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2009-10 Events

Commencement 2010

Brandeis University awarded 803 bachelor’s degrees, 710 master’s degrees and 70 Ph.D.s at the university's 59th commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 23, 2010. > More

Congratulations to our NEJS Graduates!

PhD's

Tomer Levi
Ilona Zsolnay

Master of Arts

Shirly Bahar - w/Women's and Gender Studies
Rachel Bernstein - w/Women's and Gender Studies
Noam Gilboord - w/Hornstein
Ariel Silbert
Karyn Spero
Aaron Zelin

BA/MA

Noa Balf
Elizabeth Imber
Harrison Kessler

Bachelor of Arts

Dr. Hanne Loland

May 3, 2010

Dr. Hanne Loland, recipient of The John Templeton Award for Theological Promise, from the Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo, delivered two lectures:

"The Power of (a Good) Comparison:  For Love is Strong as Death" (Song 8:6) and
"God and Gender Reconsidered:  Does Gender Matter in the God-Language of the Hebrew Bible?"(Co-sponsored by the Department of NEJS, The Religious Studies Program, the Brandeis Chaplaincy, The Feminist Sexual Ethics Project, The Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute)

Accordance 8 Bible Software Seminar

April 25, 2010

A special eight-hour seminar was offered free of charge for users of the tagged Hebrew Bible and other Hebrew/Aramaic texts and tools by Accordance staff.

Dr. Deborah Bershel

April 21, 2010

Dr. Bershel, MD, Transgender Rights Activist and Family Physician hosted a dialogue and lecture; sponsored by The Feminist Sexual Ethics Project; The Women's and Gender Studies Program, and Triskelion.

Kraft-Hiatt Lectures

Dr. Laura Nasrallah

April 29, 2010

Dr. Laura Nasrallah, professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Harvard Divinity School lectured, "Revelation:  From Rasta to Archaeological Ruins" in NEJS 130a, Introduction to the New Testament.
(Also sponsored by the Brandeis Catholic Chaplaincy)

Dr. Cheryl Giles

March 24, 2010

Dr. Cheryl Giles, Professor, Practice in Pastoral Care and Counseling, Harvard Divinity School and licensed clinical psychologist, lectured, "Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Queer Youth."  The lecture was delivered in NEJS 148b, Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Jews and Christians.
(Also co-sponsored by Women's and Gender Studies Program and Brandeis Triskelion)

Dr. Denise Kimber Buell

March 22, 2010

Dr. Denise Buell, Professor, Department of Religion, Williams College, lectured on "Exorcism and Possession in the Gospels" in NEJS 130a, Introduction to the New Testament.
(Co-sponsored by the Brandeis Catholic Chaplaincy)

Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge

March 10, 2010

The Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge, Episcopal Priest, St. Luke's and St. Margaret's Episcopal Church in Allston, MA delivered a lecture, "Gender Ambiguity, Transformation, and Negation in Early Christianity" in NEJS 148b.
(Co-sponsored by The Women's and Gender Studies Program and Brandeis Triskelion)

Dr. Emil Draitser

March 25, 2010

Dr. Emil Draitser, Professor of Russian, Hunter College of the City University of New York, spoke about his book, "Shush!  A Memoir:  Growing Up Jewish Under Stalin" in NEJS 142a, Modern History of East European Jewry.
(Sponsored by the Martin Weiner Fund)

Exhibit:  The Life and Work of Simon Rawidowicz
(1896-1957)

Spring/Summer 2010

The Brandeis Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department is sponsoring a special exhibit Spring/Summer 2010, "The Life and Work of Simon Rawidowicz." 

This exhibit chronicles the life and work of Simon Rawidowicz (1896-1957), noted Jewish scholar, philosopher, Hebraist, and ideologue who founded the graduate program in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University.

<More

The 47th Annual Simon Rawidowicz Memorial Lecture
The Ghetto, Dr. Benjamin Ravid

March 18, 2010

Dr. Benjamin C.I. Ravid, Jennie and Mayer Weisman Professor of Jewish History, delivered the 47th Annual Rawidowicz Lecture, "The Ghetto" at Rapaporte Treasure Hall.

(Sponsored by The Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry and NEJS.)

Dr. Aren Maeir

March 3, 2010

Professor Aren Maeir, Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University, presented two lectures, "The Archaeology of Love and Sex in the Ancient Near East" and "Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites and Crusaders:  The Excavations at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel."

(This event was sponsored by:  The Departments of Anthropology; NEJS; The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute; The Schusterman Center for Israel Studies; Feminist Sexual Ethics Project; and The Martin Weiner Funds.)

Dr. Isaac Gottlieb

February 11, 2010

Professor Isaac Gottlieb, Biblical Studies, Bar-Ilan University, delivered a lecture, "The Idea of Biblical Order from Medieval Commentary to Modern Criticism:  A Brief History" in NEJS 111a.

Meet the Majors

October 15, 2009

On October 15, the NEJS department held a Meet the Majors event for students interested in the major or minor in NEJS, Hebrew, Arabic, IMES, and Yiddish.

Our UDRs set the theme, "The NEJS Major covers practically everything under the sun!"  Faculty and students mingled while sampling delicious Chinese appetizers.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep South

October 14, 2009
Film showing and discussion with the filmmaker.

In this award-winning documentary, filmmaker Katrina Browne discovers that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. History. She and nine relatives retrace the Triangle Trade, gaining fresh perspectives on the black/white divide. (Film now available at the Brandeis Goldfarb Library.)

Graduate Student Breakfast Seminar

A bi-weekly Graduate Breakfast Seminar series has been initiated for students entering MA and PhD programs in the NEJS Department. At the first seminar on September 9, Professor Sylvia Barack Fishman presented the topic of "Studying contemporary Jewish life."

The second seminar on September 23 dealt with, "Historical sources and methods" for research, led by Professor ChaeRan Freeze.

The third meeting on October 7 will take place in the Goldfarb Library, where Jim Rosenbloom, Judaica Librarian, will inform students about "Library Resources as a Critical Component of Graduate Level Research."

Three additional sessions will be offered by NEJS Professors, including, "Gendered understandings of ancient and modern religious cultures" by Bernadette Brooten; "Literary research and analysis," by Ilana Szobel; and "The Comparative Method in the Study of the Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Texts," by David Wright.

Enjoy the slideshow.

Welcome Reception 2009

The NEJS department hosted its annual Welcome Reception for graduate students on Thursday, August 27, 2009.

More than 30 new M.A. and Ph.D. students were introduced to NEJS faculty, staff and returning graduate students.

Find out more and enjoy the slideshow.