This reading group is an opportunity to practise reading directly from images of medieval Hebrew manuscripts in an informal setting. No advance preparation is required and all skill levels are welcome!
Hilary Term 2025
Weeks 1–4, 6–8
Thursdays, 10:00–11:00
In Person: Catherine Lewis Lecture Theatre, Clarendon Institute, Walton Street, Oxford OX1 2HG, and Online via Zoom: See link below
Convened by Judith Olszowy-Schlanger and Joseph O’Hara
This year, we will look at documents and manuscript excerpts from a broad range of the many genres found in medieval Hebrew texts, including scientific, literary, and legal. We will consider their palaeography, language, and historical context, and learn practical skills for reading unfamiliar handwriting, dealing with damaged texts, and interpreting dates and unusual vocabulary.
There will be coffee, tea and cake from 11:00 in the Common Room of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies for those attending in person.
Please note that in Week 5, the Medieval Hebrew Reading Group will join the Medieval Anglo-Jewish Texts and History Seminar (please see further information on this page: https://www.ochjs.ac.uk/academic-seminars/medieval-anglo-jewish-texts-history/); this will not be available for online participants.
For further information about this reading group or for any other queries, please email Dr Joseph O’Hara at joseph.ohara@ccc.ox.ac.uk.
In order to attend this reading group via Zoom, please register here.