The rabbinic literature fellow will assist faculty member Gila Fine in her research on stories of the Talmud, in their relation to 21st-century challenges. The fellow will research a number of sociopolitical issues, culling examples from news items, academic studies, and popular culture.
How did jars come to be so important in the ancient world? What did the rabbis’ Shabbat candles look like? And why does the talmudic Angel of Death carry a knife, not a sword? There are certain stories only objects can tell. And yet, we know so little about rabbinic material culture, how the men and women of the Talmud prepared their food, or mended their clothes, or decorated their lounges. Talmudic Objects explores six objects of the rabbinic household, revealing how their physical properties, historical use, and cultural implications radically shape our understanding of their stories.
The fellow will conduct deep research into a number of social, political, and cultural issues, creating a file on how each issue has been addressed and dealt with in academic and popular culture over the past fifty years. Each file will consist of media articles, social-media posts, images, and academic analyses. Issues will include euthanasia, quarantine, sexual abuse, etc. Weekly meetings will be devoted to reviewing research findings.
The Rabbinic Literature Research Fellow is a full-time participant of the Pardes Year/Semester program, who has committed to a full year of study at Pardes.
Admissions are rolling, with financial aid priority given to earlier applicants.