, to abandon a livelihood bas…

1
Writing on the Wall: A Conversation with William Kolbrener 35:01

28d ago35:01

35:01

"Writing on the Wall" is a global platform founded by Professor William Kolbrener and novelist Ronit Eitan in response to the traumatic events of October 7th and the alarming rise in global antisemitism. The co-founders, despite their differing perspectives on many issues, share a steadfast belief: the fight against antisemitism can begin by unitin…

1
Rafe Neis, "When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven" 24:21

1M ago24:21

24:21

In this episode, we explore the work of Raphael Rachel Neis, a professor of ancient history at the University of Michigan, whose book, When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven, delves into ancient rabbinic understandings of reproduction and identity, focusing on how the rabbis of the Talmud viewed the emergence of new life. The book aims to reveal a mor…

1
Around the World with Jewish Newspapers 42:08

1M ago42:08

42:08

In this episode, host Erin Phillips and guest scholars Zachary Baker, Philip Keisman, and Devin E. Naar discuss four Jewish newspapers from across the 19th and 20th centuries. Every detail in their pages provides clues about Jewish life in a particular time and place - from the advertisements in their margins, to letters to the editor, to even the …

1
Masha Kirasirova, "The Eastern International: Arabs, Central Asians, and Jews in the Soviet Union's Anticolonial Empire" (Oxford UP, 2024) 1:00:30

1M ago1:00:30

1:00:30

In the first few years after the Russian Revolution, an ideological project coalesced to link the development of what Stalin demarcated as the internal "East"—primarily Central Asia and the Caucasus—with nation-building, the overthrow of colonialism, and progress toward socialism in the "foreign East"—the Third World. Support for anti-colonial move…

1
Chayei Sarah 5785: Chesed and Devotion 32:23

1M ago32:23

32:23

Why are "supporting characters" so vital in Torah narratives?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy explore Parshat Chayei Sarah, focusing on the remarkable qualities of Rivka and Eliezer. Rivka’s extraordinary acts of chesed (kindness) and Eliezer’s unwavering dedication to Avraham’s mission offer profound lessons about…

1
Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, "In Search of Jonathan: Jonathan Between the Bible and Modern Fiction" (Oxford UP, 2023) 1:04:49

1M ago1:04:49

1:04:49

In both modern fiction and the biblical texts of 1 Samuel 13-2 Samuel 1, the character of Jonathan serves as a key literary and theological figure. Throughout In Search of Jonathan: Jonathan Between the Bible and Modern Fiction (Oxford UP, 2023), Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer interprets Jonathan's portrayal in traditional biblical literature and modern ficti…

1
Hannah Pollin-Galay, "Occupied Words: What the Holocaust Did to Yiddish" (U Pennsylvania Press, 2024) 1:00:00

1M ago1:00:00

1:00:00

The Holocaust radically altered the way many East European Jews spoke Yiddish. Finding prewar language incapable of describing the imprisonment, death, and dehumanisation of the Shoah, prisoners added or reinvented thousands of Yiddish words and phrases to describe their new reality. These crass, witty, and sometimes beautiful Yiddish words – Khurb…

1
Gil Student, "Articles of Faith" (Kodesh Press, 2024) 29:37

1M ago29:37

29:37

The advance of technology has revolutionized nearly everything in our world, bringing changes which have led to much confusion regarding faith and practice. Here, Rabbi Gil Student stands as a pioneer with his online periodical Torah Musings, which explores timely issues of faith and meaning in the contemporary world based on classic Jewish texts. …

1
Maksim Goldenshteyn, "So They Remember: A Jewish Family’s Story of Surviving the Holocaust in Soviet Ukraine" (U Oklahoma Press, 2022) 1:30:38

1M ago1:30:38

1:30:38

When we think of Nazi camps, names such as Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen, and Dachau come instantly to mind. Yet the history of the Holocaust extends beyond those notorious sites. In the former territory of Transnistria, located in occupied Soviet Ukraine and governed by Nazi Germany's Romanian allies, many Jews perished due to disease, starvation, and …

1
Sara Glass, "Kissing Girls on Shabbat: A Memoir" (Atria, 2024) 1:02:57

1M ago1:02:57

1:02:57

Growing up in the Hasidic community of Brooklyn’s Borough Park, Sara Glass knew one painful truth: what was expected of her and what she desperately wanted were impossibly opposed. Tormented by her attraction to women and trapped in a loveless arranged marriage, she found herself unable to conform to her religious upbringing and soon, she made the …

1
Vayera 5785: Justice and Mercy 38:50

1M ago38:50

38:50

Why might kindness be perceived as weakness, and what does Avraham’s response teach us?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield and Rabbi Leon Morris examine Avraham’s moral decisions in Parshat Vayera, focusing on the qualities that led to the downfall of Sodom and Gomorrah. They discuss the values of compassion, justice, and community, exploring how thes…

1
Janusz Korczak, "How to Love a Child and Other Selected Works" (Vallentine Mitchell, 2018) 1:28:50

1M ago1:28:50

1:28:50

How to Love a Child and Other Selected Works (Vallentine Mitchell, 2018) is the first comprehensive collection of Korczak's works translated into English. It contains his most important pedagogical writings, journal articles, as well as private texts. Volume 2 starts with extensive excerpts from two pedagogical treatises written for young readers. …

1
Jay Rovner, "In Every Generation: Studies in the Evolution and Formation of the Passover Haggadah" (Gorgias Press, 2024) 35:47

1M ago35:47

35:47

I spoke with Jay Rovner about his book In Every Generation: Studies in the Evolution and Formation of the Passover Haggadah (Gorgias Press, 2024). The Passover seder is one of the most widely celebrated ceremonies in the Jewish world today. It was one of the few that was maintained as much as possible in secret by crypto Jews, and there are still r…

1
Naomi S. S. Jacobs, "Delicious Prose: Reading the Tale of Tobit with Food and Drink: A Commentary" (Brill, 2018) 1:00:47

1M ago1:00:47

1:00:47

In Delicious Prose: Reading the Tale of Tobit with Food and Drink (Brill, 2018), Naomi S.S. Jacobs explores how the numerous references to food, drink, and their consumption within The Book of Tobit help tell its story, promote righteous deeds and encourage resistance against a hostile dominant culture. Jacobs' commentary includes up-to-date analys…

1
Karine Rashkovsky, "An Improbable Life: My Father's Escape from Soviet Russia" (Cherry Orchard Books, 2024) 41:41

2M ago41:41

41:41

From evading the KGB and disassembling a downed American plane to narrowly escaping a life sentence in Siberia, Reuven Rashkovsky’s story is a gripping tale of coming of age, searching for belonging, and daring to escape the tightly controlled Soviet regime. Relayed in his point of view by his daughter, Dr. Karine Rashkovsky, An Improbable Life: My…

1
Lech Lecha 5785: Light in the Darkness 33:45

2M ago33:45

33:45

What can Avraham’s journey teach us about finding inner light when surrounded by uncertainty?In this episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Nechama Goldman Barash to delve into Parshat Lech Lecha. They discuss the complex dynamics between Sarai and Hagar, exploring themes of oppression, empathy, and power. Nechama reflects on Avraham’s journey as he…

1
Joanne Rosenthal, "Sex: Jewish Positions" (Hirmer Verlag, 2024) 42:47

2M ago42:47

42:47

Freelance curator Joanne Rosenthal joins Jana Byars to talk about Sex: Jewish Positions (Hirmer, 2024) and its concomitant exhibition at the Jewish museums in Berlin and Amsterdam. This book is also available in German with the same publisher as Sex. Judisches Positionen. An exploration of sexuality in Judaism, from ultra-Orthodox to secular. Sensu…

1
Avi Shlaim, "Three Worlds: Memoirs of an Arab-Jew" (Oneworld, 2024) 1:01:37

2M ago1:01:37

1:01:37

In July 1950, Avi Shlaim, only five, and his family were forced into exile, fleeing from their beloved Iraq into the new state of Israel. Now the rump of a once flourishing community of over 150,000, dating back 2,600 years, has dwindled to single figures. For many, this tells the story of the timeless clash of the Arab and Jewish civilisations, th…

1
Jonathan A. Allan, "Uncut: A Cultural Analysis of the Foreskin" (U Regina Press, 2024) 32:51

2M ago32:51

32:51

The “uncut” penis is viewed by some as attractive or erotic, and by others as ugly or undesirable. Secular parents of male infants worry about whether or not the foreskin should be removed so their little boy can grow up to “look like dad” or to avoid imagined bullying in the locker room. Medical experts and public health organisations argue back a…

1
Noach 5785: Navigating Stormy Waters 31:04

2M ago31:04

31:04

How can we remain hopeful amid life’s turbulent “floodwaters”?In this week’s Parshat Noach episode, Zvi Hirschfield is joined by Yiscah Smith to explore the relevance of Noah’s story and how, even amid overwhelming turmoil, one can find an “ark” of inner strength and faith. Drawing on the wisdom of Hasidic teachings, they discuss how prayer and dee…

1
Anna Hajkova, "Quartet: A Story of Survival" 17:12

2M ago17:12

17:12

In this episode, historian Dr. Anna Hejkova from the University of Warwick explores rarely discussed queer histories and enforced relationships during the Holocaust. The narrative delves into the lives of concentration camp guard Anneliese Kohlmann; Helene Sommer, a female prisoner who Kohlmann forced into a relationship; Margot Heumann, a teenage …

1
Vicente Dobroruka, "Second Temple Pseudepigraphy: A Cross-cultural Comparison of Apocalyptic Texts and Related Jewish Literature" (de Gruyter, 2014) 1:21:28

2M ago1:21:28

1:21:28

At this point of the scholarly debate on the nature of Second Temple pseudepigraphy, one may ask why another look at the problem is needed. Second Temple Pseudepigraphy: A Cross-cultural Comparison of Apocalyptic Texts and Related Jewish Literature (de Gruyter, 2014) is not the definitive answer to that problem but it proposes different paths - or …

1
Dominick Hernández, "The Prosperity of the Wicked: A Theological Challenge in the Book of Job and in Ancient Near Eastern Literature" (Gorgias Press, 2022) 23:05

2M ago23:05

23:05

Does Job convincingly argue against a fixed system of just retribution by proclaiming the prosperity of the wicked, an argument that runs contrary to traditional biblical and ancient Near Eastern wisdom? Addressing this question, Dominick Hernández gives careful consideration to the rhetoric, imagery, and literary devices used to treat the issue of…

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