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Villemain, Abel François

(Encyclopedia)Villemain, Abel François äbĕlˈ fräNswäˈ vēlmăNˈ [key], 1790–1870, French scholar and critic. He was a professor at the Sorbonne from 1816, held several government posts after 1830, and was...

Talmud

(Encyclopedia)Talmud tălˈməd [key] [Aramaic from Heb.,=learning], in Judaism, vast compilation of the Oral Law with rabbinical elucidations, elaborations, and commentaries, in contradistinction to the Scriptures...

Elephantine

(Encyclopedia)Elephantine ĕlˌəfăntīˈnē [key], island, SE Egypt, in the Nile below the First Cataract, near Aswan. In ancient times it was a military post guarding the southern frontier of Egypt. The Elephant...

Cohen, Hermann

(Encyclopedia)Cohen, Hermann kōˈən [key], 1842–1918, German philosopher. He was a founder of the Neo-Kantian Marburg school and was known for his commentaries on Kant. His own works include Logik der reinen Er...

Hadera

(Encyclopedia)Hadera hədāˈrä [key], town, W Israel, on the plain of Sharon, near the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Aquila Ponticus

(Encyclopedia)Aquila Ponticus pŏnˈtĭkəs [key], 2d cent., Jewish translator of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek. The characteristic feature of Aquila's version was its extremely literal rendering of the ...

Machpelah

(Encyclopedia)Machpelah măkpēˈlə [key], cave, near Hebron; also called the Cave of the Patriarchs. The Book of Genesis relates that it was bought by Abraham from Ephron, son of Zohar the Hittite, for a family b...

Kalisch, Isidor

(Encyclopedia)Kalisch, Isidor ēzēdôrˈ kāˈlĭsh, käˈ– [key], 1816–86, Jewish rabbi and author, b. Prussia. Forced to leave Germany because of his liberal political views, he emigrated to the United State...

Lang, Pearl

(Encyclopedia)Lang, Pearl, 1921–2009, American dancer and choreographer, b. Chicago as Pearl Lack. Lang was a soloist with Martha Graham's company (1942–52) before forming her own company in 1952. As a dancer a...

United Service Organizations

(Encyclopedia)United Service Organizations (USO), organization that supplies social, recreational, welfare, and spiritual facilities to members of the armed services. The USO was organized in 1941, originally to co...