Rutgers Professor to Present Judaic Studies Lecture

The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute of The University of Scranton will welcome Azzan Yadin-Israel, Ph.D., chair and professor of Jewish studies at Rutgers University, for a lecture Thursday, Nov. 13. Dr. Yadin-Israel's presentation, "Solving the Mystery of Adam and Eve's Forbidden Fruit," will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Pearn Auditorium in Brennan Hall.

Dr. Yadin-Israel is the author of "Temptation Transformed: The Story of the How the Forbidden Fruit Became an Apple." Released in 2022, Dr. Yadin-Israel's book pursues the centuries-old mystery of why, when and where an apple became the forbidden fruit.

The Jerusalem Postcalled Dr. Yadin-Israel's book "a fascinating exploration" and "an in-depth scholarly investigation" into the forbidden fruit's roots.

Reflecting upon his research in an article for Rutgers Today, Dr. Yadin-Israel contends that historical linguistics played a large role in identifying the forbidden fruit.

"Most scholars have assumed that the emergence of the apple as the self-evident forbidden fruit must be driven by theological or religious considerations," he said. "If my argument is correct, the change occurred as the result of forces that are completely indifferent to these matters. It was a general shift in the meaning of an Old French word that happened to have ramifications for the best-known symbol in the Hebrew Bible."

Dr. Yadin-Israel graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and Jewish thought from Hebrew University. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Jewish studies from the University of California, Berkeley. He's been a member of the Rutgers faculty since 2002 and has also held visiting positions at Princeton University, Jewish Theological Seminary, Cardozo Law School and University of Chicago Divinity School.

Dr. Yadin-Israel's presentation is free to attend and open to the public.