Shows
The Levantini PodcastHighlights: David, The Divided HeartEnjoy 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 a text
2025-12-1212 minThe Levantini PodcastDavid, The Divided HeartRabbi 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 a text
2025-12-0528 minThe Levantini PodcastHighlights: The Jewish WarEnjoy 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 a text
2025-11-1213 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Jewish WarSteven 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 a text
2025-10-311h 01The Levantini PodcastHighlights: Deciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic ScriptWe'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 a text
2025-10-0712 minThe Levantini PodcastDeciphering A Mysterious Pre-Islamic ScriptAhmad 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 a text
2025-09-3033 minThe Levantini PodcastHighlights: 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 a text
2025-09-0311 minThe Levantini PodcastWas 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 a text
2025-08-2735 minThe Levantini PodcastHighlights: ZenobiaWe'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 femal...
2025-07-1518 minThe Levantini PodcastZenobia - 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 a text
2025-07-0137 minThe Levantini PodcastHighlights: Rethinking The Bar Kokhba RevoltWe'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 li...
2025-06-1314 minThe Levantini PodcastRethinking The Bar Kokhba RevoltHaggai 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.
2025-06-1236 minThe Levantini PodcastHighlights: David's Secret DemonsWe'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...
2025-03-0333 minThe Levantini PodcastEpisode 1 - David's Secret DemonsBaruch 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 Archaeo...
2025-03-011h 09The Levantini PodcastEpisode 2 - David's Secret DemonsBaruch 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 Univ...
2025-03-0131 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Diaspora RevoltTal 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...
2024-12-2518 minThe Levantini PodcastEpisode 1 - Imperialism and Jewish SocietySeth 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...
2024-11-0522 minThe Levantini PodcastEpisode 2 - Imperialism and Jewish SocietySeth 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 a text
2024-11-0534 minThe Levantini PodcastPlant‐related Philistine ritual practices at biblical GathAren 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 S...
2024-08-0139 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Essenes, the Scrolls, and the Dead SeaJoan 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 a text
2024-07-1736 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Lost Roman Campaign in ArabiaMichael 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 a text
2023-10-2424 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Consuming FireLiane 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 St...
2023-07-2644 minThe Levantini PodcastDysentery in JudahDr. 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 a text
2023-06-2634 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Wolf KingIn 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 pu...
2023-04-2049 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Origins of AshkenazimDr. 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.
2023-02-1437 minThe Levantini PodcastHow The Bible Is WrittenProfessor 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 Send us a text
2022-10-2555 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Kharijites - Heroes & VillainsHannah-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.Send us a text
2022-07-2748 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Assyrian War MachineProfessor 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...
2022-04-1330 minThe Levantini PodcastRevelation & Authority: Sinai in Jewish Scripture and TraditionProfessor 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.Send us a text
2022-04-051h 01The Levantini PodcastThe Middle MaccabeesAndrea 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...
2022-02-2255 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Bar Kokhba RevoltProfessor 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.Send us a text
2021-12-1443 minThe Levantini PodcastRevelation in IslamKhalil 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 construc...
2021-09-221h 36The Levantini PodcastDivorcing Lilith: From the Babylonian Incantation Bowls to the Cairo GenizahGideon 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...
2021-05-251h 14The Levantini PodcastThe SamaritansMatthew 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 Ju...
2021-05-041h 08The Levantini PodcastThe Rise and Fall of Viticulture in The Late Antique Negev HighlandsDaniel 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. Send us a text
2021-02-1749 minThe Levantini PodcastTime and Difference in Rabbinic JudaismSarit 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. Send us a text
2021-02-101h 16The Levantini PodcastPlayalingPlayaling 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.comSe...
2021-01-2542 minThe Levantini PodcastWhen the Gods Were BornCarolina 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.Send us...
2021-01-2449 min
The Levantini PodcastJewish Languages From A to ZProfessors 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...
2020-12-1649 minThe Levantini PodcastEnvisioning Islam: Syriac Christians and the Early Muslim WorldMichael 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.Send us a text
2020-12-1349 minThe Levantini PodcastPhilistine Invasion BiologySue 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 hereSend us a text
2020-11-1021 min
The Levantini PodcastJewish Magic in Late AntiquityGideon 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 a text
2020-10-201h 06The Levantini PodcastLife and Death in the Chalcolithic of the Southern LevantProfessor 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.Send us a text
2020-09-1551 minThe Levantini PodcastPalestinian Arabic & Israeli Hebrew In ContactRoni-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.eduSend us a text
2020-08-2742 min
The Levantini PodcastYiddish: Strange but FamiliarLily 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 a text
2020-08-181h 00
The Levantini PodcastThe Veterans TheoryProfessor 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.Send us a text
2020-07-131h 10
The Levantini Podcast1177 BC: The Year Civilization CollapsedEric 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.Send us a text
2020-06-171h 15
The Levantini PodcastBilmasriIn 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 Send us a text
2020-06-0821 min
The Levantini PodcastFrom Camel to Truck - The Bedouin in the Modern WorldIn 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.Send us a text
2020-05-1952 min
The Levantini PodcastLadinoIn 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.Send us a text
2020-04-2650 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Natufian CultureIn 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.Send us a text
2020-04-0842 min
The Levantini PodcastHebrew with Teacher MikeIn 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 HebrewSend us a text
2020-03-2424 min
The Levantini PodcastOssass - Children's Stories In Colloquial ArabicIn 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 a tex
2020-02-2626 min
The Levantini PodcastIsraelian HebrewIn 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...
2020-02-201h 33
The Levantini PodcastShabbetai TzviIn 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.
2020-01-181h 09
The Levantini PodcastThe Central Timna Valley Project & Rethinking Iron Age NomadsIn 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.Send us a text
2019-12-161h 00
The Levantini PodcastSpeaking Truth to Power - A New Translation of the Book of JobIn 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.Send us a text
2019-10-2244 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Race for Paradise - An Islamic History of the CrusadesIn 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. Send us a text
2019-09-1948 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Cairo GenizahIn 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.Send us a text
2019-08-1650 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Egyptian Spy Who Saved IsraelIn 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. Send u...
2019-07-2457 min
The Levantini PodcastEchoes from the MellahIn 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
2019-06-2425 min
The Levantini PodcastSafaiticIn 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. Send us a text
2019-05-2847 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Origins of ArabnessIn 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. Send us a text
2019-05-1147 min
The Levantini PodcastAncient Cousins of ArabicIn 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.Send us a text
2019-04-0229 min
The Levantini PodcastPreserving An Endangered Language - AramaicIn 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.Send us a text
2019-02-1748 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Near Eastern Fugitive HeroIn 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...
2019-01-1542 min
The Levantini PodcastStreetwise HebrewIn 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.Send us a text
2018-11-2741 min
The Levantini PodcastMoroccan Arabic's Influence on Modern HebrewIn 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. Send us a text
2018-10-1543 min
The Levantini PodcastMaps of the Divine - The Ilanot ProjectIn 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. Send us a text
2018-08-3150 min
The Levantini PodcastDMT And The Soul Of ProphecyIn 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...
2018-07-241h 04The Levantini PodcastUlpan La-Inyan - Speaking Hebrew with ConfidenceIn this episode, I speak with Ami Steinberger who is the founder and CEO of Ulpan La-Inyan. Ulpan La-Inyan takes a unique approach to help Hebrew learners master the essentials of everyday conversation and functional Hebrew through a number of approaches, including the Pimsleur method. Send us a text
2018-06-2826 min
The Levantini PodcastPart 1: The Ongoing Hebrew Language Revolution - A Discussion With Dr. Ruvik RosenthalIn this episode, I spoke with award-winning author, linguist, and journalist, Dr. Ruvik Rosenthal. Ruvik has published a number of works on the Hebrew language, including dictionaries on slang, idioms, and Israeli military language. He is an expert on the history and evolution of the Hebrew language, and in this podcast, we discuss his life, passion, career, and of course, the Hebrew language.Send us a text
2018-06-2557 minThe Levantini PodcastLiving ArabicIn this episode, I spoke with the founder of the Living Arabic Project (livingarabic.com), Hossam Abouzahr. This site is an effort to show Arabic as a living language by allowing users to search in both a Classical Arabic dictionary and a dialect dictionary at the same time. We had a great discussion about the project, his passion for the Arabic language, and the various challenges one faces on the path to mastery. You can download the Lughatana from the App Store and Google Play (http://www.livingarabic.com/apps.html) Send us a text
2018-05-2330 minThe Levantini PodcastBlessings and Curses in Judeo-Arabic Languages of Maghrebi Jews - A discussion with Dr. Jonas SibonyIn 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 a text
2018-05-0147 minThe Levantini PodcastIntensive Arabic at Givat HavivaIn this podcast, I spoke with Meirav Hofi, the director of the Arabic language program for international students at Givat Haviva. Givat Haviva is located in the Wadi Ara region of Israel and offers several intensive Arabic programs that take a unique approach to Arabic language learning and the Palestinian dialect in particular. Send us a text
2018-04-2438 min
The Levantini PodcastThe Art of Hebrew Subtitling - A discussion with Zehavit Ehre of Golden TranslationsIn this episode, I speak with professional Hebrew subtitler and translator Zehavit Ehre of Golden Translations. Zehavit is an expert in the field of subtitling and Hebrew translation, having worked in the industry for over a decade. She has also given lectures on subtitling at Tel Aviv University. In our discussion, we talk about the art of Hebrew subtitling as well as covering its cultural, linguistic, and technical challenges. You can visit Zehavit's website at http://gtranslations.co.il Follow her on Twitter at @HebrewSubtitler And visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/goldentranslations?ref=tsSend...
2018-04-1037 minThe Levantini PodcastThe Hebrew Program at MiddleburyIn this episode, I speak with Dr. Vardit Ringvald and Elizabeth Gerner of Middlebury College.
Vardit is the Director of the School of Hebrew and Elizabeth heads up the Life Long
Learners Program. We discuss many topics and issues related to mastering Hebrew and approaching the language as a trade and profession. We also touch on effective learning strategies, the crisis that Hebrew language learning currently finds itself in, and we examine promising trends and strategies.
Send us a text
2018-03-1240 min
The Levantini PodcastTell es-Safi and the Philistines - An interview with Dr. Aren MaeirFor 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/Send us...
2018-03-0440 min