Research project, BRIC-19
Prayer in the age of COVID. The BRIC-19 project report British Ritual Innovation under COVID-19 is now available to download at (www.tinyurl.com/bric19). It includes Dr Katja Stuerzenhofecker’s case study of two online prayer groups by Orthodox Jewish women and girls that are attracting a global following. The project report aims to share best practice of digital solutions across religious communities that are useful for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.
A Buried Synagogue on Campus
Joint R&T and Archaeology on-campus tour. 'Walk & Talk: A Buried Synagogue on Campus’ with John Piprani (Archaeology) and Tereza Ward (R&T). Organised as part of Welcome Week on Fri 24 Sept 2021. Further information.
New publication
Jewish Studies. Philip Alexander, “‘If they are not Prophets, they are Sons of Prophets’. Folk Religion (Minhag) as a Source of Law in Rabbinic Judaism,” in: The Use and Dissemination of Religious Knowledge in Antiquity, ed. Catherine Hezser and Diana Edelman (Sheffield: Equinox, 2021), 122-144. Further information.
New publication
Jewish Studies. Philip Alexander, “Eschatology in the apocalyptic revival in Judaism (sixth to ninth centuries CE) in its historical context,” in: Eschatology in Antiquity: Forms and Functions, ed. Hilary Marlow, Karla Pollmann, and Helen van Noorden (Routledge: London and New York, 2021), 576-588. Further information.
Reading Group, Book of Esther (Biblical Hebrew)
Biblical and Jewish Studies. Philip Alexander will be leading a reading group focusing on the Book of Esther and Jewish commentaries. The class will meet via Zoom once a week. The primary aim of this non-credit course will be to provide students at BA, MA or PhD levels who have done some Hebrew with the opportunity to advance their knowledge. This semester the focus will be on the so-called Second Targum to Esther, and Prof. Alexander will give an introduction to the Targum in the first session. Knowledge of Hebrew and Aramaic will be a help, but is not necessary. English translations of the relevant texts will be supplied. 11am, Mondays, starting 27 Sept.
Blog entry, Council of Christians and Jews
Jewish Studies. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz writes on the subject of 'Rosh Hashanah: In the Presence of the King.' 3 Sept 2021. Further information.
Public event, Bric-19
Prayer in the age of COVID. Dr Katja Stuerzenhofecker's ethnographic study of female-only Orthodox Jewish online prayer groups is part of the research study ‘Social Distance, Digital Congregation: British Ritual Innovation under COVID-19’. You are warmly invited to hear and discuss the results of this year-long research project into the ways in which the pandemic has shaped the ritual lives of religious communities of all kinds across the UK. Wed 29 September, 1-5pm BST, Manchester Metropolitan University city centre campus; also streamed online. The event is free and open to the public, but please register in advance. To sign up, see further infomration.
Podcast, Jewish Renaissance
Jewish Studies. 'Peh, Peh, Peh: Spitting at the Evil Eye and other Curious 'Kosher' Customs.' Have you ever worn an amulet? Or 'touched wood'? Or tied red thread on a baby’s cot? Recent research on Jewish women has revealed a wide array of customs that are still being used to protect people and ward off the angel of death. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz investigates Jewish and anthropological definitions of magic and asks why people... Watch on YouTube.
Public event, Maharat
Jewish Studies. Lindsey Taylor-Guthartz speaks on 'Our Journey towards God: A Walk through the Piyutim of Erev Yom Kippur' as part of the Yeshivat Maharat (NY) 'Power Hour of Torah - High Holiday 5782 Edition'. Starts at 9:40 minutes. Watch on YouTube.
Online seminar
Jewish Studies. Moshe Behar gave a presentation on 'Genealogy of the Two-State solution in Israel/Palestine' at the International Webinar on the Prospect of Two-State Solution in Palestine, the National Institute of Management, Quetta, Pakistan. 19 June 2021. Further information.