ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE BIBLE

THE YORKTOWN JEWISH CENTER TORAH INSTITUTE WEEKEND

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 13-14, 2010

WITH SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE RABBI MICHAEL LAXMETER

Saturday evening at 8 PM:  The Rabbi as Archaeologist:  How Archaeology Can Shed Light on Esoteric and Elusive Biblical Texts.  A number of Genesis texts might seem, with a mere surface reading, to have no real value, yet after scrutiny by a Rabbi/quasi-archaeologist, new light is shed on those texts. (Join us for dessert and coffee.)

Sunday morning at 10 AM:  The Bible Through the Lens of Egyptian Language and Literature.  While many Biblical scholars have spent a great deal of time and scholarly effort focusing on the impact of Mesopotamian texts on Bible passages, the wealth of Egyptian language and literature and their significance in Biblical scholarship has been mostly overlooked. Join me in a brief look at some esoteric Biblical texts that are truly illuminated by a knowledge of hieroglyphs and Egyptian literary texts. 

Advance brunch reservations for $12 required by Monday, March 8-call the YJC office at 914-245-2324 or email yjc2966@verizon.net

Rabbi Michael Laxmeter holds a Bachelor's Degree in Hebrew language and Literature from Brooklyn College; a Master's Degree in Hebrew Literature, and Ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America.  In addition to serving Conservative congregations in Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois and New York, Rabbi Laxmeter has pursued doctoral studies at New YorkUniversity, dealing mainly in the influences of Egyptian language (hieroglyphics) and literature upon the Hebrew Bible.

Rabbi Laxmeter currently serves as the Rabbi of Congregation Agudas Israel in Newburgh, NY.  He and his wife, Judy, are the parents of three and the grandparents of four.

This program is partly funded by the Kornfield Torah Institute, an endowment established by Malvina Kornfield and her family in memory of Louis Kornfield.