PODCAST: The Jewish Bookshelf: Zohar with Sharon Koren, PhD - February 23, 2026

One of Judaism’s most unique and surprising works, the Zohar is the foundational text of Jewish mysticism. But when was it written? By whom? And what is its impact on Jewish culture and practice today?  Join Rabbinic Intern Rebecca Thau for a rich conversation with Sharon Koren, PhD, about these–and many more–questions. Dr. Koren, Associate Professor of Medieval Jewish Culture and the Dr. Norman J. Cohen Chair for an Emerging Scholar at HUC-JIR, received her PhD from Yale University in Medieval Studies. Her research focuses primarily on Jewish women’s spirituality and Jewish-Christian relations in the Middle Ages. She regularly teaches courses on medieval Jewish philosophy, history, and the Zohar.