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Ancient Jews, Modern Myths: What We Get Wrong About the Jewish Experience in Antiquity
- Pacific Time Virtual Program
$72.00
Course Summary for Search and Accessibility
This course, Ancient Jews, Modern Myths: What We Get Wrong About the Jewish Experience in Antiquity, is an Educational Program offered by New Lehrhaus. It is scheduled to begin on November 1, 2026 and conclude on November 22, 2026. The sessions are held weekly on Sundays from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Pacific Time.
The total registration fee is $72.00. The course is conducted Online via Zoom and focuses on Jewish history in the Greco-Roman period, ancient Jewish identity and politics, and the origins of Hanukkah and other misconceptions about Jews in antiquity.
The history of Jews in the Greco-Roman world is rich, contested, and widely misunderstood. Modern assumptions about Jewish isolation, religious purity, and political resistance often obscure a far more complex reality. In this four-session course, distinguished historian Erich Gruen examines some of the most debated and misrepresented episodes in ancient Jewish history, drawing on decades of scholarship to challenge popular narratives and open up new ways of understanding the Jewish past.
Each session takes on a question that has divided scholars and puzzled general readers alike: Was the Great Revolt against Rome a rational act of resistance or a catastrophic miscalculation? Did Jews in antiquity face accusations of blood libel? Did they reject Greek mythology as incompatible with their traditions, or engage with it in surprising ways? And what is the real story behind Hanukkah, one of the most celebrated yet least understood holidays in the Jewish calendar?
Who this is for
- Anyone curious about the history of Jews in the ancient world and how modern assumptions shape our understanding of the past.
- Students of Jewish history, classical antiquity, or Greco-Roman culture who want to go beyond the standard narratives.
- Readers interested in how scholarly debate intersects with popular myth in the telling of Jewish history.
- Anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of Hanukkah.
What you'll leave with
- A more nuanced understanding of Jewish life, identity, and politics in the Greco-Roman period.
- Insight into four of the most contested and misunderstood episodes in ancient Jewish history.
- The tools to distinguish between historical evidence and modern myth-making.
- A deeper appreciation for the complexity and diversity of the ancient Jewish world.
Four Sundays: November 1, 8, 15, and 22, 2–3:30pm Pacific Time
IMPORTANT NOTE: Zoom link/details will be emailed to you once you complete registration, one week before your program AND the day before. Please keep this information in a location easy to find.
How many people would you like to register for this program?
| Ancient Jews, Modern Myths | $72.00 98 available | |
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