Medieval Judaism Unbound.png
eliyahu-36-tallit - Eliyahu Freedman.jpg
Medieval Judaism Unbound.png
eliyahu-36-tallit - Eliyahu Freedman.jpg

Medieval Judaism Unbound: Karaites and Rabbanites, 850-1200 CE

from $239.00

with Eliyahu Freedman
—
When
Starts October 21st
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:30 pm ET · 3:00-4:30 pm PT
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From around 850 until 1200 CE, an estimated 90% of Jews lived in the Islamic world and communicated in Arabic. In this course, we will explore the vibrant intellectual and cultural life of medieval Jewish Baghdad by studying primary texts from this period. As an added twist, we will enter this field of study from the vantage point of Jacob al-Qirqisani, a Karaite polymath and rival of Rabbanite leader Saadia Gaon.

Who were the Karaites? What was the Rabbanite response to Karaism? How did both groups defend Judaism in an Islamic empire? Together, through text study, we will uncover the complexity of medieval Babylonian Jewish life — and what it reveals about enduring questions of Jewish authority, tradition, and change. As a class focused on the Medieval period, with a strong interest in Muslim-Jewish relations, none of the teachings will focus directly on Israel/Palestine but students are encouraged to consider how the past is always present and relevant.
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This class will be recorded and available to enrolled students to watch later.

This class is not eligible for rabbinical school credit.

Cost

This course is available at a sliding scale cost of $359 (the true cost), $299 or $239.

If you can afford the full price, we hope you will choose that option, which allows us to continue to offer lower rates and scholarships to those who otherwise would not be able to access this learning because of financial barriers.

Click here to donate to JUs financial aid fund to support financial equity and access to education for all students.

If you need financial aid beyond the sliding scale, please fill out this form, and we will get right back to you.

Sliding Scale Prices:

with Eliyahu Freedman
—
When
Starts October 21st
Wednesdays, 6:00-7:30 pm ET · 3:00-4:30 pm PT
—

From around 850 until 1200 CE, an estimated 90% of Jews lived in the Islamic world and communicated in Arabic. In this course, we will explore the vibrant intellectual and cultural life of medieval Jewish Baghdad by studying primary texts from this period. As an added twist, we will enter this field of study from the vantage point of Jacob al-Qirqisani, a Karaite polymath and rival of Rabbanite leader Saadia Gaon.

Who were the Karaites? What was the Rabbanite response to Karaism? How did both groups defend Judaism in an Islamic empire? Together, through text study, we will uncover the complexity of medieval Babylonian Jewish life — and what it reveals about enduring questions of Jewish authority, tradition, and change. As a class focused on the Medieval period, with a strong interest in Muslim-Jewish relations, none of the teachings will focus directly on Israel/Palestine but students are encouraged to consider how the past is always present and relevant.
—
This class will be recorded and available to enrolled students to watch later.

This class is not eligible for rabbinical school credit.

Cost

This course is available at a sliding scale cost of $359 (the true cost), $299 or $239.

If you can afford the full price, we hope you will choose that option, which allows us to continue to offer lower rates and scholarships to those who otherwise would not be able to access this learning because of financial barriers.

Click here to donate to JUs financial aid fund to support financial equity and access to education for all students.

If you need financial aid beyond the sliding scale, please fill out this form, and we will get right back to you.

About Eliyahu

Eliyahu Freedman (he/him) is an Iraqi Jewish educator, independent scholar and journalist, passionate about making Sephardic and Mizrahi intellectual history accessible to a wider public. He completed a Master’s degree in Talmud at Tel Aviv University and is currently on leave from a doctorate in Judeo-Arabic Studies from The Hebrew University. In his free time he enjoys meditating, reading, cooking, and learning more about AI. He is currently located in São Paulo, Brazil, working as a digital nomad.