Library Events
Join us for one of our upcoming library events.
All in-person events will be held at the Klau Library in Cincinnati.
Were the Ancient Israelites Monotheistic? (Hybrid Event)
with Bill Arnold
Wednesday, May 7, 12:00 pm ET
Klau Library and Online
The Ancient Israelites worshiped God within the broader context of religious expression in the ancient Near East, and yet the Israelites are generally perceived as devoted to the biblical God, YHVH, exclusively. In this talk, we will explore the conceptualization of deity in antiquity, and particularly how ideas about divinity are reflected in the presentation of God in the Hebrew Bible. Join us as we evaluate what it meant to follow the one biblical God, and gain a deeper understanding of the landscape of practice in the ancient world.
This program is funded by the Pines School of Graduate Studies in partnership with the Klau Library.
To join us for the (free!) catered lunch, please make sure you have registered for this event.
Bill T. Arnold (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is Paul S. Amos Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He is the author or editor of more than a dozen books, including Ancient Israel’s History, Who Were the Babylonians?, Encountering the Old Testament, Encountering the Book of Genesis, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books, A Guide to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, and a commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel.
Register
Feld Lecture: The Wild Within: Exploring Landscape and Memory in Yiddish Literature (Hybrid Event)
with Robert Adler Peckerar
Monday, June 9th
Reception at 5 pm ET, Lecture at 5:30 pm ET
Klau Library and Online
Before the Second World War, Yiddish literature painted vivid, intricate maps of Jewish life in Eastern Europe—charting not just the physical terrain, but the imagination itself. Robert Adler Peckerar’s recent translations unearth powerful stories rooted in this terrain, and this talk delves into how the region’s history and geography shaped the works of three very different writers. Moyshe Kulbak’s modernist poetry, Itzik Manger’s novel with its seemingly naive takes on religious themes, and the captivating Hasidic tales of Nachman of Bratzlav, all share a common thread: a deep connection to place. Join us as we explore these literary landscapes, uncovering the silent echoes and haunting memories that linger in these places.
Robert Adler Peckerar is a cultural historian and translator dedicated to sharing the complex richness of Yiddish literature and East European Jewish culture. He holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley and was professor of Jewish literature and culture at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His acclaimed translations and cultural programs delve into the historical and personal landscapes of pre-Holocaust Jewish life. He is currently the CEO of Topa Institute, an intercultural arts center based in Ojai and Los Angeles, California.
This event is brought to you by a partnership of the Klau Library and the Mayerson JCC of Cincinnati.
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