The study of rabbinic literature today lost a giant: Prof. Menahem Kahana of the Hebrew University. I have much to say abt Kahana, my teacher, & I hope to do so in the coming weeks. Right now I remember his friendship with my father z”l, to whom he recently dedicated an article. חבל על דאבדין

If you're attending AJS in two weeks, I would love to meet and hear about your projects!

Jordan Penkower passed away in September & barely a day goes by without his name coming up in my conversations with other scholars. This tribute by Yosef Ofer does an excellent job at summarizing Penkower’s main contributions to the study of the text of the Hebrew Bible. brill.com/view/journal...

BREAKING: Northwestern University has agreed to pay the U.S. Treasury $75 million, over the course of three years as part of an agreement with the federal government to restore funding and end investigations into the university Full statement from NU below:

…to the SBL book hall, where an increasing proportion of the leading publishers in our field are cranking out glued-binding, printed-paper-hardcover, absolute bargain basement print-on-demand-style books at price points just as eye-watering as ever /2

It’s our last day at #AARSBL25, hosted by @aarweb.bsky.social & @sblsite.bsky.social, but you’ve still got time to stop by our booth (704)! Not only do we have fascinating new religion titles for you to check out, but we’re also giving out code EXH30 for 30% off (in the US & Canada) through 12/15!

This is a late ancient (5-7th c.?) Greek account of the life of a rich woman who was raised Jewish, converted to Christianity when her parents died, lived for 20 years as a male monk named John, was discovered & made head of a woman's monastery, & was later martyred

I was asked what my dissertation was on every single day of SBL. Next year I'm dying my hair gray.

I would love to connect with you at SBL if you have a book project.

Looking forward to chatting with lovely people today. Come join us?

This is today!!

Hey SBL! Come see a panel of folks thinking about expertise in late antiquity on Sunday, Nov 23rd at 4pm.

I am pleased to announce that John Penniman, Emanuel Fiano, and I are launching a new book series for the study of religion in late antiquity with Fordham University Press. If you have a book-in-progress looking for a home, please reach out to discuss your project! fordhampress.com/theoria

Are you planning your SBL 2025 schedule? Check out the lineup of panels from the Rabbinic Literature and Culture section.

Next week, Nov 4 at 7:30pm EST, @kristadalton.bsky.social will speak about her book, How Rabbis Became Experts, and how the practice of eating together shaped rabbinic culture at the University of Minnesota's Center for Jewish Studies Lecture Series 25-26. Don't miss this free event! buff.ly/WUJZ3lk

Calling all Minnesota friends. I'm giving a book talk at the St. Paul JCC next Tuesday (Nov 4th) and would love to see you! cla.umn.edu/jewish-studi...

I'm gearing up to record on @mikemotia.bsky.social's New Book Network podcast, and people, if you want to catch up on what's been going on in ancient Mediterranean studies lately, you should go look at his catalog! newbooksnetwork.com/hosts/profil...

Announcement! Ancient Jew Review is the new host of Models of Piety (MOP), the annual meeting of scholars of religion in late antiquity. If you regularly attend SBL/AAR, come join us at this year's cocktail hour. More info here:

We are pleased to announce a dedicated podcast feed for "New Books in Late Antiquity," sponsored by Ancient Jew Review. Follow on Apple (podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n... ) or Spotify (open.spotify.com/show/6uGXkAl...) now!

New podcast! Mike Motia interviews Walter Scheidel about his book, What Is Ancient History? @princetonupress.bsky.social newbooksnetwork.com/what-is-anci...

Don't forget! You can follow Ancient Jew Review on Substack and receive every post automatically in your feed: substack.com/@ancientjewr....

My new article "From Togas to Turbans: Jewish Male Head Coverings between the Roman and Sasanian Worlds" was just published by the Jewish Quarterly Review. It is available for free download here: muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/artic...!

Academic job posting! The small liberal arts college just outside of NYC where I teach currently has four full-time faculty in Religion, BUT we are hiring a fifth! Tenure-track job in Religion in the United States, to begin fall 2026. You'd get to work with me. slc.peopleadmin.com/postings/2424

The Burning of the Library of Alexandria but do it with bugs.

To be clear on what they're proposing: human beings using water for drinking, washing, and growing crops will be rationed. The AI datacenters will have all the water they can contaminate.

I would love to publish your classroom ideas at AJR. Reach out if interested!

Officially on sabbatical! Can't wait to dive into the pile of books on my desk. Any recent favorites (academic or otherwise) that I should add?

really rich conversation between @kristadalton.bsky.social, S.J. Crasnow, and Max Strassfled in JFSR on TRANS TALMUD muse.jhu.edu/article/962994

Finally, a Holy War I can join

Jonathan Klawans issues a call for retraction of publications using forged Dead Sea Scrolls.

New #AheadOfTheTrend: How Many Americans Are Actually Spiritual But Not Religious? There is a common belief that more Americans are identifying as "spiritual but not religious." Utilizing data from the General Social Survey, we tested the claim to see if the percentage is rising. Read more here:

New Books in Late Antiquity episode! Mike Motia interviews Krista Dalton about her book, How Rabbis Became Experts. newbooksnetwork.com/how-rabbis-b...

Don’t forget the AJS conference submission deadline tomorrow May 6th! associationforjewishstudies.org/2025cfp

Sitewide sale at PUP. Check out some phenomenal Jewish studies books: press.princeton.edu/books?search...

How rabbinic expertise was socially constructed, performed, and defended in Roman Palestine. Krista N. Dalton's How Rabbis Became Experts is out now—learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

I wrote up a short preview of the book for Ancient Jew Review.

It's officially publication day! Mirah is helping me promote the book since she has served as editorial assistant from birth. If you plan to acquire a copy, use code P327 for 30% off princetonupress.bsky.social. press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

The image featured on my book cover! You'll have to read it to discover why figs were the perfect choice.

CFP: The Bible in Middle Eastern Manuscript Traditions. This workshop will be held in Rome on April 22-24, 2026. Titles and abstracts (750-1000 words) should be submitted by January 1, 2026.

Shari Rabin's The Jewish South is out now! Learn more about this panoramic history of the Jewish American South, from European colonization to today: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...

meep works.hcommons.org/records/zgqx...

Does your institution offer a summer Hebrew program available to students from other institutions? Let me know! I'd love to share with students.

Tomorrow is the last day to submit a proposal for this year's annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature. Consider submitting to our open call for the *newly renamed* program unit, Rabbinic Literature and Culture.

Now an easy way to read AJR!

Today Emily Filler reviews Adi Ophir's In the Beginning Was the State: Divine Violence in the Hebrew Bible (Fordham University Press, 2023).

the feminine urge to

To restate the obvious: The Trump administration does not actually care about fighting antisemitism; if they did, then they wouldn't employ antisemites! This is about controlling academia and limiting critical thinking—a move made by all wanna-be authoritarians. www.axios.com/2025/03/07/t...

Grateful to Amy Smith Carmen for the inspiration to get creative on my Religion midterm exam. I am so excited to read the responses!