History of the Jewish People – From Zionist to Jewish Global History

• In Event: Beyond Jewish Theology. Jewish Studies in Heidelberg

Abstract

When the University of Jewish Studies Heidelberg was founded in 1979, the members of the founding senate, the majority of whom came from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, determined the division of its subjects: alongside Jewish biblical interpretation, rabbinical literature, Jewish philosophy and Hebrew linguistics, there was also history, which in Heidelberg as in Jerusalem was called "History of the Jewish People", as a rendering of "Toldot am yisrael". This term, established by Benzion Dinur (Dünaburg, 1884-1973) in Jerusalem in 1943, reflected the concept of Zionist historiography, which was based on an organic, complete and unbroken "unity of the Jewish people", even in exile. Since then, the subject in Heidelberg has developed further by, on the one hand, taking up the impulse from its foundation to not only dedicate itself to "German-Jewish" history, but to research and teach Jewish history and culture since antiquity in as many Jewish settlement areas as possible. On the other hand, it captures the interaction and networking of Jews beyond the respective regions and states, as this is the only way to adequately perceive how forms of organization as well as religious and ideological concepts shaped Jewish life and culture beyond borders.

Author

• Birgit Klein, Hochschule fuer Juedische Studien Heidelberg (Germany)