Editors’ Foreword

This volume of Aleph is dedicated in warm friendship and high esteem to Ruth Glasner of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to mark her retirement this year. Ruth’s scholarly endeavors fall squarely within the domain to which Aleph is dedicated and, indeed, Ruth was pivotal in its founding. Of no less importance has been her continuing behind-the-scenes role in the running of Aleph since its inception and the judicious and informed advice she provided when delicate decisions were required. The dedication of this volume to Ruth is a small token by which her friends and colleagues seek to express their recognition and respect for her inspiring scholarly work without trespassing her explicit and reiterated demand that no festschrift be published in her honor. We hope that this gift will be accepted in the spirit in which it is offered and wish her many more years of creative and innovative research.