J.H. (Yossi) Chajes to speak Monday, February 6, 2006

The Main House Fellows, the Religion Department, and the Jewish Studies Program present

Exorcize is Good for You:
Dybbuk Possession and Jewish Magical Healing

What is a dybbuk? How did Jews understand spirit possession and deal with it? This illustrated lecture will focus especially on the question of treatment: Jewish exorcism techniques throughout the ages. We will take a close look at a number of magical and mystical exorcism techniques and explore the worldviews manifested by them.

Monday, February 6th at 6:00 p.m. in Taylor Hall 203

J.H. (Yossi) Chajes (Ph.D., Yale University 1999) is Lecturer in medieval Jewish history in the Department of Jewish History of the University of Haifa. A former Fulbright, Wexner, and Hartman Fellow, Chajes has also served as Visiting Professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York and as a fellow at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. His book, Between Worlds: Dybbuks, Exorcists, and Early Modern Judaism, (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2003) was a Koret Jewish History Book Award finalist. He is currently engaged in a number of projects, including a book on Jewish attitudes towards magic, and a study of religious self-chronicling in early modern Jewish culture.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Friday, February 3rd, 2006.