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Midrash

(Encyclopedia)Midrash mĭdˈräsh [key] [Heb.,=to examine, to investigate], verse by verse interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures, consisting of homily and exegesis, by Jewish teachers since about 400 b.c. Distinction...

Chabon, Michael

(Encyclopedia)Chabon, Michael, 1963–, American writer, b. Washington, D.C., B.A. Univ. of Pittsburgh, 1984, M.A. Univ. of California, Irvine, 1987. Chabon's novels combine intriguing plots, usually involving Jewi...

Bene Israel

(Encyclopedia)Bene Israel or Beni Israel both: bāˈnē [key] [Heb.,=sons of Israel], Jewish community of India, living mostly in and near Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Many thousands of others have settled in Israel s...

Annas

(Encyclopedia)Annas ănˈəs [key] [Gr.,=Heb. Hananiah], in the New Testament, Jewish high priest who examined Jesus. Nonbiblical sources say that he was retired high priest. His son-in-law was Caiaphas. ...

Glass, Montague Marsden

(Encyclopedia)Glass, Montague Marsden, 1877–1934, American humorist and playwright, b. England, educated at the College of the City of New York and at New York Univ. He won fame for his humorous delineations of A...

Jastrow, Marcus

(Encyclopedia)Jastrow, Marcus yäsˈtrō, jăsˈ– [key], 1829–1903, American rabbi and Talmudic scholar, b. Poland. He was a rabbi (1866–92) in Philadelphia, editor of the Talmud material of The Jewish Encycl...

Caiaphas

(Encyclopedia)Caiaphas (Joseph Caiaphas) kāˈyəfəs [key], Jewish high priest, a Sadducee, son-in-law of Annas. According to the Gospels, he presided at the council that condemned Jesus to death. Later, he joined...

Theudas

(Encyclopedia)Theudas thyo͞oˈdăs [key], leader of insurgents mentioned by Gamaliel, and probably to be identified with the Theudas who organized a revolt against the Romans when Fadus was procurator of Judea (a....

Puah

(Encyclopedia)Puah pyo͞oˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 Midwife ordered by Pharaoh to kill Jewish boys at birth. 2 Father of the judge Tola. 3 See Phuvah. ...

Bar-jesus

(Encyclopedia)Bar-jesus ĕlˈĭmăs [key], in the New Testament, Jewish sorcerer at Paphos who tried to divert a prospective Christian convert and was cursed with blindness. ...