Jewish Theological Seminary of America S. – serie

Galilee was the center of Jewish life in Palestine after the sedtruiction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. as well as a region of prime importance in early Christian history. Here the outstanding scholars in the fiels present the most up-to-date research: Americans, Israelis, Europeans; Jews and Christians; historians and archaeologists; students of New Testament and rabbinic literature; and those who concentrate on the sociological and cultural aspects of the Galilee. Among the issues examined in these twenty essays: the first Christians; Jewish-Christian conflict; first-century social and economic conditions; the Roman army and rule in Galilee; the role of the rabbi in Jewish society; the sages and the synagogue; Hebrew and Aramaic language and literature; archeological evidence of ancient synagogues, Roman Sepphoris, and social aspects of burial. Combining such a diversity of interests and expertise, The Galilee in Late Antiquity offers penetratinf new insights on the vibrant period from the first to the seventh centuries.

In recent years, gender studies and feminist thinking have had a growing influence on the study of world literature. But only noe, in this volume, is a range of studies devoted to the field of modern Hebrew and Yiddish literature. Here international scholars bring a diversity of approaches, perspectives, and themes to the works of women writers and to the representations of women in writing by men. Among the many writers discussed in the book are Esther Raab, Yocheved Bat Miriam, Celia Dropkin, Hayyim Nahman Bialik, A.B. Yehoshua, and Ahron Appelfeld. In addition, three women novelists write about thier own craft. Annotated bibliographies provide strong guidance for future research into gender issues.

This is a book about law and religion. It opens with a study of prophrtic intercession as a response to the tensions inherent in monotheism, the struggles between love and justice that seem to take place within Israel's God. The final chapters concern the rich legal vocabulary in which Israelites expressed ideas of freedom and spontaneity. The intervening essays also deal wiht religious language and concepts in religious contexts.