An Eclectic Intro to the Book of Psalms

Service Description

Tuesday evening 7-9pm - Please note time change Join Idan for an exploration of the biblical book of Psalms, beginning with an introduction to the Psalter and the ancient traditions surrounding it, and continuing with a close reading of several fascinating Psalms. The Jewish Bible is not a book of easy answers—it is a melting pot of overlapping narratives and ideas, and it has sparked endless debate through the ages. Approaching the Bible from an academic yet distinctly Jewish perspective, join Idan as he takes us on a journey though these captivating stories. About the facilitator: Idan Dorshav Dershowitz joined the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University in 2024. He was previously Director of the School of Jewish Theology and Chair of Hebrew Bible at the University of Potsdam. His research interests include the evolution of biblical religion and the methods of ancient biblical editors, as well as the development of AI tools to trace the origins of ancient texts. He is the author of The Dismembered Bible: Cutting and Pasting Scripture in Antiquity and The Valediction of Moses: A Proto-Biblical Book. He is currently working on a children’s book on the origins of the alphabet. Please note that you don’t need to commit to all the weeks of the course to sign up. You're welcome to register even if you're just interested in trying it out — the process is designed for your convenience.