Arm-tefillin case. 🥹

Asaf (my scribe) has gotten his micrography for the tefillin letters to almost the right size of about 1 mm in height. To the right is a close-up of one of the tefillin slips from Wadi Murabbaʿat; to the left, Asaf's writing with a reed on the flesh side of the papillary dermis of a goat.

If the Julius-Wellhausen-Vorlesung was too formal for your tastes, here I take off the tie and vest and sit down in the lab with Alex for a friendly one-on-one. Link 👇

“𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 ‘𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹’: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗝𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆” My Julius Wellhausen Lecture is now available on YouTube (link below). The lecture was presented on October 29, 2025 at the University of Göttingen in conjunction with the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony.

The first volume of the final report on the excavations at Magdala has just been published. It includes my report on the chalk vessels at the site. Link below 👇

Prof. Steve Mason's very thoughtful and engaging review of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘖𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘮 (Yale 2022) has just been published over at Marginalia Review of Books. Many thanks to Dr. Samuel Loncar for editing and curating this wonderful forum.

Professor Ken Gemes reached out a few weeks ago to inform me that he was planning to give this online lecture, presenting my work in The Origins of Judaism. This led to a wonderful exchange over email. Prof. Gemes comes at this from his own field—philosophy (he specializes in Nietzsche). 🧵1/2

Alex Tseitlin just stopped by for a lovely conversation on when Jews began to identify as "Israel". The interview will appear soon on his Kedem Channel, over at YouTube. Stay tuned!

Adriano Virgili has just published on his blog (in Italian) an excellent review of my new book, Between Yahwism and Judaism. He does a superb job distilling the main themes and arguments into a clear and thoughtful summary. It’s the first review to appear, and I was truly delighted to read it. Link👇

Last chance to download my new book for free! Offer ends on November 5. Download it now, and read it later!👇

Prof. Aren Maeir just published an excellent response to recent pieces in Haaretz by Ofri Ilany and Elon Gilad on when “Judaism” first emerged. I had considered penning a response myself, but Prof. Maeir beat me to it. Link in the first comment.

If you are in the area of Göttingen tomorrow, you are cordially invited to attend my public lecture, delivered as part of the annual “Julius-Wellhausen-Vorlesung” series. The lecture is sponsored by the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Lower Saxony and by the University of Göttingen.

The laws thought to have been given to the “children of Noah” seem to make an appearance in the New Testament. Acts 15:23–29 cites a letter said to have been addressed by a council of apostles and elders of the Jewish Jesus-following community in Jerusalem to the... 🧵1/8

Folks... no need to buy the book! You can download it for free until November 5th.

My interview with Neal Sendlak, over at Gonstic Informant, is now on Youtube. It was a really enjoyable discussion about my new book, Between Yahwism and Judaism. Links to the video and to the book (free to download for a limited time!) in the first comment.

Free to download for two weeks only! Starting today, you can download my new book: Between Yahwism and Judaism: Judean Cult and Culture during the Early Hellenistic Period (332–175 BCE) Download it now, and read it later. Please share and spread the word! www.cambridge.org/core/element...

One of the groups in the top five here is an outlier. Perhaps the problem is that it is comparing apples to oranges. This poll highights how problematic it is to place "Jewish" under the category of "religious affiliation". From: pewresearch.org/religion/202...

What event in the Hebrew Bible happened on a Tuesday? Or a Monday? Or a Wednesday? There's nothing natural about the seven-day week. The day comes from Earth’s rotation. The month from the moon’s orbit. The year from Earth’s path around the sun. The week has no connection to any natural cycle. 🧵1/8

Part I of the Marginalia Review of Books' symposium on my book, The Origins of Judaism, has just gone online. Future symposium contributors include Prof. Steve Mason (University of Groningen) and Dr. Gad Barnea (Haifa University). 🧵1/2

In his autobiography, Josephus tells of a trip he made to Rome to redeem fellow Jewish priests who had been taken captive (Life 13–16). He reports that the priests had not forgotten their “piety towards God”, and throughout their captivity supported themselves on figs and nuts. 🧵1/5

“𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘀 (סֻכּוֹת) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺; 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝗵𝘂𝗮 𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝘂𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗼.” (Neh 8:17) I was recently in an email debate with a well-known Israeli rabbi (whom I won’t name). 🧵1/5

“On the tenth day is the fast, which is carefully observed not only by the zealous for piety and holiness 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲. For all stand in awe, overcome by the sanctity of the day, and for the moment the worse vie with the better... 🧵1/5

In a new project I am working on together with Asaf Timor, a scholar and professional ritual scribe (סופר סת"ם), we are preparing a set of tefillin using exclusively ancient methods and materials. The work is based on research we’ve conducted in recent years on the Judean Desert tefillin... 🧵1/3

Happy third of Tishrei to all who celebrate. (Photo: Megillat Taanit with scholion; Sankt Paul im Lavanttal, Benediktinerstift, Cod. 39c/4, VDS)

Tomorrow evening marks the start of the Jewish new year, the start of the Jewish (lunar) month of Tishrei, and—in the northern hemisphere—the autumnal equinox. During the Late Roman and Byzantine periods, autumn was personified as a woman—as were winter, spring and summer. 🧵1/4

[CL]AVDIA ASTER [H]IEROSOLYMITANA [CA]PTIVA Claudia Aster, captive from Jerusalem. Epitaph, late 1st century CE. National Archaeological Museum, Naples (She was 25 years old when she died. Her Jewish name—before being Latinized to Aster—was probably Esther).

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗳 “𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹”? Famously, the Book of Esther never mentions the Jewish God. But I am curious whether there have ever been any published discussions about something else which is clearly missing from Esther: the name “Israel”. 1/3

𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙅𝙚𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙍𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘽𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙉𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧-𝙍𝙖𝙢𝙡𝙖 𝙌𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 A new book, hot off the press, by Alexander Melamed. Free to download at: arch.haifa.ac.il/2025/08/28/s...

"The Jewish Chalk-Vessel Industry in Galilee and the Golan" My newest article has just been published in 'Atiqot, and is available for free (Open Access) at: publications.iaa.org.il/atiqot/vol11... (Photo: S. Magal; courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority) 1/4

𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗮𝗵𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗺: Judean Cult and Culture during the Early Hellenistic Period (332–175 BCE) Expected online publication date: October 9th. cambridge.org/core/element...

Today marks the 9th of Av, the traditional (rabbinic) date of the destruction of the Jerusalem temples in 586 BCE and 70 CE. After 70 CE, Jews throughout the Roman Empire were forced to pay an annual “Jewish tax” (fiscus Iudaicus) of two denarii. 🧵1/6

“Ritual Purity in Daily Life after 70 CE: The Chalk Vessel Assemblage from Shuʿafat as a Test Case”. Just discovered that this article of mine is now Open Access and can be downloaded free of charge! (Apparently the entire issue is Open Access). brill.com/view/journal... 🧵1/7

This new study, co-authored with Gemma Hayes, has just been published in a Festschrift in in honor of Eibert Tigchelaar. Scholars have long noticed that the scope of the scriptural passages included in the Judean Desert tefillin differed between the various slips... 🧵1/10

This week, I presented a paper entitled: “When did the People of Samaria Begin to Observe the Laws of the Torah?” at the 11th Congress of the Société d’Études Samaritaines in the University of Hamburg. 🧵1/9

Hot off the press, by my friend Dr. Yoav Farhi: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘢𝘻𝘢 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘥: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘌𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 (𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘉𝘊𝘌–𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘌) To order copies, write to Dr. Farhi directly: [email protected]

The opening shot of the battles of Lexington and Concord has been called the “shot heard round the world”, marking the start of a new global age. To my mind, the Maccabean revolt was even more consequential, as the catalyst for the birth of Judaism, and hence also of Christianity and Islam.

I have been sick to my stomach over the last 24 hours. Am I mistaken for making the connection?

I feel incredibly blessed. This time when they tried to kill me and my family, I was swimming laps. The siren went off, and everyone exited the pool to seek shelter underground. Last time, I was in the middle of being interviewed for a podcast. I excused myself to run to... 1/2

You can now pick up my book for 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 $𝟭𝟰 with free shipping! Over at the Yale University Press website: yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300... Use code MAY25. Good through May, but sadly only in the USA and Canada. While you are there, check out their other titles, also with %50 discount.

—On the name “Israel”— In the Hebrew Bible, “Israel” is the name given to Jacob at Jabbok. Jews today trace their ancestry to Jacob, and thus count themselves among the “Children of Israel”. But from when did Jews/Judeans actually begin to regard themselves as “Israel”? 🧵1/17

On this date 80 years ago, my grandfather entered the gates of Kaufering I concentration camp—a subcamp of Dachau—as a soldier in the 103rd Infantry Division. The horrors he witnessed there that day haunted him for the rest of his life. ארץ אל תכסי דמי ואל יהי מקום לזעקתי

Just finished this latest (2024) book by Prof. Reinhard Kratz, which dovetails extraordinarily well with my own work (as he kindly notes). He makes the argument that the Maccabean revolt was not the result of any putative decrees by Antiochus IV against Torah observance. 🧵1/4

Does he mean among faculty? Students? The administration? All of the above? The year is 2025. Harvard University. Let that sink in.

“I would say that at Harvard we have a real problem with antisemitism. We take it very seriously, and we’re trying to address it. There is no doubt about the severity of that problem.” Alan Garber, President of Harvard University April 23, 2025 www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNgN...

Super important inscription for understanding the association between Athena and Anat. Remember that Judeans a century earlier revered Anat (as Anat-Yahu) at Elephantine. I believe there is good reason to think this was the case in Judea as well. As late as the end of the 4th century BCE.

—Passover Schedule— 12:00: Lighting ovens 12:30: Start of sacrificial prayer 13:00: "You shall slaughter it" 16:30: Lowering lambs (into ovens) 18:00: Sabbath-eve prayer 18:30: Removal of lambs (from ovens) 19:10: (Singing of) "Blessed is the House (of Jacob)" Happy Passover to all who celebrate!🐑🫓🥬

Over at TheTorah.com, the editors asked scholars to suggest a figure from the Jewish past they would like to invite to their Passover seder this year. My fantasy guest? Hananiah, author of the so-called “Passover letter” from Elephantine. 1/2

Everyone who has yet to follow me on Facebook is missing out on a great debate I am having over there with Niels Peter Lemche and Russell Gmirkin about their claim that the Tel Dan inscription is a forgery.

This Friday, I will be participating in a conference in Palermo entitled: “What Jewishness of Jesus after J.P. Meier?” The entire conference will be broadcast online (over Zoom). Registration is FREE and OPEN to all! See link to register below. 1/2