1 Staffing
1.1 Prof. Philip Alexander has been elected a Fellow of the
British Academy, Dr. Alex Samely promoted to the rank of Professor
and Dr Daniel Langton awarded one of four University £5,000
prizes for Teaching Excellence, which he intends to devote to
pump priming work in relation to the preparation of a distance
learning module.
1.2 Dr. Oren Soffer has resigned his Lectureship in Israeli
Studies and returned to Israel, largely because of family illness.
It was hoped, with the agreement of the sponsors, to readvertise
the post shortly, but an appointment by the beginning of the
next academic year appears unlikely.
1.3 Bill Williams has announced his retirement from teaching.
Dr. Irene Lancaster has resigned her Honorary Research Fellowship,
on moving to Israel.
1.4 In the light Daniel Langton's research leave in 2006-07,
and his departmental administrative commitments since his post
was established, a post of part-time Coordinator of the Centre,
to work two days per week, associated with a PhD studentship,
has been created. The first holder of the post is Penelope Junkermann,
who took up her appointment on 1st September 2006.
2. Student Numbers and curriculum Development
2.1 Undergraduate numbers: Some 342 undergraduates were recorded,
in 2005-06, as having taken at least one course in Jewish Studies.
2.2 Jewish Studies Pathway: the first student (transferring
from another degree) graduated on the new Jewish Studies pathway
through the Religions and Theology degree, and obtained a first.
2.3 MA: The agreed increase of the Black bursary to 1 x 5k
and 6 x £500 (to the first further 6 FT applicants) appeared
to have produced an increase in the number of applicants for
next year. Further consideration is being given to the respective
administrative requirements of (a) separate MAs or (b) pathways
through the existing MA in Jewish Studies, though the new MA
in Holocaust Studies (2.5 below) will be a separate MA, even
if its modules are also open to students on the MA in Jewish
Studies (and vice versa). Further development of plans for an
MA in Jewish-Christian-Muslim relations are about to commence,
now that new appointments is Islamic Studies have been made.
2.4 Enrolment of PhD students continued to be very healthy
(40 students at present); there was some doubt as to whether
further expansion was possible at the present level of staff
resources.
2.5 Holocaust Studies: A new MA course in Holocaust Studies
is now ready, the result of collaboration between some 15-16
and staff (including Bill Williams, Daniel Langton and Mike
Savage, but mostly from outside the Centre for Jewish Studies),
co-ordinated by Dr. Cathy Gelbin in German, in consultation
with the Centre. It is already being advertised on the LCC web
page (http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/PostgraduateStudy/MAProgrammes/MAHolocaustStudies/)
with a view to recruiting an entry in 2006. An undergraduate
stream in Combined Studies is also in preparation.
3. Sherman Lectures
3.1 The Sherman Lectures 2006, were delivered by Dr. Ada Rapaport-Albert
on "Women in Jewish Mysticism" (March 26th-30th 2006),
and proved most enjoyable and stimulating, though the attendances
were somewhat disappointing, despite what had been considered
the topical interest of the themes combined in the lectures
and the reputation of the lecturer as a speaker. Consideration
is being given to reversion to a post-Pesach date for the lectures,
as had been the practice until a few years ago.
3.2 An invitation to give the lectures in 2007 has been accepted
by Dr. Gadi Ben-Ezer, of Israel, on Ethiopian Jewry, and an
invitation to give the lectures in 2008 has been accepted by
Prof. Melissa Raphael, of the University of Gloucestershire.
4. Research Seminars
This year's programme of Jewish Studies seminars, expanded
to a programme 13 seminars, proved a success. It had included
staff (full-time and part-time), postgraduate students and visiting
lecturers. The list of seminars is appended to this report.
5 Research
5.1 Rylands Geniza Manuscripts
Expectations are that by October 2006, the Project, directed
by Philip Alexander and implemented largely by Renate Smithuis,
will have catalogued the first 5,000 fragments of the Rylands
Geniza collection (i.e. the complete A series, the B series
up to B 5000, and about 20 fragments of the L series). The process
of transferring the initial Word descriptions to the electronic
database is ongoing, as is further editorial work.
The AHRC has recently awarded the University a grant of £361,000
for the extension of the present research project for another
three years, commencing in October 2006. This will enable the
project to expand from describing and cataloguing the fragments
to digitisation of the collection, thus making them available
worldwide through the internet and facilitating global interaction
between researchers. The new grant will facilitate the appointment
of additional staff, especially a part-time photographer and
one or more assistants for clerical work related to the digitisation
and cataloguing work.
5.2 Jewish Built Heritage
Funded under the AHRC ‘Resource Enhancement Scheme’,
this past year has been concentrated on the preparation of the
following publications:
• Jewish Heritage in England: An Architectural Guide:
Text by Sharman Kadish, Drawings by Barbara Bowman, Photography
by English Heritage. This guidebook is due to be published by
English Heritage in September 2006 to coincide with the 350th
Anniversary of the Resettlement of the Jewish community in England
(1656-2006). The volume includes 14 maps, including Heritage
Trails which were tested out on the ground during the summer
of 2005.
• Jewish Heritage in Gibraltar: An Architectural Guide.
Text by Sharman Kadish, Drawings by Barbara Bowman, Photography
by Nigel Corrie [English Heritage] will be published by Spire
Books early in 2007. This project has attracted sponsorship
from the Government of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Heritage Trust and
several local businesses on the Rock.
Meanwhile, work on recording selected post-war synagogues has
commenced in preparation for a final, contemporary chapter for
Kadish’s monograph The Synagogues of Britain and Ireland:
An Architectural History which will be published with the support
of the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art at the
end of the project.
The Survey image library has been significantly expanded by
the addition of new visual material including a collection of
rare archive images of lost synagogues discovered in the library
of the Jewish Chronicle in London.
For further information about publications and the allied
activities of Jewish Heritage UK, see www.jewish-heritage-uk.org
5.3 Jewish Refugees: (http://www.mucjs.org/res.htm#ajr): The
research into the experiences and reception of refugees from
Nazi Europe in the Manchester region, funded by the Association
of Jewish Refugees and the Hanadiv Foundation, is now nearing
completion and a book based upon it will exist in draft by the
end of this calendar year. The book will focus on the range
of influences to which refugees were subject in the Manchester
region and the range of attitudes which they evoked in the 'liberal
city'. Apart from exploring for the first time refugee experience
in a specific region of the country, it will hopefully serve
as a challenge both to simplistic readings of refugee 'integration'
and to unduly romantic images of British liberalism.
5.4 Agunah Research Unit
The project is now roughly at the halfway stage. A second
PhD student commenced work, with a studentship funded by the
Leverhulme grant, in January 2006, and there are now good prospects
for the recruitment of a second postdoctoral researcher, to
work with the existing team for 12 months full-time from January
2007. With the agreement of Leverhulme, 6 months’ of the
additional PDRA post has been devoted to upgrading Rabbi Dr
Abel to full-time. His work has been devoted to (i) the 20th
century debate regarding the use of terminative conditions,
now available on the unit’s web site: www.mucjs.org/agunahunit.htm;
(ii) analysis of recent publications, including the reform proposals
of Morgenstern and the Schechter Institute; (iii) research on
the history and halakhic status of doctrines of consensus and
hilkheta kebatra’i, and their application to issues of
iggun. Further Working Papers reflecting this research will
appear shortly on the web site. All four present members of
the Unit (Abel, Hadari, Knol and Jackson) attended the Jewish
Law Association Conference at Bar-Ilan University in June 2006,
where three presented papers. Several Israeli scholars expressed
an interest in collaborating with the Unit, but bringing further
research staff to Manchester, beyond the second PDRA post mentioned
above, will require substantial additional resources.
5.5 Melilah: three new substantial articles (by Rabbi Dr Abel,
Bill Williams, and Professor Stephen Passamaneck of Hebrew Union
College, Los Angeles: Melilah 2005/1-3) have now appeared on
the web site. It was hoped that a further set of articles would
appear by the end of the calendar year. Dr. Daniel Langton has
been appointed Co-Editor, alongside Prof. Jackson and Dr. Nissan.
An approach has been made to Manchester University Press regarding
the possible digitisation of the original Hebrew ten volumes.
6 Outreach
6.1 CCE courses: The CCE programme in 05-06 included the following:
(1) Jeremy Michelson, ‘The History of the Jews in the
Middle Ages’, seven Monday evenings at the Jewish Museum,
commencing 31 October 2005; (2) Michael Tunnicliffe, ‘Five
Hebrew Scrolls (Song of Songs, Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations
and Esther)’, ten Tuesday afternoons on campus beginning
in October 2005; (3) Frank Adam: ‘A History of the Arab-Israeli
Conflict’, ten Wednesdays at 7.00 -9.00 p.m. commencing
25th January 2006. However, Frank Adam's enrolment reached only
8, the minimum being 12, and the course did not run, despite
the reiteration of an offer by the CJS to underwrite the minimum
fee income. This has been taken up with the new Acting Director
of CCE, who has expressed support for such an arrangement in
future. The possibility of providing credits from CCE courses
for later MA enrolments will also be pursued.
6.2 Collaboration with AIAS and Balfour: Occasional lectures
continue to be organised in conjunction with the Anglo-Israel
Archaeological Society, generously supported by Mr. Joe Dwek,
and the Balfour Trust.
6.3 Dr. Sharman Kadish has participated in the community’s
“350 Committee” organising events under the rubric:
"Being Here - Jews in Britain 2006" and has contributed
to its programme.
6.4 Future Conference: 2008 will see the BAJS conference coming
to Manchester, under the presidency of Philip Alexander, and
the biennnial international conference of the Jewish Law Association
also coming to Manchester; it is also intended to hold a feedback
conference on the work of the Agunah research unit. Philip Alexander,
Bernard Jackson and Daniel Langton are seeking to combine the
three events in a single major series of conferences, probably
in the week commencing 13 July 2008, backed by substantial funding,
both internal and external, designed both to attract major names
to the conferences and to support the attendance of postgraduate
students. A possible single theme spanning the week is being
developed.
7 Resources
7.1 CJS library: The Centre library has now been indexed and
had shelf numbers assigned thanks to generous donations by the
Kessler Foundation (£500.00) and Joy Wolfe (£50.00).
This collection of 2229 items comprises mostly modern Anglo-Jewish
history and is largely based on Bill Williams' personal research
library but also includes materials from local synagogues and
personal donations. An electronic index will be made available
on the web. After the appointment of the Centre Co-ordinator
in September, the library will be open 2 days per week and it
will be possible for members of the university and the wider
public to use it both for reference and borrowing (for up to
one month). An official opening of the library is planned for
Thursday 28th September 2006.
7.2 Web site (http://www.mucjs.org/): The major revision of
the Centre's web site, indicated in the last two years' reports,
continues to proceed slowly. We have not been given an estimated
completion date but we have seen and approved the new template
which adopts the new University’s corporate branding.
7.3 Laski Internet Resource Centre (http://www.mucjs.org/laski/home.htm):
After two tranches of £1000.00 from the Nathan Laski Foundation
and several year’s work by students including Charlotte
Gringras and Hayley Galvin, the Nathan Laski Internet Resource
Centre now offers over 200 entries on websites relevant to Jewish
Studies for educators (from primary to post-graduate sectors).
Each entry includes a description of the website’s contents
including primary and secondary sources, use of multimedia,
institutional affiliation, education level, etc. Subject Headings
include: Bible and ANE, Hebrew Literature, Holocaust, Israel
& Zionism, Jewish-Christian Relations, Jewish Community,
Jewish Law, Jewish Studies, Jewish Higher Education Institutions,
Jewish History, Judaism Academic, Judaism, Limmude Kodesh, Medico-Legal.
Funds allow for further entries to be added.
8 Finances
8.1 Future Budgeting: The uncertainties reported last year
have now largely been resolved. it is now possible to resume
forward budgeting. The carry-forward to 2006-07 has been determined.
The Centre has substantial commitments to part-time teaching,
which will form a major part of the budgeted expenditure. This
may have to decline in the following financial year, unless
a new stream of income can the secured (see 8.2 below). It was
agreed that priority should be given to enhancing the expenditure
on bursaries.
8.2 Fundraising: New sources of income remain urgently required.
The success of the Centre recently has been in relation to specific
research projects, but support for the continuing teaching infrastructure,
in the form of teaching fellowships and student bursaries, is
urgently required. The initiation of a new Friends organisation
had been planned for November 3rd, with Mr. Howard Jacobson
speaking, but the late notification of a clash with the AGM
of the Federation has this to be postponed and replanned. Meetings
regarding fundraising strategy have been held both with community
supporters and Chris Cox, the new fundraising director of the
university, and members of his staff.
Research Seminars 2005-06
Thurs 6 Oct 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Harry Lesser, “The
use and abuse of the concept of the rodef (“pursuer”)
in Jewish law”.
Thurs 20 Oct 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Eva Frojmovic (Leeds): “Medieval
Antisemitism: Painting Jewish tales in medieval Germany”.
Thurs 3 Nov 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Howard Jacobson (London),
“The English Jewish Novel - A Contradiction in Terms”.
Thurs 17 Nov 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Bill Williams, “The
Myth of Rescue? Unaccompanied Child Refugees to Manchester and
their Parents, 1938-1945”.
Thurs 1 Dec 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Daniel Langton, “Ideological
Approaches to the History of Jewish-Christian Relations”.
Thurs 15 Dec 2005, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Roy Shasha, “Lists
in the Mishnah”.
Thurs 9 Feb 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Gertrud Reershemius (Aston):
“A world apart? Language and culture in rural Jewish communities
in Northwest Germany”.
Thurs 23 Feb 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Alex Samely, “Are the
anonymous voices of rabbinic texts gendered?”.
Thurs 2nd Mar 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Melissa Raphael (Gloucester),
“A Jewish Feminist Approach to Holocaust Theology”.
Thurs 16th Mar 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Elzbieta Lazarewicz-Wyrzykowska,
“M. M. Bakhtin's ethical-aesthetical philosophy as a methodology
for ethical reading of the Book of Amos”.
Thurs 30th Mar 2006, 2.00-3.30 p.m.: Sherman Lecturer feedback
session (Ada Rapaport-Albert on “Women in Jewish Mysticism”).
Thurs 27th April 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Alan Unterman, “Aspects
of Kabbalistic Use of Divine Names”.
Thurs 11th May 2006, 4.00-5.30 p.m.: Cathy Gelbin, “Jews,
the Gothic and the Crisis of Empire”.
|
