Late Roman-Rabbinic Period Professors and Supervisors

Carol BakhosView profile

Professor

University of California, Los AngelesUnited States

Carol Bakhos is a Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), affiliated with the Departments of Jewish Studies and Near Eastern Languages and Cultures under the College of Letters and Science. Her work bridges Scriptural Interpretation, Ancient Judaism, and Comparative Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Education: Ph.D. in Talmud and Rabbinics (Jewish Theological Seminary, 2000); MTS in Theology, Scripture and Interpretation (Harvard, 1992); B.A. in English Literature and Philosophy (Boston College, 1988). Her research explores intertextual connections between Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptures, with a focus on Midrashic literature, Rabbinic texts, and Quranic exegesis. She investigates topics like the transmission of apocryphal works across religious boundaries, the portrayal of biblical figures (e.g., Abraham, Ishmael, Esau) in Abrahamic traditions, and the intersection of orality, writing, and animal ethics in ancient contexts. Carol Bakhos' publications reveal a scholarly emphasis on Abrahamic comparative studies , narrative migration , and methodological approaches to Midrash. Her recent peer-reviewed articles (2006–2017) span disciplines including Religious Studies, Literary Criticism, and Ancient History, with subfields in Quranic Interpretation, Rabbinic Humor, and Intertextual Ethics. She has contributed extensively to edited volumes, encyclopedias, and book reviews, while teaching courses on Judaism, Abraham and Ishmael in comparative perspectives, and Religion and Critical Thought at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

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Gabriele BoccacciniView profile

Professor

University of Michigan-Ann ArborUnited States

Gabriele Boccaccini is a Professor of New Testament and Second Temple Judaism in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan since 2002. He holds a Ph.D. in Judaic Studies from the University of Turin (1991) and has held visiting professorships at BIBLIA (Italy), Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism (Detroit), Ecumenical Theological Seminary, and Waldensian Faculty of Theology. His research focuses on Second Temple Judaism Jewish-Christian relations Apocalyptic literature Dead Sea Scrolls Rabbinic origins Jewish intellectual history He has received numerous awards including the LSA Excellence in Education Award (1999), University of Turin Post-Doctoral Grant (1992), and the Italian Doctoral Grant in Judaic Studies (1987). His work spans over 50 publications, including monographs on Middle Judaism and edited translations of key biblical scholarship. As a leader in interfaith dialogue, Boccaccini has served on the founding committees of the Camaldoli Conferences Italian Ecumenical Association Greater Detroit Interfaith Round Table and contributed extensively to journals like Henoch and Amicizia Ebraico-Cristiana .

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Ron NaiweldView profile

Research Fellow

School for Advanced Studies in the Social SciencesFrance

Ron Naiweld is a CNRS Research Fellow at the Centre de Recherches Historiques (CRH) under the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) , specializing in Jewish Studies . His 2023 HDR defense on The manifestations of the biblical myth in history solidified his expertise in historical materialism and rabbinic ideology. He teaches courses such as Antisemitism, Anti-Antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and Jewish Studies: God, History, Power , reflecting his focus on ethical frameworks and collective identities. Education : Doctorate in History (EHESS, 2005–2009), DEA in Jewish Studies (EHESS, 2004–2005), MA in Sociology (Tel Aviv U, 2002–2004), BA in Interdisciplinary Studies (Tel Aviv U, 1999–2003). His research bridges biblical myths with socio-political dynamics, evident in works like A Historical-Materialist Reading of Genesis 1-4 (2024) and The Age of the Parakletos (2021). Articles explore themes like the Rabbinization of societies, Neanderthal Jew mythologies, and Talmudic responses to Roman hegemony. While no students or awards are listed, his collaborative editing of Diversity and Rabbinization (2021) highlights his role in advancing late antique Jewish studies.

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Tal IlanView profile

Professor

Free University of BerlinGermany

Prof. Dr. Tal Ilan (born 1956) is an Israeli historian and Hebrew scholar specializing in Jewish history of Late Antiquity. Since 2003, she has held a professorship at the Institute for Jewish Studies of the Free University of Berlin. PhD from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (completed after Menahem Stern's death under Isaiah Gafni) Visiting professorships at Harvard, Yale, Oxford, and Frankfurt universities Her research focuses on gender aspects in Rabbinic literature and the Hebrew Bible , combined with extensive work in Jewish Onomastics through her multi-volume Lexicon of Jewish Names. The feminist commentary on the Babylonian Talmud represents a groundbreaking contribution to Jewish feminist theology. Key research projects include: Lexicon of Jewish Names : Comprehensive database of Jewish names from Palestine and Diaspora Lectio difficilior : Co-edited the first European online journal for feminist exegesis

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Michael L. SatlowView profile

Professor

Brown UniversityUnited States

Michael L. Satlow is a Professor of Religious Studies and Judaic Studies at Brown University, specializing in Early Judaism, digital humanities, and social history. He directs the Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine project and has held prestigious fellowships including the Guggenheim and Fulbright awards. His work bridges traditional scholarship with cutting-edge digital methodologies. Education: Ph.D. in Ancient Judaism (Jewish Theological Seminary of America), B.A. (Yale University) His research focuses on Jewish history from antiquity to Late Antiquity, with an emphasis on gender, sexuality, and methodological approaches to religious studies. Recent projects include computational analysis of rabbinic texts and machine learning applications in epigraphy. Satlow’s digital humanities work explores AI and inscriptions, reflecting his commitment to interdisciplinary innovation. Notable contributions include How the Bible Became Holy (2014) and edited volumes like Judaism and the Economy . He teaches courses ranging from ancient Jewish texts to modern religious ethics and digital humanities. Awards: ACLS Fellowship, Cogut Faculty Fellowships, NEH Public Scholars Fellowship Satlow’s grants include long-term funding from the Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation for his inscription project. Collaborations with scholars like Michael Sperling highlight his team-oriented approach to research. His work often intersects with chemistry (e.g., crystallography studies) and pedagogical trends in higher education.

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Seth SchwartzView profile

Professor

Columbia UniversityUnited States

Seth Schwartz is the Lucius N. Littauer Professor of Classical Jewish Civilization at Columbia University, where he serves as Chair of the Department of History. He specializes in Jewish political, social, and cultural history spanning from Alexander the Great's conquests to the rise of Islam, with a focus on anthropological and social theoretical frameworks. Education: BA in Classics from Yeshiva University (1979), PhD in History from Columbia University (1985) Research Focus: His work examines ancient Jewish societies through interdisciplinary lenses, analyzing reciprocity mechanisms in Jewish communities, Roman imperialism's impact on Jewish settlement patterns, and comparative studies of Mediterranean civilizations. His scholarship bridges historical analysis with sociological theory. Key Publications: Spanning late Roman governance (1987), Josephus' political writings (1990), imperial structures (2001), Mediterranean identity (2009), and post-Second Temple developments (2014). Awards & Fellowships: Guggenheim Fellowship (1999/2000) Institute for Advanced Study membership (2006/7) Harvard Society of Fellows junior fellowship King's College Cambridge senior research fellowship Academic Leadership: After 14 years at the Jewish Theological Seminary, he returned to Columbia in 2009 to chair its History Department. He contributes to the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, advancing interdisciplinary research on Jewish history and culture through rigorous scholarship and educational programs.

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Anders RunessonView profile

Professor

University of OsloNorway

Anders Runesson is a Professor of New Testament at the University of Oslo’s Faculty of Theology and currently serves as Dean. He holds a Ph.D. in New Testament Exegesis from Lund University (2001) and has held academic positions at Lund University and McMaster University. His research focuses on New Testament studies, early Judaism, and the socio-religious contexts of early Christianity. Key areas of interest include Matthew’s Gospel, Pauline theology, ancient synagogues, Jewish-Christian relations, and early Christian mission. Runesson’s educational background includes a B.A. in Jewish Studies, M.Div., M.A. in Religious Studies, Licentiate, and Ph.D. from Lund University. He has authored and edited numerous books, including The Origins of the Synagogue and Divine Wrath and Salvation in Matthew . His work critically examines issues of religious identity, textualization processes, and the intersection of Judaism and early Christianity. He has received awards such as the Frank W. Beare Award (2017) and the Biörnstjärnska Award (2003). Runesson is actively involved in international conferences and serves as co-chair of the Social History and the New Testament Seminar (SNTS). His pedagogical contributions include teaching courses on the New Testament, historical Jesus studies, and inter-religious encounters in antiquity. His research emphasizes the socio-political dynamics of early religious communities, particularly how institutions like synagogues shaped Jewish and Christian identities. Recent work explores the role of political structures in late antiquity and the formation of normative religious traditions.

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Lennart LehmhausView profile

Assistant Professor

University of TübingenGermany

Lennart Lehmhaus (PhD, 2013) is Akademischer Rat (≈ assistant professor) at the Institute for Jewish and Religious Studies, Faculty of Protestant Theology, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen. Previously he was a post-doc researcher and lecturer at Freie Universität Berlin (DFG-SFB 980 “Episteme in Motion”), a Rothfeld and Albert J. Wood Fellow at the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies (University of Pennsylvania), and Harry Starr Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Jewish Studies. Education PhD (Dr. phil., summa cum laude), Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, 2013 MA (magna cum laude), Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf & Gerhard-Mercator-Universität Duisburg, 2006 Year-long study program, Hebrew University Jerusalem, 2002–2003 Polish language & culture, Jagiellonen-University Kraków, 2004/2005 Research Interests Lehmhaus investigates ancient and medieval Jewish cultures through rabbinic and Talmudic texts, focusing on the history of medicine, knowledge production, and sciences in Late Antiquity and the early Islamicate period. He explores how Jewish traditions of healing, pharmacology, and medical lore interacted with Graeco-Roman, Byzantine, Syriac, Persian and early Islamic medical discourses, and how these traditions were transmitted, transformed, and re-appropriated across cultures. Additional interests include the literary and ethical dimensions of Midrash, contemporary Jewish identity and culture, and the trajectories of Jewish motifs from antiquity to modern Israeli and American contexts. Research Output Trends Across more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and chapters, Lehmhaus consistently combines philological precision with comparative cultural analysis. His work moves from close readings of rabbinic lists and recipes to broad questions of epistemic strategies, pain and suffering, disability, gynaecology, and the construction of medical authority. Recurring themes include the role of lists and catalogues as epistemic tools, the intersection of medicine with ethics and martyrdom, and the transcultural flow of pharmacological knowledge. His forthcoming monograph Talmudic Bodies of Knowledge and multi-volume Sourcebook of Medical Passages in Talmudic Texts will consolidate these strands. Scientific Awards & Fellowships Albert J. Wood Fellow, Katz Center, University of Pennsylvania (2024–2025) Rothfeld Research Fellow, Katz Center (2017–2018) Harry Starr Research Fellow, Center for Jewish Studies, Harvard University (2016–2017) Grants & Collaborative Networks Lehmhaus is Principal Investigator and coordinator of the DFG-funded research network Between Encyclopaedia and Epitome – Talmudic strategies of knowledge-making in the context of ancient medicine and sciences (2022–2026), a collaboration between Tübingen University, University College London, and Freie Universität Berlin. Editorial & Series Leadership He is the founding editor (2022-) of the monograph series ASK – Ancient Cultures of Sciences and Knowledge (Mohr Siebeck) and has edited or co-edited multiple volumes, including Defining Jewish Medicine (2021, open access) and Collecting Recipes: Byzantine and Jewish Pharmacology in Dialogue (2017).

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Sarit Kattan GribetzView profile

Associate Professor

Fordham UniversityUnited States

Sarit Kattan Gribetz is an Associate Professor at Fordham University’s Theology Department, specializing in rabbinic literature, Jewish history in the Roman Empire, gender, and the study of time. She will join Yale University’s Religious Studies Department as an Associate Professor in Fall 2024. Her research bridges ancient religious texts with contemporary pedagogy, including online learning and creative assignments. Education : PhD, MA, BA in Religion from Princeton University; Fulbright Fellow at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Research Interests : Rabbinic constructions of time and identity Gender and sexuality in late antique Judaism Jerusalem’s historical and feminist reinterpretation Interreligious polemics (e.g., Toledot Yeshu texts) Pedagogical experiments with ancient texts Scientific Awards : National Jewish Book Award in Scholarship (2020) Fulbright Fellowship Notable Trends in Publications : Her work explores time as a cultural construct across Roman, Jewish, and Christian contexts, analyzes gendered temporal practices, and investigates the reception of rabbinic texts globally (e.g., Korea, Nag Hammadi codices). She also co-edited volumes on Genesis Rabbah and Jewish-Christian cosmogony.

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Constantin WillemsView profile

Professor

University of MarburgGermany

Prof. Dr. Constantin Willems holds the Chair of Civil Law and Roman Law at Philipps-Universität Marburg's Marburg Law School. His research focuses on historical and contemporary aspects of civil law, particularly Roman law and its European reception. Key projects include the DFG-funded 'Rabbinic Civil Law in Ancient Legal Context' and leadership in the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg on religious atmospheres in antiquity. Educational background includes law studies at Trier University, doctorate (2011), and habilitation (2016). Research interests span Roman law in late antiquity, Justinian legislation, European legal history connections with English Common Law, German contract law, and antitrust regulations. Methodologies combine traditional legal analysis with Law & Economics approaches. Current research examines Roman market regulation, testamentary dispositions under pandemics, and Marburg's legal history. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on Roman jurisprudence adaptations across historical periods. Advises multiple doctoral candidates and research assistants. Leads projects funded by DFG and AHRC, including international collaborations with SOAS University of London. Manages the Papyrus Collection of Philipps-Universität Marburg.

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Karina Martin HoganView profile

Associate Professor

Fordham UniversityUnited States

Karina Martin Hogan is an Associate Professor in Biblical Studies and Ancient Judaism at Fordham University's Theology Department on the Lincoln Center campus. Her research focuses on ancient Judaism's cultural interactions during the Second Temple period, particularly examining wisdom literature, apocalyptic texts, and maternal metaphors in biblical interpretation. She teaches Old Testament/Tanakh and serves as affiliated faculty in Jewish Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies programs. Education: PhD and MA from University of Chicago Divinity School BA from Swarthmore College Research emphasizes global feminist interpretations of the Book of Ruth, ancient Jewish educational practices, and the intersection of religious texts with Greco-Roman cultural contexts. Her publications analyze apocalyptic literature, Second Temple period exegesis, and intertextual relationships in Jewish and early Christian writings. Notable works include contributions to The Jerome Biblical Commentary and co-editing volumes on pedagogy in antiquity. She actively engages with contemporary feminist reinterpretations of biblical narratives while maintaining expertise in textual history and reception. Her editorial work spans Brill, Oxford, and SBL Press publications, demonstrating leadership in scholarship. Teaching extends to Lincoln Center Honors Program, integrating interdisciplinary approaches to religious studies.

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David GoodblattView profile

Professor

University of California, San DiegoUnited States

David Goodblatt is a Professor in the Department of History at the University of California San Diego, where he has taught since 1988. He holds a Ph.D. from Brown University (1972), an M.H.L. from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (1966), and an A.B. from Harvard University (1963). His research focuses on the history of the Jewish people, Judaism, and the Middle East in the millennium preceding Islam, particularly exploring themes of identity, governance, and religious development in antiquity. His scholarly work emphasizes the intersection of political structures, ethnic identity, and religious practice in ancient Jewish communities. Key areas of expertise include the Babylonian Talmudic academies, the political dynamics of Palestinian Jewry under Roman rule, and the socio-historical context of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He has published extensively on topics such as ancient Jewish nationalism, the Hasmonean-Herodian period, and the relationship between Jewish communities in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. Goodblatt's publications include monographs like Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism (2006) and edited volumes analyzing the historical context of the Second Temple and Late Roman periods. His current work-in-progress, Hasmonean-Herodian Judah: Identity and Culture , continues his exploration of ancient Jewish identity formation. He teaches courses on Jewish history, the Middle East before Islam, and the Jewish diaspora in antiquity, reflecting his commitment to integrating historical research with pedagogical engagement. His research has been supported through his academic tenure at UCSD and collaborations with international scholars in the field of ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern studies.

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Rebecca LessesView profile

Associate Professor

Ruhr University BochumGermany

Rebecca Lesses is an Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Ithaca College in the School of Humanities and Sciences . She specializes in Jewish mysticism , folk religion , magic , and ritual power , with a focus on Late Antiquity. Her seminal work, Ritual Practices to Gain Power (1998), explores the intersection of magic and mysticism in early Jewish traditions. Education: Ph.D., Study of Religion, Harvard University (1995) M.A., Study of Religion, Harvard University (1991) B.A., Study of Religion, Harvard University (1985) Her research includes a 2014 project, Angels’ Tongues and Witches’ Curses: Jewish Women and Ritual Power in Late Antiquity , and 2019 conference papers on Hekhalot literature and Babylonian incantation bowls . She has held prestigious fellowships, including the Mellon Fellowship at Columbia University and the Raymond and Janine Ballag Fund Fellowship at Hebrew University. Rebecca teaches courses such as Hebrew Scriptures , Judaism in the Greco-Roman World , and Jewish Folk Religion: Magic and Ritual Power . Her pedagogy emphasizes critical analysis, chevruta (collaborative text study), and engagement with historical and sociological contexts of biblical and rabbinic texts.

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Lutz DoeringView profile

Professor

University of MünsterGermany

Lutz Doering is Professor of New Testament and Ancient Judaism at the Protestant Theological Faculty of the University of Münster (WWU Münster) and serves as Academic Head of the Institutum Judaicum. His academic career spans prestigious institutions including Durham University, King's College London, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where he has held fellowships and leadership positions including Dean of the Theological Faculty (2020-2022) and current Speaker of the Centre for Eastern Mediterranean History and Culture since 2023. His research focuses on the Dead Sea Scrolls and OT Pseudepigrapha (particularly 1 Enoch, Jubilees, 4 Ezra, and 2 Baruch), Jewish religion in the Hellenistic-Roman period, Tannaitic literature, Torah and halakhah in ancient Judaism and their reception in early Christianity, epistolography and communication in ancient Judaism and early Christianity, the First Letter of Peter, and the Synoptic Gospels. His scholarly work bridges Jewish and Christian studies with particular attention to textual analysis and historical context. Doering's extensive publication record shows a strong focus on Jewish-Christian relations, textual studies of ancient Jewish literature, and the intersection of religious practice and textual tradition. His recent work (2024-2025) demonstrates continued engagement with epistolography, Dead Sea Scrolls scholarship, Philo of Alexandria studies, and the relationship between Jewish and early Christian thought, particularly regarding legal traditions and community formation. Scientific Awards and Fellowships: Fellowship of the Institute for Advanced Studies, Jerusalem (2014) Honorary Fellow, Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University (2014) AHRC Research Fellowship, Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK) (2011) Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture Fellowship Program (2011) Woods-Gumbel Fellow, Tantur Institute (Jerusalem) (2010) Doering has supervised numerous doctoral students including Laura von Bartenwerffer (Concepts of Purity in Diaspora Judaism, 2024), Florian Neitmann (The Law in the Fourth Book of Ezra, 2024), and Jan Raithel (Discourses on Justice, 2023). He serves on multiple editorial boards including Zeitschrift für die Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft (since 2019) and Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity (since 2013), and has held significant roles in academic organizations such as Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas and the Society of Biblical Literature. His current research includes projects on transcultural entanglement in Jewish apocalypticism and integration in Palestinian Judaism during the Hellenistic-Early Roman Period.

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