Monthly Archives: October 2017

Article about Upcoming Modern Judaism Job in the Department of Religion at Syracuse University

Posted on October 28, 2017 by zjb

The discussions with representatives from the Phyllis Backer Foundation about funding a new position in modern Jewish Studies were substantive and to the point about the future of Jewish Studies as a broad area of study and the specific academic … Continue reading →

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(Religion) Things, Idea, Sensation (Max Müller)

Posted on October 26, 2017 by zjb

In putting together the syllabus for my graduate seminar, I decided to add the almost but never quite long forgotten Max Müller to his rightful place in the canon of classical theories and methods in the study of Religion. I … Continue reading →

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On Zionists & Jews, Communal & Associative Relationships (Max Weber)

Posted on October 23, 2017 by zjb

Working through the “Basic Sociological Terms” in Max Weber’s masterpiece, Economy and Society is this little point of interest regarding the difference between Communal and  Associative Relationships with a special reference to Zionists and Jews. As defined by Weber, the ideal … Continue reading →

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Tenure Track Job in Modern & Contemporary Jewish Thought (Towson University)

Posted on October 23, 2017 by zjb

Assistant Professor of Jewish Thought Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies College of Liberal Arts Position: The College of Liberal Arts invites applications for a tenure-track, 10-month Assistant Professor position in Modern and Contemporary Jewish Thought, beginning August 2018. Qualifications: … Continue reading →

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Urban Rainbow (Noah)

Posted on October 21, 2017 by zjb

(Shots from the summer for this week’s parsha)

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Noah Feldman on Neo-Nazis, Academic Freedom, and Free Speech

Posted on October 20, 2017 by zjb

Neo Nazis on  campus? The lines get kind of blurry the more clearly they get drawn. In an interesting article Noah Feldman  parses out the difference between academic freedom and free speech with an eye  on the First Amendment (which … Continue reading →

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Jewish Studies at Syracuse & the Central New York Humanities Corridor

Posted on October 18, 2017 by zjb

No doubt a dubious career proposition given the current state of the job market, but it is that time of year to pitch graduate studies to prospective students. In the interest of pitching Jewish Studies at Syracuse University, the Religion … Continue reading →

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Charlottesville Teach-In (Syracuse University)

Posted on October 16, 2017 by zjb

From the Jewish right there has been a lot of noise, and from some liberals genuine concern of late. Are American Jews being pushed out of movements for social and racial justice? Relying on anecdotal evidence culled from news reports … Continue reading →

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Genesis (Earth Grassing Grasses, Seed Seeding Plants, Fruit Making Fruit Trees)

Posted on October 15, 2017 by zjb

  I spent some time staring at the Hebrew in synagogue this week, particularly vivid, but lost in translation. Earth being the active subject of Genesis 1:11-12 requires peculiar linguistic convolutions. 11…T’dashe ha’aretz deshe esev mazriah zerah etz pri osheh … Continue reading →

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Blobby Shadow Cast By Brownstones Onto the Sidewalk

Posted on October 15, 2017 by zjb

Being good Platonists, our eye usually goes from inside the cool space of a shadow out towards bright sunlit areas. But viewing it from just along its lit up edge shows, at least in the picture, the shadow cast off … Continue reading →

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