René Bloch serves as Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Bern, where he has established himself as a leading scholar in Hellenistic Judaism. His academic foundation was built through specialized training in classics and Semitic languages at the University of Basel and the Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV), providing him with the linguistic expertise necessary for his research in ancient Jewish texts. Professor Bloch's scholarly work centers on Hellenistic Judaism , with particular expertise in the writings of Philo of Alexandria and Flavius Josephus . His research explores how Jewish authors in the Greco-Roman period synthesized Jewish tradition with Greek philosophical concepts, examining areas including Greco-Roman ethnography , the history of anti-Semitism , and myth in Jewish thought . His recent lecture series at the Collège de France demonstrates his active engagement with contemporary scholarship in the field. His major publications reveal a consistent focus on how ancient Jewish thinkers engaged with Hellenistic culture. Collectively, these works demonstrate his expertise in ancient Jewish thought, particularly in how Jewish authors during the Hellenistic period developed philosophical interpretations of the Torah, created syntheses between Jewish tradition and Greek philosophy, and formulated early expressions of Jewish cosmopolitanism. His scholarship reveals the sophisticated intellectual frameworks developed by ancient Jewish thinkers navigating the cultural landscape of the Mediterranean world. Professor Bloch's recent academic activities include a guest lecture series at the Collège de France in early 2025 titled 'The Beginnings of Jewish Philosophy in Antiquity,' invited by Professor Thomas Römer. This series explored topics including 'The Torah and Cosmopolitanism,' 'Jewish mythology, Greek mythology,' 'Mysticism and Dreams,' and 'The idea of geographical determinism and the Jewish diaspora,' reflecting the comprehensive nature of his research interests across multiple dimensions of ancient Jewish thought.











