Episode 42: Aphrodite and the Rabbis - Burton Visotzky

Burton Visotzky, the Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, joins Dan and Lex to discuss the topic of his recent book, Aphrodite and the Rabbis: the surprising degree to which Greco-Roman ideas shaped Rabbinic Judaism, so much so that, Visotzky argues, that Judaism should be understood as a Roman religion. With Hanukkah coming up, we discuss how this understanding of Judaism squares with the Maccabees well-known anti-Hellenist agenda. If you're enjoying Judaism Unbound, please help us keep things going with a one-time or monthly tax-deductible donation. Support Judaism Unbound by clicking here. To access full shownotes for this episode, click here!