Lecture on "An Economist Reads the Mishna"

Recently, newspapers worldwide carried the news that Israeli/American Robert Aumann had received the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in game theory, a mathematical decision-making tool that has many interesting and contemporary applications that can be applied on a basic level. It also has applications to Jewish Studies; in articles written with co-author M. Maschler, Aumann applied game theory to understand a bankruptcy case in the Mishna - the text which forms the backbone of the Talmud.

The Mishna divided the assets in the case in a seemingly bizarre way that puzzled Talmudic scholars for centuries. Through the lens of game theory, Aumann and Maschler were able to determine the rules used by the Rabbis in the Mishna to distribute the money. The solution is an application of game theory that can be readily understood, and which can be applied to contemporary situations.

Dr. Lefcourt Ruby received her Ph.D. in Mathematics from Penn in 1996. She now works in math education consulting in Israel, providing curriculum and professional development to schools and educational media companies. Her principal affiliation is with the Israel Center for Teaching and Learning (ICTL). (website http://www.ictl.org)

Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series, in cooperation with the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Mathematics. We invite you to celebrate the achievements of the Israeli/American scholar, in a context that is simultaneously engaging, contemporary and timeless. No specialized knowledge of mathematics or Jewish studies is required. For a printable flyer, click here.

Annual Meyerhoff Lecture on: "Exile, History and the Nationalization of Jewish Memory"

Respondents:
Ian Lustick, Bess W. Heyman Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania
Jonathan Steinberg, Walter H. Annenberg Professor of Modern European History, University of Pennsylvania

Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Jewish History, Ben-Gurion Universityis an innovative and provocative scholar who has written and lectured widely on various topics of Jewish history — the history of Zionism; the Holocaust; issues of nationalism and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. His forthcoming book The Censor, the Editor and the Text will be published by University of Pennsylvania Press.
This lecture will take the form of an academic seminar. Prof. Raz-Krakotzkin will deliver a pre-circulated paper, to which Profs. Lustick and Steinberg will respond. The floor will then be opened for discussion.

Please note: those who wish to attend this lecture are strongly urged to read Prof. Raz-Krakotzkin's paper prior to the lecture. It is available through the CAJS website at www.cajs.upenn.edu or click on http://www.cajs.upenn.edu/meyerhofflecturepaper.doc

This lecture series was established by the Joseph Meyerhoff Memorial Trusts to honor the generosity and service of Herbert D. and Eleanor Meyerhoff Katz to Penn's History Program and Center for Advanced Judaic Studies.

Sponsored by the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies, the History Department and the Jewish Studies Program. This is the Ninth Annual Joseph and Rebecca Meyerhoff Lecture.

Dr. Yuval Harari considers three patterns — priestly, rabbinical and magical — of the ordeal for testing a woman suspected of adultery. The acknowledgement of the Biblical rite as magical by its very essence lies at the core of its later developments among rabbinical circles on the one hand and magical ones on the other. Magicians concentrated on the way of making the ordeal viable at a time when there was neither high priest, nor Temple or holy water. The early medieval magical text titled inyan sota ("The case of the adulteress"), found in the Cairo Geniza, presents their practical solution. Dr. Harari will also discuss a yet-unstudied paragraph in the Hebrew text known as "The Scroll of Ahima'az" (Italy, 11th century), which hints at the magical ordeal of the Genizah, and maybe even at its actual implementation.

Dr. Yuval Harari teaches Folklore at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in the Department of Hebrew Literature—Folklore Studies. An expert in the study of Jewish magic and the realm of the occult associated with it, he prepared a critical edition of The Sword of Moses (Harba de-Moshe) and is the author of the forthcoming Early Jewish Magic: Study, Method, and Sources.
A reception will immediately follow the lecture.

Through the metaphor of Judaism's encounter with American sports, Professor Gurock will explore the dynamics of 20th century immigrant adjustment to the United States and assess the contemporary state of Jewish life in this country.

Jeffrey S. Gurock is Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University.

A student panel follows the lecture (Jesse David, C'06, Erica Denhoff, C'08, Lauren Weinstein, C'06) along with a book-signing by the author and food for all!

Sponsored by the Silvers Visiting Scholar in Jewish Studies at Penn. This is the 10th annual lecture. For a printable flyer, click here.

Lecture on "Turbulent Times in the Middle East - Where to Next?: A Journalist's Perspective."

Yaron Deckel, the Israel Broadcasting Authority's Washington Bureau Chief, will provide an insider's analysis of political turmoil in the Middle East, and discuss future directions and possible outcomes for the region. Deckel is one of Israel's top political reporters and commentators, covering Middle East politics since 1985.

RSVP: academia@philadelphia.mfa.gov.il

Hosted by Annenberg School of Communication. Sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia and the Univ. of Penna. Middle East Center. Co-Sponsored by the Solomon Asch Center, Fox Leadership Program, the Wharton Global Consulting Practicum, Graduate and International Programs of Penn Law School, Penn Israel Coalition, Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, and the Kutchin Seminar Series in the Jewish Studies Program.

A Memorial in Piano, Poerty, and Song: Dahlia Ravikovitch (1936-2005)

Dahlia Ravikovitch was an Israel Prize Lauriate and an internationally known and translated poet. She read her poetry at Penn on April 17, 2001, in the Music Annex Building, accompanied by Jesse Rubenfeld. Featuring performances by: Fatema Chebchoub and Jesse Rubenfeld. Fatema Chebchoubis a Moroccan playwright, actress director, poet, singer and composer, as well as a Ph.D. candidate in the Dept. of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. Jesse Rubenfeld is a pianist and singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas. Having graduated from Penn with degrees in Business and Jewish Music, He works on Wall Street but lives for the local music scene, where he collaborates with other artists and performers.

Light reception at 6:00 PM. Free and open to public. For more information, 215-898-6654 or jsp-info@ccat.sas.upenn.edu.

Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series, in cooperation with the Middle East Center, Hillel, and Department of Near Eastern Languages and Literatures. For a pdf flyer, click here.

Ed Peters on "The History of Jews in the Middle Ages from the North Sea to the Southern Alps: A Description and User's Guide"

An introduction to a recent monument of historical and cartographic scholarship on the extent and nature of the Jewish presence between the Maas and the Rhine from 1000 to 1520, laid out in 105 maps and two volumes of commentary in German.

The work here considered is a Kommentiertes Kartenwerk, an annotated cartography of Jewish settlements in the core area from the year 1000 to 1520, consisting of 105 folio maps, a gazeteer of over 1800 place-names with exhaustive references to the literature, and a volume of introductory essays.

Before the lecture, Professor Edward Peters, Henry Charles Lea Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will offer an introduction to the Lea Library Collection: The private working library of Henry Charles Lea (1825-1909), the greatest American historian of the nineteenth century, whose research focused on Church history and various forms of ecclesiastical discipline. Many of these volumes were the first copies to reach the United States. Until World War II, this was the best library of medieval history in North America.

Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series.

Michael Sokoloff (Bar Ilan University) on "Computerized Lexicography: The Jewish Aramaic Dialects of the First Millenniuim C.E."

The lecture is a non-technical description of how computerized technologies have revolutionized the way we write dictionaries today as it was applied by the speaker to the Jewish Aramaic dialects of the first millennium in Israel and Babylonia. It will be preceded by a survey of how Rabbinic lexicography developed from medieval times until the 20th cent. and will describe the achievements of the traditional methodology as well as its drawbacks, and how a modern approach which deals with individual dialects of a language (e.g. Aramaic, Hebrew) based on modern-day linguistics should be preferred over an approach that includes the vocabulary of a textually and linguistically diverse corpus in a single work.

Prof. Sokoloff's publications include:
The Targum to Job from Qumran cave XI (1974)
The Geniza Fragments of Bereshit Rabba (1982)
A Dictionary of Jewish Palestinian Aramaic of the Byzantine Period (1990)
Jewish Palestinian Aramaic Poetry from Late Antiquity (with Yosef Yahalom, 1999)
A Dictionary of Jewish Babylonian Aramaic of the Talmudic and Geonic Periods (2002)
A Dictionary of Judean Aramaic (2003)

Prof. Sokoloff is currently preparing An English Translation and Revised Edition of C. Brockelmann's Lexicon Syriacum. See http://syrcom.cua.edu/hugoye/Vol7No2/HV7N2CRRamelli.html#S1.7 and http://inside.cua.edu/story1.cfm

Sponsored by the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series, in cooperation with the The Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.

Paul Rozin on "Challah and Hummus and Lox - Oh My!"

This Jewish Studies Internship program will explore the connection between Jewish culture and food and will feature Psychology Professor Paul Rozin who specializes in the field of food culture as the guest lecturer. Catering will be done by Shouk - a brand new Israeli restaurant in Philadelphia. Come enjoy an interesting lecture and delicious free food! Questions? contact: sgantman@sas.upenn.edu.

The event is run by the Jewish Studies Program Bassini Interns Program (organized by JSP Interns Stephanie Gantman, Jenn Endzweig, and Rachel Kohn).

Conference on "Tradition and Trends: Where Judaism and Body Image Meet, Miss, and Collide"

Tickets $5 until Wed. March 22nd; $7 at the door
Register at www.hillel.upenn.edu/tci

"Tradition and Trends: Where Judaism and Body Image Meet, Miss, and Collide" is a conference exploring the interface between contemporary body ideals, Jewish modesty laws, and eating disorders.

Expert Guest Speakers, LUNCH, Panel and Q&A

Sponsored by Penn Hillel, Tradition Confronts Innovation, Office of Health Education, Active Minds, and the Jewish Studies Program Kutchin Seminar Series.

Joel Hecker on "Kissing Kabbalists: Mystical Perspectives on an Intimate Gesture"

In this talk, Professor Joel Hecker considers the role of the kiss in Jewish mysticism. Starting with the rabbinic rendering of the divine kiss as a moment of ecstatic death, Hecker will consider the ways in which the Zohar uses that mystical backdrop in its treatments of human kisses. Mystical union, it turns out, occurs not only between the mystical adept and God, but between people as well.

Refreshments will be served beforehand.

The event is run by the Jewish Studies Program Bassini Interns Program (organized by JSP Interns Cecilia Rabess, Joe Scherban, and Ruthie Storch).

Come watch and discuss a riveting documentary about Jewish refugees who fled to Shanghai during World War II.

Dinner will be served

The event is run by the Jewish Studies Program Bassini Interns Program (organized by JSP Interns Ashley Steinberg and Jessica Karp).

Hindy Najman (University of Toronto) will speak at the fourth meeting of this year's Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins.

There will be a cafeteria style kosher dinner in the Logan 2nd Floor Lounge at 5:30 pm. (Please let Bob Kraft know if you are likely to attend the Chinese kosher dinner.

Prior to that, Dr. Najman will be available at an informal "open forum" question and answer period from 3:30 - 5:00 pm, centering on her book Seconding Sinai and her current research interests, in the same location, coordinated by Bob Kraft. Come and make a full afternoon and evening of her visit.

In a slight departure from previous years, this year's Workshop will be led by two current fellows at CAJS, Professors Chava Turniansky and Joseph Hacker, both of the Hebrew University, each of whom will teach one day of the Workshop. Professor Turniansky's topic will be the early Yiddish Book, and will cover both the manuscript age and the early printed book through the beginning of the 16th century as well as illustrated Yiddish books. Professor Hacker will deal with the Jewish printed book in the Sephardic world with particular emphasis upon the early Ottoman Empire, including books in Ladino.

The workshop is open to professors and independent scholars, professional librarians in the field of Jewish and related studies, and advanced graduate students in Jewish Studies. If you are interested in attending, click here.