Monday, October 26, 2009

"TBE to Go" Podcast Series, "From Israelite to Jew"

Our new adult ed series, TBE To-Go got off to a nice start with our first discussion section yesterday covering the first four podcasts of the series, "From Israelite to Jew." This section will be repeated next Shabbat morning at 8:45, as part of our Synaplex Shabbat.

The next discussion section will take place on Sunday, December 6, at 10:30, immediately following the first session of the Mitzvah Initiative. As we will be approaching Hanukkah, we'll be discussing podcasts 5-12, which culminates with the history and legacy of the Maccabees. Those episodes can be found below.

Some key questions to consider in listening to these sessions include: How do Jews confront with the challenges of assimilation? Who is considered an "insider" and who an "outsider?" What are the tensions that grew between those who never left the land and those who lived outside the land of Israel? What is more central to Judaism in the period, the Temple or the Torah? What is the interplay of religion and politics, especially as it relates to Israel's strategic location as a crossroads between empires? How is Judaism impacted by Hellenism, even among those who reject Greek culture? (How do they demonstrate their rejection "Hellenistically?") How is the "real story" of Hanukkah different from the one we've come to know?

"TBE to Go" usies the power of the Internet to bring world-class scholarship to our doorstep. "From Israelite to Jew," by Michael Satlow, traces the history of Judaism and the Jewish people from the time of the Babylonian Exile through the Second Temple period. Satlow is Professor of Religious Studies and Judaic Studies at Brown University, where he began teaching in 2002. He received his doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1993. Professor Satlow specializes in Early Judaism and has written extensively on issues of gender, sexuality, and marriage among Jews in antiquity, as well as on the Dead Sea scrolls, Jewish theology, methodology in Religious Studies, and the social history of Jews during the rabbinic period.

This series was designed for popular consumption (i.e. it is not overly technical or jargon-filled), but it goes into great depth in discussing topics essential to the formation of what we now know as Judaism, including the composition of the Torah, the stories of Esther and the Maccabees, key figures like Ezra and Herod and the origins of Christianity.

Each episode is about a half hour long. The episodes can be downloaded in several ways, all free of charge, including by going onto iTunes Music Store and entering "Satlow."

You can also find them below.

From Israelite to Jew: 5: Ezra
The fifth episode of the podcast, "From Israelite to Jew." This episode deals primarily with the career of Ezra, in 458 BCE. I discuss intermarriage in the Bible and the emergence of the Torah as a source of authority in Israel.The podcast can be heard here; more downloading options are here.




From Israelite to Jew: 6: The Torah
In this episode, Satlow discusses the historical formation of the Torah, or Pentateuch, and provide an introduction to the documentary hypothesis. The episode can be heard here. More download options can be found here.



From Israelite to Jew: 7: Nehemiah
The seventh episode of the podcast, "From Israelite to Jew." This episode deals primarily with the career and reforms of Nehemiah, which lasted from 445 BCE to around 432 BCE. The podcast can be heard here; more downloading options are here.



From Israelite to Jew: 8: Jews of the Persian Empire
This episode discusses two Jewish communities outside of Jerusalem, that represented by the biblical book of Esther, and that of Elephantine, Egypt. It takes place in the fifth to fourth centuries, BCE. The podcast can be heard here; more downloading options are here.



From Israelite to Jew: 9: Hellenism Arrives
A discussion of Alexander's conquest of west Asia and its aftermath (323 - 200 BCE). What is "Hellenism," and how did the Jews react to it? Particular attention is paid to the Septuagint, Ecclesiastes, and Ecclesiasticus. The podcast can be heard here; more downloading options are here.



From Israelite to Jew: 10: Jubilees and 1 Enoch
A discussion of two books dating from the third or second centuries, BCE, Jubilees and 1 Enoch. Both books, part of a collection traditionally known as "the Pseudepigrapha," testify to a Jewish understanding of continuing direct divine revelation in the Hellenistic period.The podcast can be heard here, more download options can be found here.



From Israelite to Jew: 11: The Revolt of the Maccabees
Why did the Maccabees revolt around 165 BCE? This episode explores both the revolt of the Maccabees and the origins of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.The episode can be heard here ; more download options are available here.



From Israelite to Jew: 12: The Hasmonean Kings
A discussion of Judah's consolidation of power around 162 BCE to the last of the Hasmonean kings, in 30 BCE.The episode can be heard here, or on the player below. More download options are here. The podcast is also available on iTunes.





Subsequest episodes can be found at these links: From Israelite to Jew: 22: After the Destruction: ...
From Israelite to Jew: 21: Destruction (2)
From Israelite to Jew: 20: The First Century
From Israelite to Jew: 19: Josephus
From Israelite to Jew: 18: Jesus and Other Strange...
From Israelite to Jew: 17: The Dead Sea Scrolls
From Israelite to Jew: 16: Philo (2)
From Israelite to Jew: 15: Herod the Great
From Israelite to Jew: 14: Hellenistic Judaism
From Israelite to Jew: 13: Origins of Jewish Secta...
From Israelite to Jew: 12: The Hasmonean Kings

No comments: