Azzan Yadin-Israel, an Associate Professor at Rutgers University, explores the intersections of Jewish Studies and Classics in his scholarly work. He is recognized for his previous publication, "Scripture as Logos: Rabbi Israel and the Origins of Midrash," which delves into the foundational aspects of Midrashic literature. His expertise enriches the academic discourse on Jewish textual traditions and their historical contexts.
Exploring the biblical and theological motifs in Bruce Springsteen's lyrics, this scholarly study delves into the profound impact his music has had on American culture over the past fifty years. Known for inspiring deep devotion among fans, Springsteen's performances with the E Street Band evoke a sense of revivalism. This book fills a gap in the existing literature by offering an in-depth analysis of the spiritual themes woven throughout his work, illuminating the connections between his artistry and religious narratives.
The book explores the familial relationship between English and German, highlighting their shared roots that may have become obscured over time. It provides English speakers with tools to leverage their existing knowledge of English to more effectively learn German vocabulary, making the process of acquiring the language more intuitive and accessible.
A "brisk and entertaining" (Wall Street Journal) journey into the mystery behind why the forbidden fruit became an apple, upending an explanation that stood for centuries. How did the apple, unmentioned by the Bible, become the dominant symbol of temptation, sin, and the Fall? Temptation Transformed pursues this mystery across art and religious history, uncovering where, when, and why the forbidden fruit became an apple. Azzan Yadin-Israel reveals that Eden’s fruit, once thought to be a fig or a grape, first appears as an apple in twelfth-century French art. He then traces this image back to its source in medieval storytelling. Though scholars often blame theologians for the apple, accounts of the Fall written in commonly spoken languages—French, German, and English—influenced a broader audience than cloistered Latin commentators. Azzan Yadin-Israel shows that, over time, the words for “fruit” in these languages narrowed until an apple in the Garden became self-evident. A wide-ranging study of early Christian thought, Renaissance art, and medieval languages, Temptation Transformed offers an eye-opening revisionist history of a central religious icon.