After the Catastrophe: Ezra-Nehemiah and the Rebuilding of Community and Identity – Tamara Cohn Eskenazi

The deaths and deportations that accompanied the destruction of the Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 BCE mark the turning point in the arc of biblical narrative. The book of Ezra-Nehemiah describes the reconstruction of life in Judah in the aftermath that catastrophe. It is the only book in the Hebrew Bible to depict this period. For over a century, scholars neglected Ezra-Nehemiah and the period it describes. But the pendulum swung at last, and in recent decades the book became a focal point for several reasons; among them is the growing consensus that the Pentateuch received its decisive shape during this period. Additionally, as a story about a return from exile to an ancient homeland, Ezra-Nehemiah has been embroiled in current political discourse linked with the return to Israel in the 20th century. Detractors and admirers alike concur that its messages had an enduring significance in the past and important messages for the present. This session will explore the book’s contribution to its own time as well as its relevance to today’s challenges.

Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Ph.D. is the Effie Wise Ochs Professor Emerita of Biblical Literature and History at Hebrew Union College. She is an award-winning scholar who specializes in writings from the Persian Period (538-333 BCE), with special focus on Ezra-Nehemiah. Her book, In an age of Prose: A Literary Approach to Ezra-Nehemiah (1988) set the study of Ezra-Nehemiah on a new foundation. See also her recent Ezra: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Yale Bible Series (2023). Prof. Eskenazi is the first woman professor appointed to the Rabbinical School at Hebrew Union College and a major contributor to Women’s Studies. Her publications include, The Torah: A Women’s Commentary, a 1400 page volume (2007) which won “The Book of the Year Award” granted by The Jewish Book Council, and her JPS Bible Commentary: Ruth (2012, authored with the late Tikva Frymer-Kensky) which won the award for Women’s Studies.

Moderator: Catherine Bonesho (UCLA)

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