Workshop, University of Pennsylvania

Jews and evolutionary theory. Daniel Langton contributed a session on 'Jews and Evolutionary Theory: An Overview' at a two-day workshop on 'Judaism and the Environment' organised by Clal (an inter-denominational group of US rabbis) and the Katz Center, University of Pennsylvania, 28 Nov 2017. Further information.

Klezmer concert

The Michael Kahan Kapelye. The University's klezmer band will perform at an evening concert at the Manchester Jewish Museum, 7 Dec 2017. Further information.

Blog entry, Katz Center

Jews and evolutionary theory. Daniel Langton discusses a Polish rabbi's nineteenth-century book Toldot Adam [The Origins of Man] (1874), which is the earliest Hebrew translation of (excerpts of) Darwin. The blog entry is entitled 'Naftali Levy: An Interesting Species (or min) of Jewish Evolutionist'. 27 Nov 2017. Further information.

New publication

Ancient Jewish Literature. Alex Samely, 'Educational Mechanisms in Ancient Jewish Literature. An Overview of Unknowns', in G. Brooke and R. Smithuis (eds.), Jewish Education from Antiquity to the Middle Ages: Studies in Honour of Philip S. Alexander (Leiden: Brill,  2017), pp. 147–200. Further information.

New publication

Dead Sea Scrolls. George Brooke, "Further Thoughts on Isaac in the Scrolls from the Qumran Caves,” in Reading the Bible in Ancient Traditions and Modern Editions: Studies in Textual and Reception History in Memory of Peter W. Flint (ed. D. Falk, A. Perrin, K.S. Baek; SBLEJL 47; Atlanta: SBL Press, 2017). Further information.

Panel, East Jerusalem

Balfour 100. Lauren Banko participated in the one day conference hosted by the Council for British Research in the Levant on '100 Years after...The British Legacy in Palestine: Balfour and Beyond'. Palestinian National Theatre, East Jerusalem, 2 November 2017. Further information.

New publication

Dead Sea Scrolls. George Brooke has co-edited HĀ-'ÎSH MŌSHE: Studies in Scriptural Interpretation in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature in Honor of Moshe J. Bernstein (Brill, 2017). His own essay is entitled "Hot at Qumran, Cold in Jerusalem: A Reconsideration of Some Late Second Temple Period Attitudes to the Scriptures and Their Interpretation." Further information.

Public lecture, Oxford University

Israel Studies. Moshe Behar gave a paper entitled "Birth of the Ashkenazi-Mizrahi Controversy on the 'Arab Question' (1910-12)". Oxford University, 1 Nov 2017. Podcast.

Honorary Doctorate, University of Lausanne

George Brooke honoured. On 1st June 2018 George Brooke will receive an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Lausanne (Docteur h.c.). This is a great honour for Prof Brooke in recognition of 25 years of cooperation between Manchester and Lausanne, especially in the field of Biblical Studies.

PhD completion

Kyung S. Baek on Dead Sea Scrolls. The Centre would like to congratulate Kyung S. Baek on the successful defence in 2016 of his doctoral thesis Re-reading the Gospel of Matthew: Scripture in the Hands of the King’s Scribe. His supervisor was Prof. George Brooke and the external examiner was Prof. Helen Bond (University of Edinburgh). See the list of current PhD students in the area of Jewish Studies at Manchester.

Public lecture, Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society

Dead Sea Scrolls. Prof. George Brooke on 'The Dead Sea Copper Scroll: From Ancient Temple Treasure to Modern Media Star' at Hale Synagogue, Wicker Lane Hale, sponsored on behalf of the Anglo-Israel Archaelogical Society. Prior booking through Eventbrite. 23 January 2018 at 7.30pm. Further information.

Paper, MMU

Anglo-Jewish History. Co-sponsored by the Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Manchester, Manchester Met's History Research Centre presents a seminar from Tony Kushner (University of Southampton) on 'The Holocaust, British Jews and Antisemitism: The 'Jew Murderer' and the Murder of the Jews.' 4.15-7.15pm, Wed 6 Dec. Further information.

Hassé Memorial student prize 2017

Post-graduate prize. This prize is awarded annually to the student with 'the highest grade for a master's dissertation in Religions and Theology' at the University of Manchester. For 2017 the prize of £250 was awarded to Rob Kanter (MA in Religions & Theology), 'How did Anglo Jewry respond to Enoch Powell’s "Rivers of Blood" speech (1968-1979)?’ (supervised by Daniel Langton). Further information.

Post doctoral Fellowship opportunities

Open to Jewish Studies. The University of Manchester offers up to two Simon Postdoctoral Fellowships, 3 years fixed term, £31,604 to £49,149 per annum. These fellowships are for Social Sciences broadly defined, and are open to those working in Jewish social history, cultural history, and political history, especially if the project engages with the history of the social sciences or the history of political thought. To be considered, the project must speak to the concerns of the social sciences even if it uses humanities methods. Deadline: Thu 4 January 2018. For advice from a Jewish Studies perspective, contact: alex.samely@manchester.ac.uk.  For details on eligibility and on how to apply, see further information.

Bernard Jackson student prize 2017

Post-graduate prize. This prize is awarded annually to the student with 'the highest grade for a master's dissertation in Jewish Studies' at the University of Manchester. It honours the Centre's second co-director Bernard Jackson. For 2017 the prize of £100 was awarded to Emma Berg Saavedra (MA in English Studies) for 'The Price of Yiddishkait in Postwar America: Bernard Malamud's The Magic Barrel and Philip Roth's Goodbye, Columbus' (supervised by Fred Schurink). Further information.

Public lecture, Holocaust Day

Christian-Jewish Holocaust Study Day. Jean-Marc Dreyfus will contribute to the day's programme. Menorah Synagogue, 9.30-1.00pm, Thu 9 Nov. Further information.

Public lecture, JHSE

Balfour 100. Philip Alexander will give a paper to the Jewish Historical Society of England and IJS entitled 'Why did Lord Balfour Support the Balfour Declaration?' at 7pm on Thu 9 November 2017, UCL, London. Further information.