About
Prof. Ada Taggar-Cohen serves as Professor of Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Doshisha University's School of Theology in Kyoto, Japan, where she also holds the position of Head of the Program of Jewish Studies.
Her academic foundation was established at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where she earned both BA and MA degrees in Bible and History of Israel departments. She completed her doctoral work at Ben Gurion University in the Negev under the supervision of Prof. Victor A. Hurowitz (ז״ל) and Prof. Theo van den Hout of the University of Chicago.
Prof. Taggar-Cohen's scholarly work centers on Hittite priesthood and comparative analysis between Hittite and ancient Israelite religious systems. Her research reveals significant parallels and distinctions in priestly functions, religious law, and theological concepts across these ancient cultures. She employs a methodology that situates biblical texts within their broader Ancient Near Eastern context, offering fresh perspectives on familiar biblical passages through comparative analysis with Hittite religious traditions.
Her publications demonstrate a consistent scholarly trajectory focused on priestly traditions across ancient cultures. Through meticulous textual analysis, she has illuminated how both Hittite and Israelite societies conceptualized divine authority, ritual practices, and priestly roles. Her comparative approach has revealed unexpected connections while highlighting culturally specific developments in religious thought and practice between these ancient civilizations.
Prof. Taggar-Cohen is the author of the seminal monograph Hittite Priesthood (2006) and co-editor of Current Issues in Priestly and Related Literature: The Legacy of Jacob Milgrom and Beyond (2015). Her scholarly contributions continue to shape contemporary understanding of priestly traditions in the ancient world through her ongoing research and publications in the field.
