Focus Group 2011/2012

Jewish and Christian Liturgy during the First Post-Christian Centuries

The relationship between Judaism and Christianity, their concepts of time and symbols, are all inscribed in and prescribed through their liturgy. The lion’s share of these liturgies has been shaped in the long period from the origins of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism to the Middle Ages. We are going to survey various modes of Jewish-Christian interaction in this continuous liturgical discourse, in particular the cycle of liturgical time/year: Purim, Passover-Easter; Shavuot-Pentecost; The Ninth of Av; New Year; Yom Kippur-Encainia; Sukkot-Hanukkah; Hanukkah-Christmas-Sol Invictus; and Sabbath-Sunday.

(Israel Yuval)