jewish studies lecture series
Death and everyday piety in the Cairo Geniza documents
Thursday, May 15, 2025
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
online only
Eve Krakowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Judaic Studies, Princeton University
This talk explores how Jews in the medieval Islamic world responded to death and dying based on close readings of mourning and condolence letters preserved in the Cairo Geniza. Dr. Krakowski complicates the notion that Jews responded with pious resignation and submission to God's will in such contexts, noting that proclamations of such religious ideals often coexisted in letters with expressions of wild, untamable grief. More broadly, she places Jewish responses to death in the context of a broader exploration of everyday religious devotion among medieval Jews and their non-Jewish neighbors.
The Shusterman Distinguished Scholar Lecture is supported by a major endowment dedicated to bringing outstanding programs to Gratz College. Gratz College is grateful for the generosity and foresight of Judith (z”l) and Murray (z”l) Shusterman.
Gratz College invites a range of voices to our programs, and the positions expressed by speakers are their own. While not all events aim to represent the full spectrum of perspectives on issues, we encourage thoughtful engagement and respectful dialogue.