The Hebrew Bible’s Ancient Avengers
Long before Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Batman, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Hebrew Bible’s Ancient Avengers were inspiring Americans. Ripped from the pages of Tanakh, the figures of Samson, Esther, Elijah, David, and Daniel served as spiritual sustenance to freedom fighters, politicians, and pundits striving to see the United States live up to its founding ideals. In this course we will examine how these Jewish heroes shaped the American story from its founding era to today.
This course is part of Tikvah’s Kress Project on the Hebrew Bible. We are grateful to Camille and Sandy Kress (Austin, Texas) for their generous support.
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern
Rabbi Dr. Stuart Halpern is senior advisor to the provost and senior program officer of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. He has edited or co-edited 17 books, including most recently, Esther in America, Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land: The Hebrew Bible in the United States, and Gleanings: Reflections on Ruth. He has taught at Yeshiva University, synagogues, Hillels, and adult educational settings across the US, Europe, and Israel, and his writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Tablet magazine, and the Jewish Review of Books.
Meet the Instructor
Courses in our special learning campaign are open to anyone in the community who registers at no cost. The Q&A will be reserved for current high-school students.
