معرفی
Dr. Malka Zeiger Simkovich serves as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and directs their Catholic-Jewish Studies program. Her academic focus centers on Second Temple Judaism and Jewish-Christian historical relations.
Her research interests include:
- Second Temple Judaism and its literary traditions
- Rabbinic literature and midrashic interpretation
- Jewish identity formation in Hellenistic contexts
- Gender studies in biblical narratives
- Early Jewish-Christian relations
- Ancient Jewish historical figures and royal dynasties
Her publications demonstrate consistent exploration of Jewish universalism, martyrdom traditions, and reinterpretation of biblical narratives in early Jewish literature. Key thematic threads include the adaptation of Jewish traditions in response to Roman occupation, the evolution of Passover rituals after the Temple's destruction, and the characterization of female figures in Jewish texts.
Notable scholarly contributions include:
- The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016)
- Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories that Shaped Early Judaism (2018)
- Analysis of Hasmonean martyrdom traditions across Christian and Jewish texts
- Reinterpretation of biblical figures like Pharaoh's daughter and Queen Berenice
Her academic leadership in Catholic-Jewish dialogue represents significant interfaith scholarly work, particularly through directing the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at her institution.
