Yahwism under the Achaemenid Empire
Prof. Shaul Shaked in memoriam
University of Haifa @ Hadarim center | 20-22.12.2022
(A hybrid conference: on-site & streaming)
This three-day international symposium—in memory of the late Prof. Shaul Shaked—is dedicated to the study of the touch-points between diverse Yahwistic communities throughout the Achaemenid empire and the Iranian attributes of the empire that ruled over them for about two centuries. This is arguably the most formative period in the development, redaction and composition of some of the most central texts within the Jewish (and, by extension, Christian) heritage. However, there has historically been too little dialogue between scholars of Achaemenid history and linguistics and those of Jewish history, Bible scholarship, archeology and Semitics.
To respond to these lacunae, the conference’s approach is fundamentally interdisciplinary. It brings together scholars of Achaemenid history, literature and religion, Iranian linguistics, historians of the Ancient Near East, archeologists, biblical scholars and Semiticists.
Conference Speakers
(by alphabetical order)
Dr. Gad Barnea
University of Haifa
Dr. Ohad Cohen
University of Haifa
Prof. Diana Edelman
University of Oslo
Prof. Israel Finkelstein
University of Haifa
Dr. Margaretha Folmer
Leiden University
Prof. Benedikt Hensel
Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
Prof. Tawny Holm
Pennsylvania State University
Prof. Itamar Kislev
University of Haifa
Prof. Ingo Kottsieper
University of Münster
Prof. Reinhard Kratz
Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen
Prof. Oded Lipschits
University of Tel-Aviv
Dr. James D. Moore
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Prof. Antonio Panaino
Università di Bologna
Dr. Laurie Pearce
University of California, Berkeley
Prof. Bezalel Porten
Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Prof. Konrad Schmid
University of Zurich
Prof. Stefan Schorch
Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Prof. Michael Shenkar
Hebrew University, Jerusalem
Dr. Jason Silverman
University of Helsinki
Prof. Karel van der Toorn
University of Amsterdam
Prof. Ran Zadok
University of Tel-Aviv
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Our Sponsors
Working Together
This event would not be possible without the generous dedication and contributions that we receive from our sponsors, as they play an integral role at our conference. If you’d like to be a sponsor, contact us!
The Israeli Association for the Study of Religions (IASR)
Fruitful Collaboration
The IASR aims at advancing the academic study of religions in the country by acting as a forum for relevant scholarly activities and holding varied events, such as conferences, workshops and seminaries.
The Joseph & Racheline Barda Chair for the Study and Research of Jewish Heritage In Egypt
Lasting Impact
The chair will support academic research of the history, society, culture, daily life, languages, religion, economy, etc. of the Jewish community in Egypt throughout its existence, as well as the contribution of its members in the Diaspora in all these aspects. The chair will hold academic conferences dedicated to these topics, it will promote cooperation among scholars around the world working on them, and encourage their study.
Shared vision
The Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies
The Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies operates towards the implementation of quality research initiatives as well as a public outreach that will facilitate inter-religious dialogue and understanding. Our conviction is that while political conflicts might hinder peaceful resolutions among different communities, beliefs and religious ideals can facilitate them. To that end, we seek partners who share our vision and goals in order to promote and initiate operative steps towards their realization.
The Sir Isaac Wolfson Chair of Jewish Thought, University of Haifa
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Support our conference
Our sponsors make this conference happen! This is an opportunity to support innovative and interdisciplinary research and collaboration on one of the most formative periods in the history of the Jewish people, the development of the Bible, and humanity at large.
