The Levantini Podcast Sun, 30 Aug 2026 01:22:05 -0400 https://levantinipod.com/ en-us © 2026 The Levantini Podcast yes Middle East 82bcda56-3fa9-58dc-905b-4a35c7796dd2 The Levantini Podcast episodic false The Levantini Podcast is a show about the ancient Near East with a focus on biblical archaeology, Judaism and Islam. 

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Arabic, Hebrew, Near East, Islam, archaeology, Middle East, Judaism, history, Bible The Levantini Podcast https://storage.buzzsprout.com/4iousij9jew280djl5jj0cdgr396?.jpg The Levantini Podcast https://levantinipod.com/ Highlights: The Origin, Development, and Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath Highlights: The Origin, Development, and Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard. Jon discusses his latest book, Israel's Day of Light and Joy - The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. 

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

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]]> Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard. Jon discusses his latest book, Israel's Day of Light and Joy - The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. 

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-19180041 Thu, 14 May 2026 21:00:00 -0400 668 bible, Judaism, Torah, Shabbat, Sabbath, Israel full false The Origin, Development, and Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath The Origin, Development, and Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard, discusses his latest book, Israel's Day of Light and Joy - The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. 

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard, discusses his latest book, Israel's Day of Light and Joy - The Origin, Development, and Enduring Meaning of the Jewish Sabbath. 

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-19118913 Sun, 03 May 2026 23:00:00 -0400 2594 Bible, Judaism, Hebrew, religion, God, Sabbath, Shabbat, Middle East, archaeology, biblical full false Highlights: David, The Divided Heart Highlights: David, The Divided Heart Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Rabbi David Wolpe in which he discusses his book David: The Divided Heart, which examines the biblical David and attempts to better understand who he was and what messages the biblical text has for us. You can purchase a copy of the book here and also listen to Rabbi Wolpe on the Sapir podcast here. Please help the show grow by rating and sharing it.

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]]> Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Rabbi David Wolpe in which he discusses his book David: The Divided Heart, which examines the biblical David and attempts to better understand who he was and what messages the biblical text has for us. You can purchase a copy of the book here and also listen to Rabbi Wolpe on the Sapir podcast here. Please help the show grow by rating and sharing it.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-18310288 Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 729 David Wolpe, King David, Judaism, Christianity, Messiah, Israel, bible, religion, biblical full false David, The Divided Heart David, The Divided Heart Rabbi David Wolpe discusses his book David: The Divided Heart, which examines the biblical David and attempts to better understand who he was and what messages the biblical text has for us. You can purchase a copy of the book here and also listen to Rabbi Wolpe on the Sapir podcast here. Please help the show grow by rating and sharing it.



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]]> Rabbi David Wolpe discusses his book David: The Divided Heart, which examines the biblical David and attempts to better understand who he was and what messages the biblical text has for us. You can purchase a copy of the book here and also listen to Rabbi Wolpe on the Sapir podcast here. Please help the show grow by rating and sharing it.



Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-18307525 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 17:00:00 -0500 1721 David Wolpe, bible, Messiah, Moshiach, David, King David, Judaism, Christianity, Goliath, Israel, God full false Highlights: The Jewish War Highlights: The Jewish War Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Steven Mason where he discusses his book A History of The Jewish War, which is a deep examination of what really happened in the first war between Jews and Romans in 66 CE and resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. You can purchase a copy of the book here. Please rate the show if you enjoy the episode!


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]]> Enjoy this highlights episode of the interview with Steven Mason where he discusses his book A History of The Jewish War, which is a deep examination of what really happened in the first war between Jews and Romans in 66 CE and resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. You can purchase a copy of the book here. Please rate the show if you enjoy the episode!


Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-18174609 Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:00:00 -0500 812 Rome, Judaism, Jews, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Jerusalem, Second Temple, war full false The Jewish War The Jewish War Steven Mason discusses his book A History of The Jewish War, which is a deep examination of what really happened in the first war between Jews and Romans in 66 CE and resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. You can purchase a copy of the book here. Please rate the show if you enjoy the episode!

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Steven Mason discusses his book A History of The Jewish War, which is a deep examination of what really happened in the first war between Jews and Romans in 66 CE and resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. You can purchase a copy of the book here. Please rate the show if you enjoy the episode!

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-18111245 Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:00:00 -0400 3703 Rome, Judaism, Jews, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Jerusalem, Second Temple, war full false Highlights: Deciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic Script Highlights: Deciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic Script We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here.  You can help us grow by rating the podcast!

Ahmad Al-Jallad discusses his recent research deciphering the Dhofari script, which is shedding new light on the linguistic and cultural map of pre-Islamic Arabia. You can download a copy of his research on his Academia page here and listen to his previous episode on the show about Safaitic here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here.  You can help us grow by rating the podcast!

Ahmad Al-Jallad discusses his recent research deciphering the Dhofari script, which is shedding new light on the linguistic and cultural map of pre-Islamic Arabia. You can download a copy of his research on his Academia page here and listen to his previous episode on the show about Safaitic here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17964091 Tue, 07 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 757 Arabic, Arabia, Islam, Middle East, religion, language, history full false Deciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic Script Deciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic Script Ahmad Al-Jallad discusses his recent research deciphering the Dhofari script, which is shedding new light on the linguistic and cultural map of pre-Islamic Arabia. You can download a copy of his research on his Academia page here and listen to his previous episode on the show about Safaitic here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Ahmad Al-Jallad discusses his recent research deciphering the Dhofari script, which is shedding new light on the linguistic and cultural map of pre-Islamic Arabia. You can download a copy of his research on his Academia page here and listen to his previous episode on the show about Safaitic here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17935233 Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:00:00 -0400 2013 Arabic, Arabia, Islam, Middle East, religion, language, history full false Highlights: Was Jesus' Last Supper A Passover Seder? Highlights: Was Jesus' Last Supper A Passover Seder? We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Jonathan Klawans is a specialist in the religion and religious literature of ancient Judaism and a Professor at Boston University. In 2001 he published an article titled 'Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder?'  that argued it was not a Passover meal nor a Seder and the article has received continued attention since its publication. You can find a link to his follow up article here. 


Send us Fan Mail

]]> We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Jonathan Klawans is a specialist in the religion and religious literature of ancient Judaism and a Professor at Boston University. In 2001 he published an article titled 'Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder?'  that argued it was not a Passover meal nor a Seder and the article has received continued attention since its publication. You can find a link to his follow up article here. 


Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17749064 Wed, 03 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400 703 Jesus, Christianity, Judaism, Last Supper, Passover, Easter, Gospels, New Testament, Old Testament, Exodus, religion full true Was Jesus' Last Supper A Passover Seder? Was Jesus' Last Supper A Passover Seder? Jonathan Klawans is a specialist in the religion and religious literature of ancient Judaism and a Professor at Boston University. In 2001 he published an article titled 'Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder?'  that argued it was not a Passover meal nor a Seder and the article has received continued attention since its publication. You can find a link to his follow up article here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Jonathan Klawans is a specialist in the religion and religious literature of ancient Judaism and a Professor at Boston University. In 2001 he published an article titled 'Was Jesus' Last Supper a Seder?'  that argued it was not a Passover meal nor a Seder and the article has received continued attention since its publication. You can find a link to his follow up article here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17744715 Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:00:00 -0400 2148 Jesus, Christianity, Judaism, Last Supper, Passover, Easter, Gospels, New Testament, Old Testament, Exodus, religion 69 full false Highlights: Zenobia Highlights: Zenobia We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Haggai Olshanetsky, a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw, came back on the show to discuss a paper he authored in 2024 that re-examines Queen Zenobia’s relationship with Judaism and how she may have converted in order to support her political and military objectives. Zenobia ruled in Palmyra which is in modern day Syria during the 3rd century and she’s one of the most famous female leaders in history.

You can read Haggai's paper here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Haggai Olshanetsky, a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw, came back on the show to discuss a paper he authored in 2024 that re-examines Queen Zenobia’s relationship with Judaism and how she may have converted in order to support her political and military objectives. Zenobia ruled in Palmyra which is in modern day Syria during the 3rd century and she’s one of the most famous female leaders in history.

You can read Haggai's paper here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17506039 Mon, 14 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0400 1096 Zenobia, Roman Empire, Persian Empire, religion, Palmyra, Judaism, monotheism, female converts, Jewish soldiers, Hellenistic Judaism, religious beliefs, Christianity, polytheism, Rabbis, Islam, Syria 68 full false Zenobia - The Great Jewish Queen? Zenobia - The Great Jewish Queen? Haggai Olshanetsky, a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw, came back on the show to discuss a paper he authored in 2024 that re-examines Queen Zenobia’s relationship with Judaism and how she may have converted in order to support her political and military objectives. Zenobia ruled in Palmyra which is in modern day Syria during the 3rd century and she’s one of the most famous female leaders in history.

You can read Haggai's paper here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Haggai Olshanetsky, a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw, came back on the show to discuss a paper he authored in 2024 that re-examines Queen Zenobia’s relationship with Judaism and how she may have converted in order to support her political and military objectives. Zenobia ruled in Palmyra which is in modern day Syria during the 3rd century and she’s one of the most famous female leaders in history.

You can read Haggai's paper here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17433606 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:00:00 -0400 2255 Zenobia, Roman Empire, Persian Empire, religion, Palmyra, Judaism, monotheism, female converts, Jewish soldiers, Hellenistic Judaism, religious beliefs, Christianity, polytheism, Rabbis, Islam, Syria 67 full false Highlights: Rethinking The Bar Kokhba Revolt Highlights: Rethinking The Bar Kokhba Revolt We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Haggai Olshanetsky is a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw. He came on the show to discuss his research arguing that the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, otherwise known as the Bar Kokhba Revolt, may have had more than one leader, specifically Jewish veterans of the Roman army, and it was only later that Bar Kokhba assumed leadership of the revolt. 

Here is a link to Haggai's article as well as links to previous episodes on the Bar Kokhba Revolt and the Diaspora Revolt.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> We've curated a special highlight version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episode here. 

Haggai Olshanetsky is a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw. He came on the show to discuss his research arguing that the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, otherwise known as the Bar Kokhba Revolt, may have had more than one leader, specifically Jewish veterans of the Roman army, and it was only later that Bar Kokhba assumed leadership of the revolt. 

Here is a link to Haggai's article as well as links to previous episodes on the Bar Kokhba Revolt and the Diaspora Revolt.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17508908 Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400 894 Bar Kokhba, Bar Kochba, Jewish revolt, Israel, Roman history, leadership, military strategy, ancient warfare, historical analysis, Jewish history, rebellion, Dio Cassius full false Rethinking The Bar Kokhba Revolt Rethinking The Bar Kokhba Revolt Haggai Olshanetsky is a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw. He came on the show to discuss his research arguing that the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, otherwise known as the Bar Kokhba Revolt, may have had more than one leader, specifically Jewish veterans of the Roman army, and it was only later that Bar Kokhba assumed leadership of the revolt. 

Here is a link to Haggai's article as well as links to previous episodes on the Bar Kokhba Revolt and the Diaspora Revolt.



Send us Fan Mail

]]> Haggai Olshanetsky is a historian and archaeologist focusing on the Hellenistic and Roman periods at the University of Warsaw. He came on the show to discuss his research arguing that the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome, otherwise known as the Bar Kokhba Revolt, may have had more than one leader, specifically Jewish veterans of the Roman army, and it was only later that Bar Kokhba assumed leadership of the revolt. 

Here is a link to Haggai's article as well as links to previous episodes on the Bar Kokhba Revolt and the Diaspora Revolt.



Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Haggai Olshanetsky Buzzsprout-17327664 Thu, 12 Jun 2025 17:00:00 -0400 2209 Bar Kokhba, Bar Kochba, Jewish revolt, Israel, Roman history, leadership, military strategy, ancient warfare, historical analysis, Jewish history, rebellion, Dio Cassius 66 full false Highlights: David's Secret Demons Highlights: David's Secret Demons We've curated a special highlights version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episodes here and here. 

Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. This second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. The first episode covers David's origins and his role in overthrowing the House of Saul. There’s a link above to purchase the book. 

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> We've curated a special highlights version of the podcast for those in a hurry. You can listen to the full episodes here and here. 

Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. This second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. The first episode covers David's origins and his role in overthrowing the House of Saul. There’s a link above to purchase the book. 

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-17511050 Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500 2030 Bible, history, Judaism, Israel, King David, Solomon, Israelite, Torah, biblical, religion, Near East, Levant, Iron Age full false Episode 2 - David's Secret Demons Episode 2 - David's Secret Demons Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. This second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. The first episode covers David's origins and his role in overthrowing the House of Saul. There’s a link above to purchase the book. 

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. This second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. The first episode covers David's origins and his role in overthrowing the House of Saul. There’s a link above to purchase the book. 

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-16714926 Sat, 01 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0500 1906 Bible, history, Judaism, Israel, King David, Solomon, Israelite, Torah, biblical, religion, Near East, Levant, Iron Age 65 full false Episode 1 - David's Secret Demons Episode 1 - David's Secret Demons Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. The first episode focuses on the origins of David and his part in overthrowing the House of Saul. The second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. There’s a link above to purchase the book.

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Baruch Halpern discusses his book David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King. The book examines the textual and archaeological evidence of David to help paint a better picture of his life, reign, and impact. The first episode focuses on the origins of David and his part in overthrowing the House of Saul. The second episode covers the Absalom Revolt and Solomon’s rise to power. There’s a link above to purchase the book.

Baruch Halpern is  the Covenant Foundation Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and a Professor of Religion and Linguistics at the Center for Archaeological Science at the University of Georgia. He's also a Emeritus Chaiken Family Chair in Jewish Studies, Ancient History, Classics & Mediterranean Studies, and Religious Studies Fellow at the Institute for the Arts and the Humanities at Penn State.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-16714898 Sat, 01 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0500 4182 Bible, history, Judaism, Israel, King David, Solomon, Israelite, Torah, biblical, Near East, Levant, Iron Age 64 full false The Diaspora Revolt The Diaspora Revolt Tal Ilan is a retired professor of Jewish studies at the Free University, Berlin (Germany), and has researched the Diaspora Revolt of 115-117 CE against the Romans that broke out across Libya, Egypt and Cyprus. The rebellion is less well known than the two other Jewish revolts against Rome, namely the Great Revolt which resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple and the Bar Kochba Revolt. The Diaspora Revolt had disastrous consequences for the Jewish populations of the diaspora and much of what is known about it is pieced together from ancient writings and fragments of papyrii. A related podcast on the Bar Kochba Revolt can be found here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Tal Ilan is a retired professor of Jewish studies at the Free University, Berlin (Germany), and has researched the Diaspora Revolt of 115-117 CE against the Romans that broke out across Libya, Egypt and Cyprus. The rebellion is less well known than the two other Jewish revolts against Rome, namely the Great Revolt which resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple and the Bar Kochba Revolt. The Diaspora Revolt had disastrous consequences for the Jewish populations of the diaspora and much of what is known about it is pieced together from ancient writings and fragments of papyrii. A related podcast on the Bar Kochba Revolt can be found here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Tal Ilan Buzzsprout-16338505 Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0500 1098 Judaism, Rome, Near East, Middle East, archaeology, diaspora, history 63 full false Episode 2 - Imperialism and Jewish Society Episode 2 - Imperialism and Jewish Society Seth Schwartz is a professor of classical Jewish civilization at Columbia University and the author of Imperialism and Jewish Society, 200 BCE to 640 CE. The book examines the effects of Persian, Greek, and Roman rule of Jewish society in antiquity and how it shaped Jewish life and identity. Episode 2 discusses the impacts of the Hasmonean territorial expansion as well as how Judaism was transformed following the failed revolts against Rome.

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Seth Schwartz is a professor of classical Jewish civilization at Columbia University and the author of Imperialism and Jewish Society, 200 BCE to 640 CE. The book examines the effects of Persian, Greek, and Roman rule of Jewish society in antiquity and how it shaped Jewish life and identity. Episode 2 discusses the impacts of the Hasmonean territorial expansion as well as how Judaism was transformed following the failed revolts against Rome.

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Seth Schwartz Buzzsprout-16055142 Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500 2075 Judaism, Rome, Persia, Ancient Greece, religion, Old Testament, New Testament, Christianity 62 full false Episode 1 - Imperialism and Jewish Society Episode 1 - Imperialism and Jewish Society Seth Schwartz is a professor of classical Jewish civilization at Columbia University and the author of Imperialism and Jewish Society, 200 BCE to 640 CE. The book examines the effects of Persian, Greek, and Roman rule of Jewish society in antiquity and how it shaped Jewish life and identity. Episode 1 focuses on the return of Judahite exiles from Persia and the establishment of the Torah of Moses as the official law code of the people. Episode 2 discusses the impacts of the Hasmonean territorial expansion as well as how Judaism was transformed following the failed revolts against Rome.

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Seth Schwartz is a professor of classical Jewish civilization at Columbia University and the author of Imperialism and Jewish Society, 200 BCE to 640 CE. The book examines the effects of Persian, Greek, and Roman rule of Jewish society in antiquity and how it shaped Jewish life and identity. Episode 1 focuses on the return of Judahite exiles from Persia and the establishment of the Torah of Moses as the official law code of the people. Episode 2 discusses the impacts of the Hasmonean territorial expansion as well as how Judaism was transformed following the failed revolts against Rome.

You can purchase a copy of the book here. 

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Seth Schwartz Buzzsprout-16055128 Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:00 -0500 1357 Judaism, Rome, Persia, Ancient Greece, religion, Old Testament, New Testament, Christianity 61 full false Plant‐related Philistine ritual practices at biblical Gath Plant‐related Philistine ritual practices at biblical Gath Aren Meir and Sue Frumin come back on the show to discuss a paper they co-authored that examined plant-related Philistine ritual practices at Tell Es-Safi, which is believed to be the biblical Gath. You can find a link to the study here.  Aren is a professor at Bar Ilan University and director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project. His research has a particular focus on the Bronze and Iron Ages of the ancient Near East. Sue is has been the archaeobotanist of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project since 2012 and is a member of the Faculty of Jewish Studies at Bar Ilan University. 


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]]> Aren Meir and Sue Frumin come back on the show to discuss a paper they co-authored that examined plant-related Philistine ritual practices at Tell Es-Safi, which is believed to be the biblical Gath. You can find a link to the study here.  Aren is a professor at Bar Ilan University and director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project. His research has a particular focus on the Bronze and Iron Ages of the ancient Near East. Sue is has been the archaeobotanist of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project since 2012 and is a member of the Faculty of Jewish Studies at Bar Ilan University. 


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]]> The Levantini Podcast/ Aren Meir Sue Frumin Buzzsprout-15512534 Thu, 01 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0400 2374 bible, archaeology, Near East, antiquity, cult, rituals, religion, Israel, Philistines, Bronze Age, history 60 full false The Essenes, the Scrolls, and the Dead Sea The Essenes, the Scrolls, and the Dead Sea Joan Taylor is a Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College London and the author of the book The Essenes, The Scrolls, and the Dead Sea. In this episode, we discuss her book that challenges misconceptions about who the Essenes were and their place in Second Temple Judaism. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

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]]> Joan Taylor is a Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King’s College London and the author of the book The Essenes, The Scrolls, and the Dead Sea. In this episode, we discuss her book that challenges misconceptions about who the Essenes were and their place in Second Temple Judaism. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Joan Taylor Buzzsprout-15425552 Tue, 16 Jul 2024 18:00:00 -0400 2171 Dead Sea Scrolls, Judaism, Christianity, Near East, religion, history 59 full false The Lost Roman Campaign in Arabia The Lost Roman Campaign in Arabia Michael Fradley is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and a landscape archaeologist. He was one of the co-authors of a recent study about how a remote sensing survey in southern Jordan identified at least three Roman military camps that seem to reveal a previously unknown military campaign against the Nabateans. You can find a link to the study here. 


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]]> Michael Fradley is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford and a landscape archaeologist. He was one of the co-authors of a recent study about how a remote sensing survey in southern Jordan identified at least three Roman military camps that seem to reveal a previously unknown military campaign against the Nabateans. You can find a link to the study here. 


Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Michael Fradley Buzzsprout-13838866 Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0400 1445 archaeology, Rome, Arabia, Nabateans, military history, ancient Rome, Near East 58 full false The Consuming Fire The Consuming Fire Liane Feldman discusses her book The Consuming Fire, which presents a complete translation of the Priestly Source of the Bible, offering a distinctive account of the origins of the people of Israel and their relationship with God.  By presenting the complete translation of the Priestly Source without the other sources that are believed to also be part of the compiled Bible as we have it today, the reader is presented with a story that is oftentimes in stark contrast to the traditional reading. 

Liane is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion and Program in Judaic Studies at Princeton University. You can purchase a copy of The Consuming Fire here.

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]]> Liane Feldman discusses her book The Consuming Fire, which presents a complete translation of the Priestly Source of the Bible, offering a distinctive account of the origins of the people of Israel and their relationship with God.  By presenting the complete translation of the Priestly Source without the other sources that are believed to also be part of the compiled Bible as we have it today, the reader is presented with a story that is oftentimes in stark contrast to the traditional reading. 

Liane is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion and Program in Judaic Studies at Princeton University. You can purchase a copy of The Consuming Fire here.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Liane Feldman Buzzsprout-13289566 Tue, 25 Jul 2023 19:00:00 -0400 2645 bible, Old Testament, Hebrew, Torah, biblical, religion 57 full false Dysentery in Judah Dysentery in Judah Dr. Piers Mitchell is an Honorary Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge and the lead author of a recent study that analyzed sediments from two latrines from the Kingdom of Judah. The study found  that dysentery was widespread in the ancient capital of Jerusalem.

You can read the study at this link.


Send us Fan Mail

]]> Dr. Piers Mitchell is an Honorary Research Associate at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge and the lead author of a recent study that analyzed sediments from two latrines from the Kingdom of Judah. The study found  that dysentery was widespread in the ancient capital of Jerusalem.

You can read the study at this link.


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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Piers Mitchell Buzzsprout-13110902 Mon, 26 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400 2061 archaeology, bible, Jerusalem, Old Testament, Judah 56 full false The Wolf King The Wolf King In this episode of the podcast, Abigail Krasner Balbale discusses her book The Wolf King: Ibn Mardanish and the Construction of Power in Al Andalus. The Wolf King explores how political power was conceptualized, constructed, and wielded in twelfth-century al-Andalus, focusing on the reign of Muhammad ibn Sad ibn Ahmad ibn Mardanīsh also known as The Wolf King. 

Abigail is an Assistant Professor of Islamic History at New York University and her research focuses on the intersection of political power, religious ideology and visual and material culture in the medieval Islamic world.

You can purchase a copy of The Wolf King on Amazon.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, Abigail Krasner Balbale discusses her book The Wolf King: Ibn Mardanish and the Construction of Power in Al Andalus. The Wolf King explores how political power was conceptualized, constructed, and wielded in twelfth-century al-Andalus, focusing on the reign of Muhammad ibn Sad ibn Ahmad ibn Mardanīsh also known as The Wolf King. 

Abigail is an Assistant Professor of Islamic History at New York University and her research focuses on the intersection of political power, religious ideology and visual and material culture in the medieval Islamic world.

You can purchase a copy of The Wolf King on Amazon.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Abigail Krasner Balbale Buzzsprout-12693827 Thu, 20 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400 2946 Middle Ages, Medieval, Crusades, Islam, Christianity 55 full false The Origins of Ashkenazim The Origins of Ashkenazim Dr. Shamam Waldman discusses a recent paper she co-authored with her colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that was published in the journal Cell. The study was an effort to sequence the DNA from the remains of Ashkenazi Jews in medieval Europe and focused on a DNA analysis that was done on the extracted teeth of individuals who were buried in a Jewish cemetery in Erfurt, Germany around the 14th century. The findings of the study shed light on where Ashkenazi Jews originated from, how the communities formed, and common genetic traits they shared with modern populations.

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]]> Dr. Shamam Waldman discusses a recent paper she co-authored with her colleagues at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that was published in the journal Cell. The study was an effort to sequence the DNA from the remains of Ashkenazi Jews in medieval Europe and focused on a DNA analysis that was done on the extracted teeth of individuals who were buried in a Jewish cemetery in Erfurt, Germany around the 14th century. The findings of the study shed light on where Ashkenazi Jews originated from, how the communities formed, and common genetic traits they shared with modern populations.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Shamam Waldman Buzzsprout-12251005 Tue, 14 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500 2242 Judaism, Medieval Europe, Middle Ages, Ashkenazi 54 full false How The Bible Is Written How The Bible Is Written Professor Gary Rendsburg comes back on the podcast to discuss his book How The Bible Is Written. The book examines the literary aspects of the Hebrew biblical text and highlights the artistry and skill of the biblical authors. How The Bible Is Written is available in a number of stores, including in-person at Barnes & Noble and online at the links below:

- Barnes & Noble
- Book Depository
- HendrickSonrose
- Christian Books
- Amazon 

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]]> Professor Gary Rendsburg comes back on the podcast to discuss his book How The Bible Is Written. The book examines the literary aspects of the Hebrew biblical text and highlights the artistry and skill of the biblical authors. How The Bible Is Written is available in a number of stores, including in-person at Barnes & Noble and online at the links below:

- Barnes & Noble
- Book Depository
- HendrickSonrose
- Christian Books
- Amazon 

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Gary Rendsburg Buzzsprout-11567311 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 15:00:00 -0400 3305 Bible, Hebrew, Judaism, Christianity, archaeology, biblical, Arabic 53 full false The Kharijites - Heroes & Villains The Kharijites - Heroes & Villains Hannah-Lena Hagemann is based in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Hamburg University, where she leads a research group on rebellion in early Islam. She is the author of The Kharijites in Early Islamic Historical Tradition which is the first comprehensive literary analysis of the Kharijites’ history as depicted in early Islamic historiography. The book provides a new perspective on early Kharijism and explores their narrative function as rebels and heretics in early Islamic tradition. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon here.

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]]> Hannah-Lena Hagemann is based in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at Hamburg University, where she leads a research group on rebellion in early Islam. She is the author of The Kharijites in Early Islamic Historical Tradition which is the first comprehensive literary analysis of the Kharijites’ history as depicted in early Islamic historiography. The book provides a new perspective on early Kharijism and explores their narrative function as rebels and heretics in early Islamic tradition. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon here.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Hannah-Lena Hagemann Buzzsprout-11033311 Tue, 26 Jul 2022 19:00:00 -0400 2902 Islam, Kharijites, rebellion, history, religion 52 full false The Assyrian War Machine The Assyrian War Machine Professor Yosef Garfinkel is a Professor of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Yigael Yadin Chair in Archaeology of Israel. In 2021 he was one of the authors of a study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology which examines how the Assyrian army laid siege to the town of Lachish in Judah in 701 BC. Specifically, the study examines how the Assyrian army constructed an impressive siege ramp in under a month and were confronted with unique conditions. The remnants of the Assyrian siege ramp remain at the site and it’s the oldest known siege ramp in the Near East and the only one known to have been discovered from the military conquests of the Assyrian empire.

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]]> Professor Yosef Garfinkel is a Professor of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Yigael Yadin Chair in Archaeology of Israel. In 2021 he was one of the authors of a study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology which examines how the Assyrian army laid siege to the town of Lachish in Judah in 701 BC. Specifically, the study examines how the Assyrian army constructed an impressive siege ramp in under a month and were confronted with unique conditions. The remnants of the Assyrian siege ramp remain at the site and it’s the oldest known siege ramp in the Near East and the only one known to have been discovered from the military conquests of the Assyrian empire.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Yosef Garfinkel Buzzsprout-10427492 Tue, 12 Apr 2022 18:00:00 -0400 1830 bible, archaeology, Middle East, Isaiah, warfare, Near East, siege 51 full false Revelation & Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and Tradition Revelation & Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and Tradition Professor Benjamin Sommer is an American biblical scholar and Jewish theologian. He’s a Professor of Bible at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Professor Sommer is the author of the book Revelation & Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and Tradition, which examines how the biblical authors conceived of the revelation at Sinai as both a collaborative and participatory event. You can find a link to purchase his book on Amazon here.

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]]> Professor Benjamin Sommer is an American biblical scholar and Jewish theologian. He’s a Professor of Bible at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America and a Senior Fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute. Professor Sommer is the author of the book Revelation & Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and Tradition, which examines how the biblical authors conceived of the revelation at Sinai as both a collaborative and participatory event. You can find a link to purchase his book on Amazon here.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Benjamin Sommer Buzzsprout-10384939 Tue, 05 Apr 2022 15:00:00 -0400 3697 Judaism, Torah, Sinai, Revelation, archaeology, religion, bible 50 full false The Middle Maccabees The Middle Maccabees Andrea Berlin is the James R. Wiseman Chair in Classical Archaeology and a Professor of Archaeology and Religion at Boston University. Her research focuses on the archaeology and history of the Achaemenid, Hellenistic, and Roman East, Ceramic Studies, Second-Temple Judaism, and the archaeology of Israel. In this episode, we discuss the book The Middle Maccabees of which she is a co-editor and a contributing author. The book examines the beginnings of the independent Jewish state founded in the second century BCE and frames it within the wider world of conflicts between the Ptolemies of Egypt, the Seleucids of Syria, and the Romans. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

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]]> Andrea Berlin is the James R. Wiseman Chair in Classical Archaeology and a Professor of Archaeology and Religion at Boston University. Her research focuses on the archaeology and history of the Achaemenid, Hellenistic, and Roman East, Ceramic Studies, Second-Temple Judaism, and the archaeology of Israel. In this episode, we discuss the book The Middle Maccabees of which she is a co-editor and a contributing author. The book examines the beginnings of the independent Jewish state founded in the second century BCE and frames it within the wider world of conflicts between the Ptolemies of Egypt, the Seleucids of Syria, and the Romans. You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Andrea Berlin Buzzsprout-10125278 Tue, 22 Feb 2022 17:00:00 -0500 3330 Archaeology, Greece, Rome, Judaism, Middle East, Near East, Maccabees, Hannukah 49 full false The Bar Kokhba Revolt The Bar Kokhba Revolt Professor Boaz Zissu is an archaeologist and a member of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University. He has authored and collaborated on numerous studies of the Bar Kokhba Revolt including co-authoring the book The Bar Kokhba Revolt: The Archaeological Evidence. We discuss the background to the revolt, its scale and administration, and its ultimate demise. You can purchase a copy of the book at this link and can find Professor Zissu's lectures on YouTube and his research on Academia.edu.



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]]> Professor Boaz Zissu is an archaeologist and a member of the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University. He has authored and collaborated on numerous studies of the Bar Kokhba Revolt including co-authoring the book The Bar Kokhba Revolt: The Archaeological Evidence. We discuss the background to the revolt, its scale and administration, and its ultimate demise. You can purchase a copy of the book at this link and can find Professor Zissu's lectures on YouTube and his research on Academia.edu.



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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Boaz Zissu Buzzsprout-9705730 Tue, 14 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0500 2610 Archaeology, Israel, Rome, Near East, Judaism, Middle East, Jerusalem 48 full false Revelation in Islam Revelation in Islam Khalil Andani is an Assistant Professor of Religion at Augustana College and holds a Ph.D. In Islamic Studies from Harvard University.  Professor Andani’s dissertation “Revelation in Islam: Qur’anic, Sunni, and Shi‘i Ismaili Perspectives” won the 2020 Best PhD Dissertation of the Year Award from the Foundation for Iranian Studies. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss his dissertation, which is a historical investigation of Islamic theologies of revelation in the formative and classical periods of Islam and argues that Sunni and Shi’i Muslims understood Qur’anic Revelation through competing and often mutually contradictory models constructed within different historical and theological contexts. You can check out Professor Andani's lectures on YouTube.



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]]> Khalil Andani is an Assistant Professor of Religion at Augustana College and holds a Ph.D. In Islamic Studies from Harvard University.  Professor Andani’s dissertation “Revelation in Islam: Qur’anic, Sunni, and Shi‘i Ismaili Perspectives” won the 2020 Best PhD Dissertation of the Year Award from the Foundation for Iranian Studies. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss his dissertation, which is a historical investigation of Islamic theologies of revelation in the formative and classical periods of Islam and argues that Sunni and Shi’i Muslims understood Qur’anic Revelation through competing and often mutually contradictory models constructed within different historical and theological contexts. You can check out Professor Andani's lectures on YouTube.



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]]> The Levantini Podcast Buzzsprout-9240547 Wed, 22 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0400 5786 47 full false Divorcing Lilith: From the Babylonian Incantation Bowls to the Cairo Genizah Divorcing Lilith: From the Babylonian Incantation Bowls to the Cairo Genizah Gideon Bohak is a Professor in the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud at Tel Aviv University. He is a specialist in Jewish magic, especially in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and in the study of the Cairo Genizah. Professor Bohak came back on the show to discuss a paper he co-authored titled Divorcing Lilith: From the Babylonian Incantation Bowls to the Cairo Genizah. We talked about the transmission of Jewish magical recipes from incantation bowls in Sasanian Iran to those found later in the Cairo Genizah and we also discussed the character of Lilith and her place in the pantheon of Jewish demonology. You can purchase Professor Bohak's book Ancient Jewish Magic on Amazon.

Check out our previous podcast with Professor Bohak for a good primer on Jewish Magic in Late Antiquity.

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]]> Gideon Bohak is a Professor in the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud at Tel Aviv University. He is a specialist in Jewish magic, especially in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and in the study of the Cairo Genizah. Professor Bohak came back on the show to discuss a paper he co-authored titled Divorcing Lilith: From the Babylonian Incantation Bowls to the Cairo Genizah. We talked about the transmission of Jewish magical recipes from incantation bowls in Sasanian Iran to those found later in the Cairo Genizah and we also discussed the character of Lilith and her place in the pantheon of Jewish demonology. You can purchase Professor Bohak's book Ancient Jewish Magic on Amazon.

Check out our previous podcast with Professor Bohak for a good primer on Jewish Magic in Late Antiquity.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> The Levantini Podcast / Gideon Bohak Buzzsprout-8588030 Tue, 25 May 2021 17:00:00 -0400 4466 Middle East, Judaism, Christianity, magic, archaeology, Hebrew, Arabic 46 full false The Samaritans The Samaritans Matthew Chalmers is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Religious Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Northwestern University’s Department of Religious Studies.  He is a scholar and theorist of religion, working with texts and traditions of the late antique eastern Mediterranean in Greek, Coptic, Aramaic, and Hebrew. In his current book project, The Samaritan Other: Representation, History, and Lost Late Antique Difference, he spotlights the continuous participation of Samaritans – a third Israel – in the historical and cultural processes that defined imperial Christianity and rabbinic Judaism. Our discussion focused on the origins of Samaritan religion and identity and how both Judaism and Christinaity have dealt with the issue of Samaritan claims to the Israelite tradition.

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]]> Matthew Chalmers is a Visiting Assistant Professor in Religious Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Northwestern University’s Department of Religious Studies.  He is a scholar and theorist of religion, working with texts and traditions of the late antique eastern Mediterranean in Greek, Coptic, Aramaic, and Hebrew. In his current book project, The Samaritan Other: Representation, History, and Lost Late Antique Difference, he spotlights the continuous participation of Samaritans – a third Israel – in the historical and cultural processes that defined imperial Christianity and rabbinic Judaism. Our discussion focused on the origins of Samaritan religion and identity and how both Judaism and Christinaity have dealt with the issue of Samaritan claims to the Israelite tradition.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Matthew Chalmers Buzzsprout-8456704 Tue, 04 May 2021 08:00:00 -0400 4080 Samaritans, Israel, religion, Judaism, Christianity, Bible, Hebrew 45 full false The Rise and Fall of Viticulture in The Late Antique Negev Highlands The Rise and Fall of Viticulture in The Late Antique Negev Highlands Daniel Fuks is a Newton International Fellow of the British Academy at the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge. As a PhD candidate in the Archaeobotany Lab at Bar-Ilan University, he was the leading author of the research study that examined the rise and fall of the Byzantine Negev viticulture. You can find a link to the study here.  Additionally, the Mediterranean Seminar nominated the paper as ‘Article of the Month’ in November 2020 which you can check out here. 

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]]> Daniel Fuks is a Newton International Fellow of the British Academy at the McDonald Institute of Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge. As a PhD candidate in the Archaeobotany Lab at Bar-Ilan University, he was the leading author of the research study that examined the rise and fall of the Byzantine Negev viticulture. You can find a link to the study here.  Additionally, the Mediterranean Seminar nominated the paper as ‘Article of the Month’ in November 2020 which you can check out here. 

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Daniel Fuks Buzzsprout-7912405 Tue, 16 Feb 2021 20:00:00 -0500 2958 Archaeology, Israel, Middle East, Byzantine, wine 44 full false Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism Sarit Kattan-Gribbetz is an Associate Professor of Theology at Fordham University and the author of Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism, which can be purchased on Amazon. The book explores the rhythms of time that animated the rabbinic world of late antiquity, revealing how rabbis conceptualized time as a way of constructing difference between themselves and imperial Rome, Jews and Christians, men and women, and human and divine. 

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]]> Sarit Kattan-Gribbetz is an Associate Professor of Theology at Fordham University and the author of Time and Difference in Rabbinic Judaism, which can be purchased on Amazon. The book explores the rhythms of time that animated the rabbinic world of late antiquity, revealing how rabbis conceptualized time as a way of constructing difference between themselves and imperial Rome, Jews and Christians, men and women, and human and divine. 

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Sarit Kattan-Gribbetz Buzzsprout-7778437 Tue, 09 Feb 2021 22:00:00 -0500 4603 Judaism, religion, theology 43 full false Playaling Playaling Playaling is a language learning platform founded by Jordan Gerstler-Holton, a former Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) fellow and long-time student of Arabic. Playaling is composed of a dedicated team of language professionals making engaging real-world Arabic content available to teachers and students across the globe with a heavy focus on Arabic dialect instruction. Lena Krause, an Arabic teacher at Beacon Academy in Evanston, Illinois, has done a tremendous job creating the North African Darija content on the site. You can access all of Playaling’s Arabic learning materials for free on their website Playaling.com

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]]> Playaling is a language learning platform founded by Jordan Gerstler-Holton, a former Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) fellow and long-time student of Arabic. Playaling is composed of a dedicated team of language professionals making engaging real-world Arabic content available to teachers and students across the globe with a heavy focus on Arabic dialect instruction. Lena Krause, an Arabic teacher at Beacon Academy in Evanston, Illinois, has done a tremendous job creating the North African Darija content on the site. You can access all of Playaling’s Arabic learning materials for free on their website Playaling.com

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Jordan Gerstler-Holton Buzzsprout-7471159 Mon, 25 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500 2559 Arabic, Playaling, Middle East, language learning 42 full false When the Gods Were Born When the Gods Were Born Carolina Lopez-Ruiz is a Professor at Ohio State University in the Classics Department and her research focuses on understanding Greek culture in its broader ancient Mediterranean context. She has authored a number of books on the Phoenician civilization and in this episode we discussed her book When The Gods Were Born - Greek Cosmogonies and the Near East, which examines the links between ancient Greek civilization and Northwest Semitic peoples and how the cultural exchange between the two influenced Greek origin myths. You can purchase a copy of When the Gods Were Born on Amazon.

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]]> Carolina Lopez-Ruiz is a Professor at Ohio State University in the Classics Department and her research focuses on understanding Greek culture in its broader ancient Mediterranean context. She has authored a number of books on the Phoenician civilization and in this episode we discussed her book When The Gods Were Born - Greek Cosmogonies and the Near East, which examines the links between ancient Greek civilization and Northwest Semitic peoples and how the cultural exchange between the two influenced Greek origin myths. You can purchase a copy of When the Gods Were Born on Amazon.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Carolina Lopez-Ruiz Buzzsprout-7448749 Sat, 23 Jan 2021 19:00:00 -0500 2949 Phoenicians, Near East, Middle East, Ancient Greece, mythology, religion, history 41 full false Jewish Languages From A to Z Jewish Languages From A to Z Professors Aaron D. Rubin and Lily Kahn came back on the show to discuss their new book Jewish Languages From A to Z. The book is a comprehensive survey of Jewish languages, covering more than 50 different languages and language varieties and sheds light on the rich variety of languages spoken and written by Jews over the past three thousand years. The book also features a number of photographs of various manuscripts that help bring the languages to life. Aaron D. Rubin is the Malvin E. And Lea P. Bank Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Jewish Studies, and Linguistics at Penn State University and Lily Kahn is a Professor of Hebrew and Jewish Languages at University College London. You can purchase the book on Amazon here

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]]> Professors Aaron D. Rubin and Lily Kahn came back on the show to discuss their new book Jewish Languages From A to Z. The book is a comprehensive survey of Jewish languages, covering more than 50 different languages and language varieties and sheds light on the rich variety of languages spoken and written by Jews over the past three thousand years. The book also features a number of photographs of various manuscripts that help bring the languages to life. Aaron D. Rubin is the Malvin E. And Lea P. Bank Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Jewish Studies, and Linguistics at Penn State University and Lily Kahn is a Professor of Hebrew and Jewish Languages at University College London. You can purchase the book on Amazon here

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Aaron Rubin, Lily Kahn Buzzsprout-6877217 Wed, 16 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0500 2946 Judaism, Hebrew, Arabic, Middle East, Yiddish, Jewish, languages, history 40 full false Envisioning Islam: Syriac Christians and the Early Muslim World Envisioning Islam: Syriac Christians and the Early Muslim World Michael Philip Penn is a professor of religious studies at Stanford University and the author of Envisioning Islam: Syriac Christians and the Early Muslim World as well as the book When Christians First Met Muslims. Professor Penn’s book and research examine Syriac sources to better understand how Christians in the Middle East perceived the early Muslims and in doing so challenge some widespread cultural assumptions about early Christian-Muslim relations.  You can purchase Envisioning Islam on Amazon at this link as well as When Christians First Met Muslims here.

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]]> Michael Philip Penn is a professor of religious studies at Stanford University and the author of Envisioning Islam: Syriac Christians and the Early Muslim World as well as the book When Christians First Met Muslims. Professor Penn’s book and research examine Syriac sources to better understand how Christians in the Middle East perceived the early Muslims and in doing so challenge some widespread cultural assumptions about early Christian-Muslim relations.  You can purchase Envisioning Islam on Amazon at this link as well as When Christians First Met Muslims here.

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]]> The Levantini Podcast / Michael Philip Penn Buzzsprout-6826321 Sun, 13 Dec 2020 14:00:00 -0500 2989 Islam, Christianity, history, Aramaic, Middle East 39 full false Philistine Invasion Biology Philistine Invasion Biology Sue Frumin is a post-doctoral researcher at Bar Ilan University and archaeobotanist. Sue works in the archaebotany lab run by Professor Ehud Weiss at the university. She is one of the co-authors of a 2015 paper that examined the impact of the Philistine migration on biodiversity in the Southern Levant. You can check out the paper here

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]]> Sue Frumin is a post-doctoral researcher at Bar Ilan University and archaeobotanist. Sue works in the archaebotany lab run by Professor Ehud Weiss at the university. She is one of the co-authors of a 2015 paper that examined the impact of the Philistine migration on biodiversity in the Southern Levant. You can check out the paper here

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Sue Frumin Buzzsprout-6309676 Tue, 10 Nov 2020 12:00:00 -0500 1298 biology, history, Middle East, Sea Peoples, Israel, bible 38 full false Jewish Magic in Late Antiquity Jewish Magic in Late Antiquity Gideon Bohak is a Professor in the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud at Tel Aviv University. He is a specialist in Jewish magic, especially in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and in the study of the Cairo Genizah. In this episode of the podcast, we spoke about Jewish magical practices of late antiquity and the use of Jewish amulets, incantation bowls, and manuals in Aramaic and Hebrew. You can purchase Professor Bohak's book Ancient Jewish Magic on Amazon.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Gideon Bohak is a Professor in the Department of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud at Tel Aviv University. He is a specialist in Jewish magic, especially in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, and in the study of the Cairo Genizah. In this episode of the podcast, we spoke about Jewish magical practices of late antiquity and the use of Jewish amulets, incantation bowls, and manuals in Aramaic and Hebrew. You can purchase Professor Bohak's book Ancient Jewish Magic on Amazon.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Levantini Podcast / Gideon Bohak Buzzsprout-5978260 Tue, 20 Oct 2020 08:00:00 -0400 3987 Judaism, history, magic, angels, demons, supernatural 37 full false Life and Death in the Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant Life and Death in the Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant Professor David Ilan has come back to discuss the Chalcolithic age in the Southern Levant (4500 - 3700 BC) and specifically theories concerning religious beliefs about death and reincarnation. Professor Ilan serves as the Director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and the Director of the Tel Dan excavations. You can read a paper that he co-authored with Professor Yorke Rowan of the University of Chicago, "Deconstructing and Recomposing the Narrative of Spiritual Life in the Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant" here.

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]]> Professor David Ilan has come back to discuss the Chalcolithic age in the Southern Levant (4500 - 3700 BC) and specifically theories concerning religious beliefs about death and reincarnation. Professor Ilan serves as the Director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and the Director of the Tel Dan excavations. You can read a paper that he co-authored with Professor Yorke Rowan of the University of Chicago, "Deconstructing and Recomposing the Narrative of Spiritual Life in the Chalcolithic of the Southern Levant" here.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / David Ilan Buzzsprout-5448385 Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:00:00 -0400 3105 archaeology, Middle East, Near East, reincarnation, spiritual 36 full false Palestinian Arabic & Israeli Hebrew In Contact Palestinian Arabic & Israeli Hebrew In Contact Roni-Henkin is an Associate Professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. We spoke about the contact between Palestinian Arabic and Israeli Hebrew and how the two languages have interacted with one another for over a century. One item we did not get around to discussing, but is still important, is the major phenomenon of codeswitching among young Palestinians, and the sociolinguistic implications as it relates to education, social status, and ethnic loyalties. You can download Professor Henkin's research on this topic at Academia.edu


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]]> Roni-Henkin is an Associate Professor at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. We spoke about the contact between Palestinian Arabic and Israeli Hebrew and how the two languages have interacted with one another for over a century. One item we did not get around to discussing, but is still important, is the major phenomenon of codeswitching among young Palestinians, and the sociolinguistic implications as it relates to education, social status, and ethnic loyalties. You can download Professor Henkin's research on this topic at Academia.edu


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]]> Levantini Podcast / Roni Henkin Buzzsprout-5164486 Wed, 26 Aug 2020 18:00:00 -0400 2568 Arabic, Hebrew, Israel, Palestine, Middle East 35 full false Yiddish: Strange but Familiar Yiddish: Strange but Familiar Lily Kahn is a Professor of Hebrew and Jewish languages at University College London. Professor Kahn is also a scholar of the Yiddish language and published the book Colloquial Yiddish, which can be purchased on Amazon.

In our talk, we examined the history of Yiddish, its rise, fall, and resurgence, and also how the language continues to change and develop.

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]]> Lily Kahn is a Professor of Hebrew and Jewish languages at University College London. Professor Kahn is also a scholar of the Yiddish language and published the book Colloquial Yiddish, which can be purchased on Amazon.

In our talk, we examined the history of Yiddish, its rise, fall, and resurgence, and also how the language continues to change and develop.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Levantini Podcast / Lily Kahn Buzzsprout-5047481 Tue, 18 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0400 3602 Yiddish, Judaism, Hebrew, History, Jewish, languages, linguistics 34 full false The Veterans Theory The Veterans Theory Professor David Ilan serves as the Director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and the Director of the Tel Dan excavations. Our discussion focused on Professor Ilan’s new theory surrounding the emergence of Israelite settlements in the hill country of Canaan.

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]]> Professor David Ilan serves as the Director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem and the Director of the Tel Dan excavations. Our discussion focused on Professor Ilan’s new theory surrounding the emergence of Israelite settlements in the hill country of Canaan.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / David Ilan Buzzsprout-4553414 Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:00:00 -0400 4250 archaeology, Middle East, Israel, Bible, Judaism, history, ancient Egypt 33 full false 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed Eric Cline is a Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Anthropology and the Director of the GWU Capitol Archaeological Institute. He's also the author of the book 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed, which covers the Bronze Age collapse, its causes, and what we can learn from it. You can purchase the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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]]> Eric Cline is a Professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and Anthropology and the Director of the GWU Capitol Archaeological Institute. He's also the author of the book 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed, which covers the Bronze Age collapse, its causes, and what we can learn from it. You can purchase the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Eric Cline Buzzsprout-4210646 Wed, 17 Jun 2020 09:00:00 -0400 4500 archaeology, Middle East, 1177, Bronze Age, Aegean, Trojan War, ancient Egypt 32 full false Bilmasri Bilmasri In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Nesrin Amin, the founder, and host of the Bilmasri blog and podcast. Bilmasri is a blog & podcast dedicated to the Egyptian dialect, its sounds, structures, vocabulary, and the culture behind it. You can download episodes of the Podcast from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and others and check out the blog at Bilmasri.com 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Nesrin Amin, the founder, and host of the Bilmasri blog and podcast. Bilmasri is a blog & podcast dedicated to the Egyptian dialect, its sounds, structures, vocabulary, and the culture behind it. You can download episodes of the Podcast from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and others and check out the blog at Bilmasri.com 

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]]> Foreigncy Buzzsprout-4086482 Mon, 08 Jun 2020 09:00:00 -0400 1311 31 full false From Camel to Truck - The Bedouin in the Modern World From Camel to Truck - The Bedouin in the Modern World In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Dawn Chatty who is the former director of the Refugee Studies Center at the University of Oxford, a Fellow of the British Academy and an internationally recognized expert on Bedouin culture and tribalism. She is the author of From Camel to Truck - The Bedouin in the Modern World. We spoke about her decades of experience researching the Bedouin of the Levant, their history, customs, and current situation in Syria.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Dawn Chatty who is the former director of the Refugee Studies Center at the University of Oxford, a Fellow of the British Academy and an internationally recognized expert on Bedouin culture and tribalism. She is the author of From Camel to Truck - The Bedouin in the Modern World. We spoke about her decades of experience researching the Bedouin of the Levant, their history, customs, and current situation in Syria.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Dawn Chatty Buzzsprout-3825686 Tue, 19 May 2020 08:00:00 -0400 3171 Arabic, Middle East, Bedouin, Syria, Levant 30 full false Ladino Ladino In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Devin Naar who is the Sephardic Studies Program Chair, Isaac Alhadeff Professor of Sephardic Studies, and an Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at the University of Washington. We spoke about the Ladino language, its history and cultural legacy and efforts underway at the university to preserve Ladino for future generations. You can learn more about the efforts underway at the University of Washington to preserve the Ladino language and Sephardic culture on the website of the Sephardic Studies Digital Library.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Devin Naar who is the Sephardic Studies Program Chair, Isaac Alhadeff Professor of Sephardic Studies, and an Associate Professor of History and Jewish Studies at the University of Washington. We spoke about the Ladino language, its history and cultural legacy and efforts underway at the university to preserve Ladino for future generations. You can learn more about the efforts underway at the University of Washington to preserve the Ladino language and Sephardic culture on the website of the Sephardic Studies Digital Library.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Devin Naar Buzzsprout-3509503 Sun, 26 Apr 2020 11:00:00 -0400 3013 Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, Ladino, Judeo-Spanish 29 full false The Natufian Culture The Natufian Culture In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Emeritus Mina Weinstein-Evron of the University of Haifa who is the former head of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology. Her research focuses on the middle Paleolithic hunter-gather culture that lived in the Levant known as the Natufian Culture.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Emeritus Mina Weinstein-Evron of the University of Haifa who is the former head of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology. Her research focuses on the middle Paleolithic hunter-gather culture that lived in the Levant known as the Natufian Culture.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Mina Weinstein Evron Buzzsprout-3277285 Tue, 07 Apr 2020 19:00:00 -0400 2559 Archaeology, Israel 28 full false Hebrew with Teacher Mike Hebrew with Teacher Mike In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with the founder of the Hebrew language learning website and Youtube Channel Hebrew with Teacher Mike. We had a great conversation about his journey mastering Hebrew, the methods he’s adapted for his own students, and the importance of learning and using non-violent communication in Hebrew

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with the founder of the Hebrew language learning website and Youtube Channel Hebrew with Teacher Mike. We had a great conversation about his journey mastering Hebrew, the methods he’s adapted for his own students, and the importance of learning and using non-violent communication in Hebrew

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]]> Foreigncy Buzzsprout-3112726 Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:00:00 -0400 1459 27 full false Ossass - Children's Stories In Colloquial Arabic Ossass - Children's Stories In Colloquial Arabic In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Reem Makhoul, the co-founder and creator of Ossass, a publisher of children’s books written in Arabic dialect. In our talk, we discussed what drew Reem to begin writing children’s books in Arabic dialect, the importance of publishing materials in dialect v. Modern Standard Arabic,  and the impact the stories have made around the world. I had a great time speaking with her and I hope you enjoy the show.

You can visit the Ossass website and purchase the books on its website.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Reem Makhoul, the co-founder and creator of Ossass, a publisher of children’s books written in Arabic dialect. In our talk, we discussed what drew Reem to begin writing children’s books in Arabic dialect, the importance of publishing materials in dialect v. Modern Standard Arabic,  and the impact the stories have made around the world. I had a great time speaking with her and I hope you enjoy the show.

You can visit the Ossass website and purchase the books on its website.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Foreigncy Buzzsprout-2852533 Wed, 26 Feb 2020 15:00:00 -0500 1598 26 full false Israelian Hebrew Israelian Hebrew In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Gary Rendsburg who is a professor of biblical studies, Hebrew language and ancient Judaism at Rutgers University. He holds the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History.

Professor Rendsburg is an expert on the historical development of the Hebrew language and ancient Hebrew dialects, which was the focus of our discussion. We also discuss other influences on the Hebrew language in antiquity and how other Semitic languages, such as Arabic, can help us decipher ancient Hebrew.

You can purchase Professor Rendsburg's book 'Israelian Hebrew' on Amazon.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Gary Rendsburg who is a professor of biblical studies, Hebrew language and ancient Judaism at Rutgers University. He holds the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History.

Professor Rendsburg is an expert on the historical development of the Hebrew language and ancient Hebrew dialects, which was the focus of our discussion. We also discuss other influences on the Hebrew language in antiquity and how other Semitic languages, such as Arabic, can help us decipher ancient Hebrew.

You can purchase Professor Rendsburg's book 'Israelian Hebrew' on Amazon.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Gary Rendsburg Buzzsprout-2795281 Thu, 20 Feb 2020 10:00:00 -0500 5626 Hebrew, Bible, religion, linguistics 25 full false Shabbetai Tzvi Shabbetai Tzvi In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Matt Goldish who’s a professor at Ohio State University and a specialist in Jewish and European History, Messianism, and the Spanish Jews after the expulsion from Spain. He holds the Samuel M. and Esther Melton Chair in Jewish History.

The topic of our discussion was his book The Sabbatean Prophets, which covers the 17th century messianic movement that centered around the colorful figure of Shabbetai Tzvi. We dove into the origins of the movement, how it managed to take the Jewish world by storm, and its aftermath.

You can purchase Professor Goldish’s book on Amazon. 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Matt Goldish who’s a professor at Ohio State University and a specialist in Jewish and European History, Messianism, and the Spanish Jews after the expulsion from Spain. He holds the Samuel M. and Esther Melton Chair in Jewish History.

The topic of our discussion was his book The Sabbatean Prophets, which covers the 17th century messianic movement that centered around the colorful figure of Shabbetai Tzvi. We dove into the origins of the movement, how it managed to take the Jewish world by storm, and its aftermath.

You can purchase Professor Goldish’s book on Amazon. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Matt Goldish Buzzsprout-2519779 Sat, 18 Jan 2020 10:00:00 -0500 4163 Messianism, Judaism, Islam, Shabbetai Tzvi, Sabbateans 24 full false The Central Timna Valley Project & Rethinking Iron Age Nomads The Central Timna Valley Project & Rethinking Iron Age Nomads In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Erez Ben-Yosef who is an Associate Professor of Archaeology in the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University. He’s the director of the Central Timna Valley Project and the excavations that he has been leading in the Aravah Valley have raised the possibility that we need to rethink the social complexity and impact of Iron Age nomadic societies. You can learn more about the Central Timna Valley Project by visiting its website.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Erez Ben-Yosef who is an Associate Professor of Archaeology in the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University. He’s the director of the Central Timna Valley Project and the excavations that he has been leading in the Aravah Valley have raised the possibility that we need to rethink the social complexity and impact of Iron Age nomadic societies. You can learn more about the Central Timna Valley Project by visiting its website.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Erez Ben Yosef Buzzsprout-2293055 Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:00:00 -0500 3618 Bible, archaeology, Iron Age, nomads, Hebrew, Arabic 23 full false Speaking Truth to Power - A New Translation of the Book of Job Speaking Truth to Power - A New Translation of the Book of Job In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Ed Greenstein who is professor emeritus of Bible at Bar-Ilan University and a world-renowned scholar in biblical and ancient Near Eastern studies. He recently published a new translation of the Book of Job which offers a new perspective on the story, which is speaking the truth to power no matter the cost.

You can purchase Professor Greenstein's translation of Job on Amazon.


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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I speak with Ed Greenstein who is professor emeritus of Bible at Bar-Ilan University and a world-renowned scholar in biblical and ancient Near Eastern studies. He recently published a new translation of the Book of Job which offers a new perspective on the story, which is speaking the truth to power no matter the cost.

You can purchase Professor Greenstein's translation of Job on Amazon.


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]]> Levantini Podcast / Ed Greenstein Buzzsprout-1912268 Tue, 22 Oct 2019 10:00:00 -0400 2644 Book of Job, Bible, Hebrew, Near East, history 22 full false The Race for Paradise - An Islamic History of the Crusades The Race for Paradise - An Islamic History of the Crusades In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Paul M. Cobb about his book The Race for Paradise - An Islamic History of the Crusades. Professor Cobb's book offers a new perspective on the Crusades by telling this period of history through Muslim sources. The book can be purchased on Amazon.

Professor Cobb is a Professor of Islamic History and Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania. 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, we spoke with Professor Paul M. Cobb about his book The Race for Paradise - An Islamic History of the Crusades. Professor Cobb's book offers a new perspective on the Crusades by telling this period of history through Muslim sources. The book can be purchased on Amazon.

Professor Cobb is a Professor of Islamic History and Chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Paul M. Cobb Buzzsprout-1735729 Thu, 19 Sep 2019 08:00:00 -0400 2892 Crusades, Arabic, Islam, Christianity 21 full false The Cairo Genizah The Cairo Genizah In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Marina Rustow who is the director of the Princeton Genizah Lab and the Khedouri A Zilkha Professor of Jewish Civilization in the Near East at Princeton. She is also the director of the program of Near Eastern Studies. We spoke at length about the Cairo Genizah and what its findings can tell us about the everyday lives of people in Medieval Cairo, the world, and more.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Marina Rustow who is the director of the Princeton Genizah Lab and the Khedouri A Zilkha Professor of Jewish Civilization in the Near East at Princeton. She is also the director of the program of Near Eastern Studies. We spoke at length about the Cairo Genizah and what its findings can tell us about the everyday lives of people in Medieval Cairo, the world, and more.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Marina Rustow Buzzsprout-1555921 Thu, 15 Aug 2019 18:00:00 -0400 3051 Arabic, Hebrew, Cairo, Egypt, Cairo Genizah 20 full false The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Professor Uri Bar-Joseph who is a professor of political science at the University of Haifa, an expert on Israeli intelligence, and the author of the book The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel. His book was recently adapted to a Netflix movie called The Angel and tells the story of Ashraf Marwan, who was the son in law of Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser and ultimately ended up playing a key role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War becoming one of the greatest spies in modern history. 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Professor Uri Bar-Joseph who is a professor of political science at the University of Haifa, an expert on Israeli intelligence, and the author of the book The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel. His book was recently adapted to a Netflix movie called The Angel and tells the story of Ashraf Marwan, who was the son in law of Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser and ultimately ended up playing a key role in the 1973 Yom Kippur War becoming one of the greatest spies in modern history. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Uri Bar-Joseph Buzzsprout-1454755 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 17:00:00 -0400 3431 Arabic, Egypt, Israel, espionage, history, spy 19 full false Echoes from the Mellah Echoes from the Mellah In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with director Kamal Hachkar who made the film Tinghir-Jerusalem: Echoes from the Mellah.

The film documents the story of the Berber Jews from the city of Tinghir who left in the 1960s with the majority of them winding up in Israel. In the film, Kamal travels to Morocco to interview the people of Tinghir about their past lives coexisting with Jews and he also makes his way to Israel where he found many of the people who left and succeeds in capturing the memories of their past lives

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with director Kamal Hachkar who made the film Tinghir-Jerusalem: Echoes from the Mellah.

The film documents the story of the Berber Jews from the city of Tinghir who left in the 1960s with the majority of them winding up in Israel. In the film, Kamal travels to Morocco to interview the people of Tinghir about their past lives coexisting with Jews and he also makes his way to Israel where he found many of the people who left and succeeds in capturing the memories of their past lives

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Levantini Podcast / Kamal Hachkar Buzzsprout-1321948 Mon, 24 Jun 2019 08:00:00 -0400 1557 Arabic, Judaism, Morocco, Israel, Berber 18 full false Safaitic Safaitic In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Ahmad Al-Jallad who is the Sofia Chair in Arabic Studies and an Associate Professor at Ohio State University. He is one of the foremost authorities on early Arabic and his work focuses on the languages and writing systems of pre-Islamic Arabia and the ancient Near East. The focus of our discussion was his work researching the Safaitic inscriptions, which are concentrated in the basalt desert of southern Syria and northern Jordan. 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Ahmad Al-Jallad who is the Sofia Chair in Arabic Studies and an Associate Professor at Ohio State University. He is one of the foremost authorities on early Arabic and his work focuses on the languages and writing systems of pre-Islamic Arabia and the ancient Near East. The focus of our discussion was his work researching the Safaitic inscriptions, which are concentrated in the basalt desert of southern Syria and northern Jordan. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Ahmad Al-Jallad Buzzsprout-1203077 Tue, 28 May 2019 09:00:00 -0400 2837 Arabic, Safaitic, Middle East, history, languages 17 full false The Origins of Arabness The Origins of Arabness In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Peter Webb who is a university lecturer of Arabic literature at Universiteit Leiden. Dr. Webb’s research focuses on literature and culture of pre-modern Islam and in this podcast, we discuss the origins of Arabness and his book Imaging the Arabs – Arab Identity and the Rise of Islam. 

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Peter Webb who is a university lecturer of Arabic literature at Universiteit Leiden. Dr. Webb’s research focuses on literature and culture of pre-modern Islam and in this podcast, we discuss the origins of Arabness and his book Imaging the Arabs – Arab Identity and the Rise of Islam. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Peter Webb Buzzsprout-1119602 Fri, 10 May 2019 19:00:00 -0400 2863 Arabic, Middle East, Koran, Quran 16 full false Ancient Cousins of Arabic Ancient Cousins of Arabic In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Aaron Rubin, who is The Malvin and Lea Bank Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Jewish Studies, and Linguistics at Penn State University. Professor Rubin is one of the leading scholars of the Modern South Arabian languages and in this episode we discussed his research on Jibbali and Mehri.  In our talk we discuss the history and development of these languages, how they can inform of us other ancient Semitic languages, and their current states.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Aaron Rubin, who is The Malvin and Lea Bank Professor of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Jewish Studies, and Linguistics at Penn State University. Professor Rubin is one of the leading scholars of the Modern South Arabian languages and in this episode we discussed his research on Jibbali and Mehri.  In our talk we discuss the history and development of these languages, how they can inform of us other ancient Semitic languages, and their current states.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Aaron Rubin Buzzsprout-1021724 Tue, 02 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400 1796 Arabic, language learning, history, Mehri, Jibbali 15 full false Preserving An Endangered Language - Aramaic Preserving An Endangered Language - Aramaic In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Geoffrey Khan, who is the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge.

Over the last few years, Professor Khan has been working to document the last native speakers of Neo-Aramaic around the world as the language inches toward extinction.

In our talk we discuss the history of Aramaic, his efforts to document its last speakers, and the historical and cultural importance and impact of preserving this language.

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]]> In this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Geoffrey Khan, who is the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge.

Over the last few years, Professor Khan has been working to document the last native speakers of Neo-Aramaic around the world as the language inches toward extinction.

In our talk we discuss the history of Aramaic, his efforts to document its last speakers, and the historical and cultural importance and impact of preserving this language.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Geoffrey Khan Buzzsprout-960607 Sun, 17 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0500 2930 history, language, Near East, Aramaic 14 full false The Near Eastern Fugitive Hero The Near Eastern Fugitive Hero In this episode, I spoke with Ed Greenstein who is Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Bar-Ilan University, where he served as Professor since 2006, headed the Institute for Jewish Biblical Interpretation and held the Meiser Chair in Biblical Studies. He also serves as Chair of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Hermeneutics and Cultural Studies.

We spoke at length about his research into the Near Eastern Fugitive Hero narrative or pattern, which was an ancient Near Eastern story-telling pattern that appears in Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and is found in nearly all of the stories of the Hebrew Bible's major heroes. You can read a recent paper he's written on the topic below and watch one of his lectures:

The Fugitive Hero Story Pattern in Mesopotamia

A Fugitive Aramean Was My Father

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]]> In this episode, I spoke with Ed Greenstein who is Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Bar-Ilan University, where he served as Professor since 2006, headed the Institute for Jewish Biblical Interpretation and held the Meiser Chair in Biblical Studies. He also serves as Chair of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Hermeneutics and Cultural Studies.

We spoke at length about his research into the Near Eastern Fugitive Hero narrative or pattern, which was an ancient Near Eastern story-telling pattern that appears in Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, and is found in nearly all of the stories of the Hebrew Bible's major heroes. You can read a recent paper he's written on the topic below and watch one of his lectures:

The Fugitive Hero Story Pattern in Mesopotamia

A Fugitive Aramean Was My Father

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Levantini Podcast / Ed Greenstein Buzzsprout-920561 Tue, 15 Jan 2019 00:00:00 -0500 2529 Bible, Hebrew, history, Near East 13 full false Streetwise Hebrew Streetwise Hebrew In this episode, I spoke with Guy Sharett who is the host of the Streetwise Hebrew podcast presented by TLV1. The Streetwise Hebrew podcast helps students learn and connect with  Hebrew spoken in the streets of Israel, offering a fresh take on what Hebrew language learning can be. The Streetwise Hebrew podcast is available on Apple, Android, and other podcasting platforms.

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]]> In this episode, I spoke with Guy Sharett who is the host of the Streetwise Hebrew podcast presented by TLV1. The Streetwise Hebrew podcast helps students learn and connect with  Hebrew spoken in the streets of Israel, offering a fresh take on what Hebrew language learning can be. The Streetwise Hebrew podcast is available on Apple, Android, and other podcasting platforms.

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]]> Foreigncy / Guy Sharett Buzzsprout-872482 Tue, 27 Nov 2018 13:00:00 -0500 2477 Hebrew, Israel, language learning 12 full true Moroccan Arabic's Influence on Modern Hebrew Moroccan Arabic's Influence on Modern Hebrew In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking again with Dr. Jonas Sibony who is a professor of Modern Hebrew at the University of Strasbourg and a Semitic languages expert. We discussed a recent lecture and paper he presented on Moroccan Arabic's influence on Modern Hebrew spoken in Israel and how peripheral Hebrew (Hebrew spoken by Jews of Moroccan descent) developed on the social and economic peripheries. 

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]]> In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking again with Dr. Jonas Sibony who is a professor of Modern Hebrew at the University of Strasbourg and a Semitic languages expert. We discussed a recent lecture and paper he presented on Moroccan Arabic's influence on Modern Hebrew spoken in Israel and how peripheral Hebrew (Hebrew spoken by Jews of Moroccan descent) developed on the social and economic peripheries. 

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]]> Foreigncy / Dr. Jonas Sibony Buzzsprout-830624 Mon, 15 Oct 2018 00:00:00 -0400 2617 Arabic, Hebrew, Morocco, Israel 11 full true Maps of the Divine - The Ilanot Project Maps of the Divine - The Ilanot Project In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Yossi Chajes who is an associate professor at the University of Haifa and the director of the Ilanot Project. The Ilanot Project, supported by the Israel Science Foundation, is a project to catalogue and describe all existing Ilanot, which are Kabbalistic cosmological diagrams that attempt to map the divine. 

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]]> In this episode, I spoke with Dr. Yossi Chajes who is an associate professor at the University of Haifa and the director of the Ilanot Project. The Ilanot Project, supported by the Israel Science Foundation, is a project to catalogue and describe all existing Ilanot, which are Kabbalistic cosmological diagrams that attempt to map the divine. 

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Yossi Chajes Buzzsprout-790595 Fri, 31 Aug 2018 00:00:00 -0400 3023 Judaism, Hebrew, Kabbalah, Spirituality, language learning 9 full false DMT And The Soul Of Prophecy DMT And The Soul Of Prophecy In this podcast, I spoke with Dr. Rick Strassman who is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medince. From 1990 to 1995, Dr. Strassman performed the first new human studies with psychedelic drugs in the United States in more than 20 years, focusing on the naturally occurring compound DMT. He extensively covers these trials and his findings in his book DMT: The Spirit Molecule.For this discussion, we talked about his book DMT and the Soul of Prophecy, in which he compares and contrasts the prophetic state as depicted in the Hebrew Bible with the DMT state. The book dives into the theory of theoneurology, which posits that God designed the human brain as being able to serve as a channel of communication to the divine and Dr. Strassman hypothesizes that DMT could play a role in that.

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]]> In this podcast, I spoke with Dr. Rick Strassman who is a clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of New Mexico School of Medince. From 1990 to 1995, Dr. Strassman performed the first new human studies with psychedelic drugs in the United States in more than 20 years, focusing on the naturally occurring compound DMT. He extensively covers these trials and his findings in his book DMT: The Spirit Molecule.For this discussion, we talked about his book DMT and the Soul of Prophecy, in which he compares and contrasts the prophetic state as depicted in the Hebrew Bible with the DMT state. The book dives into the theory of theoneurology, which posits that God designed the human brain as being able to serve as a channel of communication to the divine and Dr. Strassman hypothesizes that DMT could play a role in that.

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Rick Strassman Buzzsprout-759297 Tue, 24 Jul 2018 00:00:00 -0400 3875 Hebrew, religion, spirituality, DMT, psychedlics, language learning, Bible, Judaism, Rick Strassman 9 full false Ulpan La-Inyan - Speaking Hebrew with Confidence Ulpan La-Inyan - Speaking Hebrew with Confidence Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Ami Steinberg Buzzsprout-738506 Thu, 28 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 1585 Hebrew, language learning, Israel 8 full false Part 1: The Ongoing Hebrew Language Revolution - A Discussion With Dr. Ruvik Rosenthal Part 1: The Ongoing Hebrew Language Revolution - A Discussion With Dr. Ruvik Rosenthal Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Ruvik Rosenthal Buzzsprout-735887 Mon, 25 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 3422 Hebrew, journalist, linguist 7 full true Living Arabic Living Arabic Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Hossam Abouzahr Buzzsprout-710704 Wed, 23 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 1858 Arabic, language learning 6 full false Blessings and Curses in Judeo-Arabic Languages of Maghrebi Jews - A discussion with Dr. Jonas Sibony Blessings and Curses in Judeo-Arabic Languages of Maghrebi Jews - A discussion with Dr. Jonas Sibony In this episode, I spoke with Semitic languages expert Dr. Jonas Sibony, who is currently a professor of Modern Hebrew at Université de Strasbourg. The main topic of our discussion was Blessings and Curses in Judeo-Arabic languages of the Jews of North Africa, but we also spent a lot of time discussing the similarities and differences between Hebrew and Arabic as well as the evolution of the Hebrew language.

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]]> In this episode, I spoke with Semitic languages expert Dr. Jonas Sibony, who is currently a professor of Modern Hebrew at Université de Strasbourg. The main topic of our discussion was Blessings and Curses in Judeo-Arabic languages of the Jews of North Africa, but we also spent a lot of time discussing the similarities and differences between Hebrew and Arabic as well as the evolution of the Hebrew language.

Send us Fan Mail

]]> Levantini Podcast / Dr. Jonas Sibony Buzzsprout-692975 Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400 2872 Arabic, Hebrew, language learning 5 full true Intensive Arabic at Givat Haviva Intensive Arabic at Givat Haviva Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Meirav Hofi -Givat Haviva Buzzsprout-688741 Tue, 24 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 2306 Arabic, language learning 4 full false The Art of Hebrew Subtitling - A discussion with Zehavit Ehre of Golden Translations The Art of Hebrew Subtitling - A discussion with Zehavit Ehre of Golden Translations Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Zehavit Ehre Buzzsprout-680227 Tue, 10 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400 2225 Hebrew, language learning, linguist, linguistics, translation 3 full false The Hebrew Program at Middlebury The Hebrew Program at Middlebury Send us Fan Mail

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]]> Foreigncy / Vardit Ringvald and Elizabeth Gerner Buzzsprout-659480 Mon, 12 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400 2445 Hebrew, language learning, fluency 2 full false Tell es-Safi and the Philistines - An interview with Dr. Aren Maeir Tell es-Safi and the Philistines - An interview with Dr. Aren Maeir For this episode, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Aren Maeir, a professor at Bar Ilan University and director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project. Tell es-Safi is believed to be the site of the biblical Gath, one of the five Philistine city-states, which is mentioned many times in the Hebrew Bible. In this episode, we discuss the history of Tell es-Safi, the proposed origins of the Philistines, and how you can volunteer at the dig. You can learn more about the excavation and how to volunteer at https://gath.wordpress.com/

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]]> For this episode, I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Aren Maeir, a professor at Bar Ilan University and director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project. Tell es-Safi is believed to be the site of the biblical Gath, one of the five Philistine city-states, which is mentioned many times in the Hebrew Bible. In this episode, we discuss the history of Tell es-Safi, the proposed origins of the Philistines, and how you can volunteer at the dig. You can learn more about the excavation and how to volunteer at https://gath.wordpress.com/

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]]> Levantini Podcast / Aren Maeir Buzzsprout-654502 Sun, 04 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0500 2453 archaeology, Israel, Bible, Judaism, Philistines 1 full false