Basic HTML Version
76
JEWISH BOOK ANNUAL
attention in “Recent Responsa Literature on Modern Prob
lems”11 to new situations confronting contemporary scholars,
decisors and technicians as a result of new social conditions in
the 20th century. He emphasizes especially challenges arising
from new medical procedures.
UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS
“Judaica Production of University Presses”12 is carefully ex
amined by Salamon Faber. Included in his survey are works
on Bible, Jewish history and archeology, religion and philoso
phy, linguistics, sociology and Jewish law. Amnon Zipin explores
the subject further in “Judaism From American University
Presses,”13 demonstrating statistically that as of the 1970s Uni
versity Presses factually gained supremacy in the field of schol
arly Judaica over the Jewish Publication Society. At the end of
the essay are listed the leading ten publishers of Judaica among
the University Presses (Appendix V). Most are responsible for
bringing out unique titles, either pace setters in a particular
field of scholarly research or authoritative summations of re
search. Some outstanding examples are listed here (in alpha
betical order):
Columbia University Press, publisher of
A Social and Religious
History of the Jews,
by Salo W. Baron, a massive undertaking
in 18 volumes which interprets Jewish historical processes as
they were affected by the cultures and socio-economic condi
tions of the lands where Jews resided.14 Harvard University
Press, publisher of
Philo: Foundations of Religious Philosophy in
Judaism, Christianity and Islam,
by Harry A. Wolfson, a solid un
dertaking brilliantly executed, and an indispensable introduc
tion to the religious foundations of the three religions. Harvard
is also the publisher of
The Sages,
by Ephraim E. Urbach (trans
lated from the Hebrew), which explicates the principles and
hermeneutic methodology of the talmudic scholars that led to
the development of rabbinic Judaism. Princeton University
Press, publisher of
Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period,
by
Erwin R. Goodenough, which sheds light on the development
11. Vol. 27, pp. 20-29.
12. Vol. 28, pp. 32-40.
13. Vol. 42, pp. 172-182.
14. As mentioned in note 9 this press also produced A. Sendrey’s work.