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Preface This rich volume of original essays emerged from a year of learning, conversation, and fellowship for some twenty scholars who worked at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Advanced Judaic Studies during the academic year 2001–2. All experts in the history and literature of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, they shared an interest in the exegesis of the Hebrew Bible and worked to explore the diverging and converging lines of scriptural interpretation among the three faith communities. Through the study of commentaries, liturgy, art, and even the material dimensions of the text, they sought to understand how each of the traditions read the Bible from its particular vantage point and how these readings often paralleled, intersected with, borrowed from, or appropriated from each other in fascinating and sometimes unexpected ways. The study of biblical exegesis proved to be a meaningful way of reexamining how these cultures came into contact with each other and how they shared perceptions and beliefs even when confronting and challenging each other’s faith. The formal seminars and informal study groups that structured the fellowship year brilliantly demonstrated the enormous value of reading texts and examining contexts together across cultural and disciplinary boundaries. Both in the seriousness of their scholarly work and in their respectful and supportive interchanges, the members of this group exemplified time and again the magic and excitement that the ambiance of the Center often creates . I wish to thank all the scholars who participated in this fellowship year, both those included in this volume and those who are not included but were still actively engaged in the collective deliberations of the entire year. I offer special thanks to the two editors, Natalie Dohrmann and David Stern, for their hard work in shaping this volume and to Jerry Singerman, the Senior Editor of the Humanities of the University of Pennsylvania Press, for his personal guidance through the entire publication process. I am confident that this volume will contribute significantly to the study of these three religious viii Preface traditions and to the complex interactions that mark their intertwined histories. David Ruderman Joseph Meyerhoff Professor of Modern Jewish History Ella Darivoff Director Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies University of Pennsylvania ...

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