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18Forty Podcast

Malka Simkovich: When Did The Jewish Diaspora Begin? [Israel & Diaspora 2/5]

18Forty Podcast

18Forty

Religion & Spirituality, Judaism

4.6638 Ratings

🗓️ 19 November 2024

⏱️ 78 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode is sponsored by Eden Beit Shemesh. Contact Rina Weinberg at [email protected] for more details. 

Noam Taragin, son of our previous guest Rabbi Moshe Taragin, was seriously injured in Lebanon. We ask to pray for his quick healing: Noam Avraham ben Atara Shlomit.

In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to Malka Simkovich—a scholar of Jewish history, the editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society, and a three-time 18Forty guest—about previous Jewish diasporas. 

We tend to think of “Israel-diaspora relations” as a modern phenomenon. But, as Dr. Simkovich reminds us, that situation existed well over 2,000 years ago, when some Jews returned to the Land of Israel following the Babylonian exile while others remained abroad. In this episode we discuss:

  • What are the differences between the notions of golah, diaspora, and galut?
  • Did ancient diaspora Jews have a political equivalent to “supporting Israel”? 
  • How should Jews live when in a partial state of exile?
Tune in to hear a conversation about the “proto-messianic mindset” throughout Jewish history and today. 

Interview begins at 8:58.

Dr. Malka Simkovich is the director and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Publication Society and previously served as the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She earned a doctoral degree in Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism from Brandeis University and a Master’s degree in Hebrew Bible from Harvard University. She is the author of The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria (2016), Discovering Second Temple Literature: The Scriptures and Stories That Shaped Early Judaism (2018), and Letters From Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity, (2024). This is her third time speaking on 18Forty.

References:


18Forty Podcast: “Malka Simkovich: The Mystery of the Jewish People

18Forty Podcast: “Malka Simkovich: The Secrets of Second Temple Judaism

Letters from Home: The Creation of Diaspora in Jewish Antiquity by Malka Z. Simkovich

The Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus

The Elephantine Papyri in English: Three Millennia of Cross-Cultural Continuity and Change by Bezalel Porten

Rosh Hashanah 18b

Ben Sira

Zechariah 8:19


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi friends, a few months ago we advertised the birth of a new community in Israel.

0:05.4

Eden Bait Shemesh, a community tailored made for all those of us in need of a five-year plan,

0:12.7

and let's face it, we are living in a time when every single one of us should be drafting the five-year plan for our futures in Israel.

0:20.5

Our own listeners from within the 1840 community have purchased in Eden, an opportunity which

0:26.4

they will longingly watch unfold into a reality, a shul, and a community.

0:32.1

I am so proud that the leaders behind Aden are none other than Rabbi Benny and Khani Krohn. I know them personally because they are the rabbi and Rebitten of my own

0:42.4

personal community and they are the ones leading this new development community. And I know for my own life that

0:49.6

their stewardship, their leadership is you know this is going to be a welcoming, joyous, incredible

0:55.7

community where everyone is going to be able to feel comfortable and build a home.

1:00.2

On June 29th, Eden will be hosting a webinar to speak in detail about the vision for this project.

1:07.6

In order to register, please click the link below or email info at

1:12.7

Edenbateshemesh.com to find out more. Once again, that's info at Edenbateshemesh.com

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Five volumes are currently available. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Samuel,

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