A bit more than a decade ago, after Sabbath (Shabbat) services at my synagogue, a particularly ornery congregant tracked me down during kiddush, when people normally have a small bite to eat and socialize. Since that Shabbat coincided with Hannukah, the liturgy contained a number of modifications and insertions, including an extra paragraph added to the Amidah, the most important prayer of the service. Knowing that I was a professor of Judaic studies at Brown and that I specialized in ancient Jewish history, he wanted to know why we would recite this paragraph when the historical facts that it recounts are manifestly false. To my embarrassment, I had never really noticed this; I had routinely simply recited (or sometimes sung, since it has a catchy tune) the paragraph without thinking about it. He was right, though, and I told him I would check this out and have an answer the next week.
I am new to substack but have followed your podcasts and books. You and Henry Abramson are my "go to" experts on Jewish history. For the last month or so, I have been trying to figure out who the "endogenous" people of Palestine might be. How about the Neanderthals? I look forward to your posts! Thanks, from a fellow academic (molecular biology).
I am new to substack but have followed your podcasts and books. You and Henry Abramson are my "go to" experts on Jewish history. For the last month or so, I have been trying to figure out who the "endogenous" people of Palestine might be. How about the Neanderthals? I look forward to your posts! Thanks, from a fellow academic (molecular biology).
Thank you, Bill! I appreciate your engagement and support.