Catalogues have been a staple library feature for the last several centuries, a useful finding tool for readers and organizational aid for librarians; they are also a representation of a particular...Show moreCatalogues have been a staple library feature for the last several centuries, a useful finding tool for readers and organizational aid for librarians; they are also a representation of a particular place and time. The form and content of a catalogue can provide insights into the social norms and scholarly interests of the era in which it was created. Employing a longitudinal and comparative approach, this thesis examines the published catalogues of Leiden University Library’s Hebrew manuscripts collection throughout its four centuries of existence. I compare these catalogues, mark the differences in the ways they describe Hebrew manuscripts, and illuminate the social changes or emerging scholarly fields that likely influenced their creators. Throughout this thesis, I argue that when it comes to Hebrew manuscripts, any examination of historical cataloguing trends or choices cannot be complete without also considering that era’s societal attitudes toward Jews, the original creators of the language and texts contained in said manuscripts. I conclude that there exists a direct correlation between the quality of the catalogues’ manuscript descriptions and the cataloguer’s knowledge of the Hebrew language and of Jewish literature and culture; I extrapolate the implications of this conclusion for the future of manuscript cataloguing in the digital age.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
Conversion to Judaism is a very important topic when discussing the modern state of Israel. The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel decides who is recognized as a Jew within the State of Israel...Show moreConversion to Judaism is a very important topic when discussing the modern state of Israel. The Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel decides who is recognized as a Jew within the State of Israel and, because of this, decides how conversions should take place. The conversion procedures the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel supports is extremely stringent, and the Chief Rabbinate also annuls conversions they deem too lenient. This is a stark contrast to what was practiced with regards to conversion a few decades ago. Throughout Jewish history, conversion procedures were never as stringent as they are today, and annulments of conversions were unheard of. This paper seeks to explain why the stringent approach to conversion in place today arose. To do this, there will be an examination of Jewish history, religious texts, and the politics of the religious sphere of the modern state of Israel. In answering this question, this paper wants to push a two-fold theory that can be used in examining other religions. This two-fold theory examines the way religions interact with other religions, as well as how religions will interact with other cultures. The two-fold theory, thus, can be used to explain culture as being inherently intertwined with religion.Show less
This thesis asks how the rise of religious Zionism after the Yom Kippur War (1973) can be explained. This rise is puzzling, because whereas religious Zionism became more popular after the Six Day...Show moreThis thesis asks how the rise of religious Zionism after the Yom Kippur War (1973) can be explained. This rise is puzzling, because whereas religious Zionism became more popular after the Six Day War (1967), this stemmed from the euphoria associated with the victory and the annexation of Jerusalem. The Yom Kippur War, in contrast, led to uncertainty, protests and delegitimation of the government. Why then, was religious Zionism not reduced in popularity but strengthened instead? Apart from researching this question, this thesis focuses on the relation between the religionization of Israeli society and the rise of religious Zionism. In the second chapter, the details of religionization in Israel are researched through statistics, secondary literature and primary sources. What aspects of society had been religionized, and in what ways? Chapter three analyzes the previous literature on the subject in light of the evidence found in the previous chapter, but also scrutinizes whether there actually was a causal relationship between religionization and religious Zionism. Although this research found no conclusive evidence on the causal relationship between religionization and the popularity of religious Zionism, it does confirm other reasons behind its rise. Firstly, religious Zionists framed themselves as the new generation of pioneers, in contrast to the Labor government which took the blame for the Yom Kippur War. Moreover, the religious Zionists downplayed the influence on earthly events on the redemption of the Jewish people, which made the movement able to survive the setback that the Yom Kippur War arguably formed. Finally, secular ethno-nationalists were also attracted to religious Zionism as they shared a common goal: keeping the occupied (or ‘liberated’) territories.Show less
Master thesis | Theology and Religious Studies (Master)
open access
The first part of this thesis attempts to demonstrate the historical traces of the belief in reincarnation among Jews, Christian and Muslims. The second part is dedicated to a hermeneutical...Show moreThe first part of this thesis attempts to demonstrate the historical traces of the belief in reincarnation among Jews, Christian and Muslims. The second part is dedicated to a hermeneutical analysis of the Bible and the Quran regarding the indications to reincarnation in general, and reincarnation of the Messiah in particular.Show less
This study focuses on the eighteenth century archaeological fish remains found at an urban site located at the Valkenburgerstraat in Amsterdam. The location of the Valkenburgerstraat 130-146 site...Show moreThis study focuses on the eighteenth century archaeological fish remains found at an urban site located at the Valkenburgerstraat in Amsterdam. The location of the Valkenburgerstraat 130-146 site within the old Amsterdam Jewish quarter, together with the elaborate Jewish history of Amsterdam, cause a Jewish occupation of the site to have been very likely. Because of this presumed Jewish background it is to be expected that the strict Jewish dietary laws (also called kashrut) may be visible within the faunal assemblage found at the site. In addition to the prohibition of consuming non-cloven hoofed ruminants and a number of other mammal and bird species, according to kashrut the consumption of fish without fins and/or scales is also forbidden as these animals are considered to be ‘unclean’ or in Hebrew terms treif. Additionally, a number of supplementary criteria apply for the designation of treif fish. Most important may be the fact that the fish’s scales need to be removable without damaging its skin. An example of treif fish which meets the above mentioned criteria, and which is perhaps one of the most frequently consumed species of fish in the Lows Countries, is European eel. The exclusion of fish like European eel at the Valkenburgerstraat may indicate that it were indeed Jews who occupied the site. Unfortunately, it appeared that similar research on Jewish fish consumption had been done only sporadically. Therefore, in order to compare the Valkenburgerstraat’s fish record with other North-Western European sites, the contents of four cesspits located at the predominantly Jewish Waterlooplein area together with four complexes located within the Medieval Jewish quarter of Cologne which included a Medieval Synagogue’s cesspits, were added to this study. The result of this comparative study indicates that treif fish has been consumed in very low percentages at most of these sites, including the Valkenburgerstraat. Because these percentages are considered to be negligible low and most probably the result of a sporadic unorthodox consumption or misunderstanding, together with the fact that European eel appears to have been consumed in far greater quantities at non-Jewish Amsterdam sites, one can conclude that when relying on the data presented by the fish record the Valkenburgerstraat has likely been occupied by Jews. However, in order to confirm the above statement, the results of the analysis of the remaining faunal assemblage and pottery remains found at the Valkenburgerstraat are awaited carefully.Show less
