Becoming diaspora Jews: behind the story of Elephantine
Based on a previously unexplored source, this book transforms the way we think about the formation of Jewish identity This book tells the story of the earliest Jewish diaspora in Egypt in a way it has never been told before. In the fifth century BCE there was a Jewish community on Elephantine Island...
| Summary: | Based on a previously unexplored source, this book transforms the way we think about the formation of Jewish identity This book tells the story of the earliest Jewish diaspora in Egypt in a way it has never been told before. In the fifth century BCE there was a Jewish community on Elephantine Island. Why they spoke Aramaic, venerated Aramean gods besides Yaho, and identified as Arameans is a mystery, but a previously little explored papyrus from Egypt sheds new light on their history. The papyrus shows that the ancestors of the Elephantine Jews came originally from Samaria. Due to political circumstances, they left Israel and lived for a century in an Aramean environment. Around 600 BCE, they moved to Egypt. These migrants to Egypt did not claim a Jewish identity when they arrived, but after the destruction of their temple on the island they chose to deploy their Jewish identity to raise sympathy for their cause. Their story—a typical diaspora tale—is not about remaining Jews in the diaspora, but rather about becoming Jews through the diaspora Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- 1. Elephantine Revisited -- 2. The Aramean Heritage -- 3. The Aramean Diaspora in Egypt -- 4. The Origins of the Elephantine Jews -- 5. A Military Colony and Its Religion -- 6. Becoming Diaspora Jews -- Epilogue -- Appendix: Translation of Papyrus Amherst 63, Adapted from AOAT 448 -- Abbreviations -- Notes -- General Index -- Index of Ancient Sources |
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| Item Description: | restricted access online access with authorization star |
| Format: | Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web. |
| ISBN: | 0300249497 |
| Access: | Restricted Access |
| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.12987/9780300249491 |