Like Judaism today, the religion’s founding and development cannot be separated from the larger context in which it exists. There were three monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — that emerged in the Eastern Mediterranean region that includes modern Israel, Jordan and Syria, among other nations. All three spread throughout the world. Yet they were all born and raised in the same vibrant and eclectic region. And it was that territory’s melding of different cultures and ideas that led to such an impactful legacy. Join us on Thursday May 11th at 10 AM PDT/1 PM EDT for a virtual visit to the to the Penn Museum’s new Eastern Mediterranean Gallery with our special CSP guide – Dr. Sharon Keller – as we explore the “Crossroads of Culture” through the amazing collection of artifacts in this new exhibit.

Dr. Sharon Keller, who served as CSP’s 15th Annual One Month Scholar in residence in January 2016 and who earned her doctorate at NYU in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies in the area of Bible and the Ancient Near East, is a member of the Classics faculty at Hofstra University. She has been an Assistant Professor of Bible and Ancient Semitic Languages at The Jewish Theological Seminary and at Hebrew Union College; she has also held appointments at NYU, and New York City’s Hunter College—teaching biblical text courses as well as more general courses in biblical literature and history, as well as the courses in the art and archaeology of the lands of the Bible and the ancient Mediterranean world. She has written and edited numerous scholarly articles and academic books, most of which relate to the interplay between biblical Israel and ancient Egypt. Her most popular book, Jews: A Treasury of Art and Literature was awarded the prestigious National Jewish Book Award. Known for the enthusiasm and humor that she brings to all of her talks that make otherwise esoteric subjects easily accessible, Sharon is an in-demand lecturer and adult education course instructor throughout the United States.

CSP Partners: Beth Israel (San Diego, CA), Brotherhood Synagogue (Gramercy Park, NYC), Congregation Adath Jeshurun (Elkins Park, PA), Congregation Beth Shalom (Seattle, WA), Congregation B’nai Tzedek (Fountain Valley, CA), Congregation B’nai Israel (Tustin, CA), Jewish Collaborative of Orange County, Shomrei Torah Synagogue (San Fernando Valley, CA), Temple Bat Yahm (Newport Beach, CA), Temple Beth David (Westminster, CA),Temple Beth El of South Orange County (Aliso Viejo, CA), Temple Beth Emet (Anaheim, CA), Temple Beth Ohr (La Mirada, CA), Temple Beth Tikvah (Fullerton, CA), Temple Beth Shalom (Needham, MA), Temple Beth Sholom (Santa Ana, CA), Temple Emanuel (Newton, MA), The Boston Synagogue (Boston, MA), Temple Judea of Laguna Woods, CA, Town & Village Synagogue (NYC, NY), University Synagogue (Irvine, CA), Valley Beth Shalom (Encino, CA) & Walnut Street Synagogue (Chelsea, MA)