C.V.

Last Updated September 2021

Contact me at sshein@umich.edu.

Education

  • McGill University, Faculty of Religious Studies, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Ph.D. (Ancient Judaism; including Rabbinic Judaism), 2015.
  • Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA. M.T.S. (Scripture and Interpretation; Jewish Studies), 2004.
  • DePaul University, Chicago, IL. B.A. (cum Laude; with Honors in Religious Studies), 1999.

Academic Appointments

  • Research Fellow, Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. 2021–2022.
  • Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, The University of Sheffield, Honorary Research Fellow, Sheffield UK. 2019–present.
  • University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Visiting Scholar, Jewish Studies. 2018–2019; Adjunct Instructor, Spring, Summer, Fall 2019.
  • University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, Adjunct Instructor, Summer 2019.
  • Butler University, Indianapolis, IN, Adjunct Instructor. Spring 2019.
  • Centre College, Danville, KY, Visiting Assistant Professor, Religion. 2015–2018.
  • Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield UK, Visiting Scholar. 2016–2017.
  • Colgate University, Hamilton, NY, Visiting Instructor, Jewish Studies. 2014–2015.
  • McGill University, Montreal, QC, Instructor, Religious Studies. 2011–2014.

Administrative Positions

  • Community Engagement Program Coordinator, Earlham College, 2019–2020.

Fellowships, Awards, and Funding

  • Frankel Fellow, Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, “Diversity in Jewish Leadership in the first centuries C.E.,” 2021–2022.
  • Gaia Project for Women’s Leadership Coach Training, Fall/Winter 2018–19.
  • Centre College Faculty Development Research Funding, (Leadership in Ancient Judaism). Danville, KY, 2017, 2016.
  • McGill University, Graduate Excellence Dissertation Fellowship, Montréal QC, 2015, 2014, 2013.
  • McGill University, Topping Fellowship for Potential as a Scholar and Humanitarian, Montréal QC, 2014.
  • McGill University, Religious Studies Bursary, for Potential as a Scholar and Humanitarian Montréal QC, 2014.
  • McGill University, Birks Award for Best Potential Graduate Scholarship, Faculty of Religious Studies, Montréal QC, 2014.
  • McGill University, Faculty of Religious Studies Travel Award, 2014 (Rome, Italy), 2013 (Baltimore), 2012 (Florence, Italy), 2012 (New York), 2011 (Milan, Italy), 2011 (Rome, Italy), 2011 (London, UK), 2010 (Budapest, Hungary).
  • Association for Jewish Studies Conference Travel Grant, Boston, MA, 2013, 2012.
  • McGill University, Graduate Excellence Fellowship (pre-dissertation), Montréal QC, 2013, 2012, 2011.
  • McGill University, CIBC Fellowship on Outstanding Academic Merit, Montréal QC, 2013.
  • Duke University, Duke Research Fellowship in Jewish Studies and the Hebrew Bible, 2013.
  • American Academy of Jewish Research, Fellow, NY, 2012.
  • McGill University Principal’s Graduate Fellowship, Montréal QC, 2010, 2009, 2008.
  • McGill University Provost’s Graduate Fellowship, Montréal QC, 2008.
  • Harvard Divinity School Grant for Scholarly Excellence, Cambridge, MA, 2003, 2002.
  • Harvard University Center for Jewish Studies, Anna Marnoy Feldberg Fund for Ulpan Study, 2003.
  • DePaul University, Theta Alpha Kappa Member, Chicago IL, 1999.

Publications

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • “2 Esdras” in The Oxford Handbook of the Apocrypha. Edited by Gerbern Oegema. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.
  • “Scenes from the End of the World in American Popular Culture.” In Oxford Handbook to the Bible in American Popular Culture. Edited by Dan W. Clanton, Jr. and Terry Ray Clark. Oxford: Oxford University Press, December 2020.
  • “Gender and Second Temple Judaism: Challenges & Possibilities.” In Gender and Second Temple Judaism. Edited by Shayna Sheinfeld and Kathy Ehrensperger. Lanham, MD: Lexington/Fortress, 2020.
  • “From Nomos to Logos: Torah in First-Century Jewish Texts.” Pages 61–74 in The Message of Paul the Apostle within Second Temple Judaism. Edited by František Ábel. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington/Fortress, 2020.
  • “The Decline of Jewish Apocalypticism and the Rise of Rabbinic Judaism.” In Apocalypses in Context: Apocalyptic Currents Throughout History. Edited by Kelly J. Murphy and Justin P. Jeffcoat Schedtler. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 2016.
  •  “Who is the Righteous Remnant in Romans 9–11? The Concept of Remnant in the Hebrew Bible, Early Jewish Literature and Paul’s Letter to the Romans.” In Paul the Jew: Rereading the Apostle as a Figure of Second Temple Judaism. Edited by Carlos A. Segovia and Gabriele Boccaccini. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 2016.
  •  “Lot’s Daughters and Tamar: Mothers Positively Reimagined in Genesis Rabbah.” In Making Sense of Motherhood: Biblical and Theological Perspectives. Edited by Beth M. Stovell. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2016.

Edited Volumes

  • Constructions of Gender in Late Antiquity. With Kathy Ehrensperger and Juni Hoppe. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Fortress Press, expected 2022.
  • Gender and Second-Temple Judaism.  With Kathy Ehrensperger. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Fortress Press, 2020.
  • Theology and Westworld. Co-edited with Juli Gittinger. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Fortress Press, 2020.

Forthcoming

  • “2 Esdras/4 Ezra” in The Apocrypha and the Septuagint. Ancient Literature for New Testament Studies Series. Edited by Bruce Longenecker and James Aitken. Zondervan Academic. Expected  2022.
  • “The Road and Apocalypse.” In Approaches to Teaching the Works of Cormac McCarthy. Edited by Stacey Peebles and Ben West. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2021. (peer reviewed)
  • “The River Euphrates in 2 Esdras.” Sidebar in HarperCollins Study Bible. New York: HarperCollins, forthcoming.
  • “The River Euphrates.” Bible Odyssey. Forthcoming 2021.
  • “Katniss, Christos: Sacrifice and Salvation in Scripture and Young Adult Dystopian Novels,” in Theology and Dystopia. Edited by Scott Donahue-Martens and Brandon Simpson. Lexington/Fortress. Expected 2022.

Manuscripts in Preparation

  • Good Omens and the Bible. (Co-edited with Meredith J.C. Warren and Charlotte Naylor Davis, under contract with Sheffield Phoenix Press in the Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies series.)
  • “A Millstone Around the Neck: Marriage and Torah Study in b. Ketubot 62b–63a.” (For co-edited volume [Sheinfeld, Ehrensperger, Hoppe], Constructions of Gender in Late Antiquity, in preparation [peer reviewed].)

Dictionary & Encyclopedia Entries

  • T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism. “Demetrius the Chronographer.” Edited by Loren T. Stuckenbruck and Daniel M. Gurtner. New York: T&T Clark, 2019.
  • End of Days: An Encyclopedia of the Apocalypse. “Apocalyptic Literature,” “Jewish Apocalyptic,” “Messianism,” “Apocalypse of Baruch.” Edited by Wendell G. Johnson. Santa Barbara, Ca: ABC-CLIO, 2017.
  • 4 Enoch “Bar Kokhba.” [http://www.4enoch.org]
  • Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture: A Handbook for Students. “Dinah,” “Jephthah’s Daughter,” Sadducees.” Edited by Mary Ann Beavis and Michael J. Gilmour. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2012.

Select Book Reviews

  • Paula Fredriksen, When Christians were Jews: The First Generation in Ancient Jew Review, 2020.
  • Michael E. Stone, Secret Groups in Ancient Judaism” in Review of Biblical Literature, 2019.
  • Gabriele Boccaccini and Jason M. Zurawski, ed., Interpreting 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch” in Journal for the Study of Judaism 48/4-5 (2017) 595-597.
  • Matthias Henze, Jewish Apocalypticism in Late First Century Israel: Reading Second Baruch in Context” in Dead Sea Discoveries 21.2: 248–250.
  • Liv Ingeborg Lied, The Other Lands of Israel: Imagination of the Land in 2 Baruch” in Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies 16.2: 379–381.
  • Shmuel Shepkaru, Jewish Martyrs in the Pagan and Christian Worlds” in Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 40:2.
  • Mark Andrew Brighton, The Sicarii in Josephus’s Judean War: Rhetorical Analysis and Historical Observations” in Review of Biblical Literature.
  • David Goodblatt, Elements of Ancient Jewish Nationalism” in Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 39:4.
  • Joseph A. Fitzmyer, A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature” in Review of Biblical Literature.
  • Tova Hartman, Feminism Encounters Traditional Judaism” in Women in Judaism 6:1.

Public Scholarship

Presentations and Lectures

  • “Response to Karina Martin Hogan, ‘Time and Difference in 4 Ezra.’” 11th Enoch Seminar/LMU Munich Congress on Apocalypticism in Antiquity. Online. May 2021 (Invited).
  • “Katniss, Christos: Sacrifice and Salvation in Scripture and Young Adult Dystopian Novels.” Midwest AAR. April 2021.
  • “John the Baptist.” Discussant, Freedman Lecture Discussion, Department of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Michigan. Online. March 2021 (Invited).
  • “Revisiting the Historical John the Baptist as Prophet in First-Century Judaism.” John the Baptist Nangeroni Meeting of the Enoch Seminar. Online. January 2021 (Invited).
  • “The New Apocalyptic Eco-Religion of Prepping.” With Juli Gittinger. Annual Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion (SECSOR). Athens, GA, USA, February 2020.
  • “Proclaiming Monotheism in a Polytheistic World: Jewish Biblical Interpretation and Battlestar Galactica.” Jewish Studies Program, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA, November 2019 (Invited).
  • Panelist, “SBL as a Male-Dominated Space.” Annual SBL. November 2018 (Invited).
  • “Review Panel on Maia Kotrosits, Rethinking Early Christian Identity: Affect, Violence, and Belonging.” Annual SBL. November, 2018.
  • “From Nomos to Logos: Torah in First Century Jewish Texts.” Paul within Judaism – New Perspectives, funded by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA), Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, October 2018 (Invited).
  • Keynote address: “The Final Frontier: Geographical Borders as Eschatological Boundaries in Second Temple Judaism.” Borders and Boundaries in Ancient Israel Conference. University of Nottingham, June, Nottingham, UK, June 2018 (Invited).
  • “Methodological Issues in the Study of Gender and Second Temple Judaism.” Enoch Nangeroni Meeting, June 17-21, 2018 Rome, Italy (Invited).
  • “Authority and Community after the Destruction of the Temple: Revisiting Baruch and Bar Kokhba.” December. Michigan State University. East Lansing, MI, December 2017 (Invited).
  • “Crises in Leadership: Early Jewish Apocalypses and the Revolt of Bar Kokhba.” University of Kentucky Jewish Studies Public Lecture Series, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, November 2017 (Invited).
  • “I Will Exact Punishment”: Authoritarianism in the Bar Kokhbah Letters.” Annual SBL. November 2017 (Invited).
  • “Ph.D. Life & Skills: Panelist.” SBL Committee on the Status of Women in the Profession. November 2017 (Invited).
  • “Sacrificial Food and Community Formation in Asia Minor.” With Meredith Warren. Annual SBL. November 2016 (Invited).
  • “Expanding Textual Traditions: New Pedagogical Approaches to the Study of Judaism.” Panelist. Annual AAR. November 2016.
  • John 5:1–47: Exegetical Session. Sixth Nangeroni Meeting of the Enoch Seminar. Camaldoli, Italy. June 2016 (Invited).
  • “The Light Incarnate: 2 Baruch and the Gospel of John.” John the Jew: Reading the Gospel of John’s Christology as a Form of Jewish Messianism. June. Sixth Nangeroni Meeting of the Enoch Seminar. Camaldoli, Italy. June 2016.
  • “Seeking Salvation: What the Hunger Games and the Bible Have in Common.” Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, The University of Sheffield. Sheffield, UK. June 2016 (Invited).
  • “Professionalization and Employability in the Profession.” Graduate seminar. June. Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, The University of Sheffield. Sheffield, UK. June 2016 (Invited).
  • “After the Apocalypse: Early Jewish beliefs about after the End-Times.” Rice University Jewish Studies Program. Houston, TX. March 2016 (Invited).
  • “Reconstructing Jewish Antiquity through Non-Historical Texts.” Graduate seminar. Rice University Jewish Studies Program. Houston, TX. March 2016 (Invited).
  • “Performing Apocalyptic Texts: A Case Study of the Eschatological Banquet from the Dead Sea Scrolls.” Annual SBL, November 2015.
  • “Apocalyptic Overtones of the Latke.” Colgate Jewish Students Association at the Annual Latke-Hamentaschen Debate. Colgate University, Hamilton, NY. March 2015 (Invited).
  • “Crossing the River WHEN We Come to It: The Euphrates as a Temporal Marker in Second Temple Judaism.” Annual SBL. November 2014.
  • “Sukkot in the New Testament and the Second Temple period.” Colgate Protestant Bible Study Group and Colgate Jewish Student Union. Colgate University, Hamilton, NY. October 2014 (Invited).
  • Respondent, “The Matter of Life after Death.” Coming Back to Life: Performance, Memory, and Cognition in the Ancient Mediterranean Conference. Sponsored by the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University and Concordia University. Montreal, Canada. May 2014 (Invited).
  • “Who is the Righteous Remnant in Romans 9–11? The concept of Remnant from the Hebrew Bible, Early Jewish literature, and Paul’s letter to the Romans.” 3rd Nangeroni Meeting of the Enoch Seminar, June 2014. Rome, Italy.
  • “The Leadership of Bar Kokhba through Material Evidence.” Annual AJS, December 2013.
  • “The Old Gods are Fighting Back: Mono-and Polytheistic Tensions in Battlestar Galactica and Jewish Biblical Interpretation.” Annual SBL, November 2013.
  • “4 Ezra and Leadership in Post-Destruction Communities.” Annual AJS. December, 2012.
  • “Oral Performance and the Form and Function of 4 Ezra.” Annual SBL. November 2012.
  • “Crises of Leadership in Life and Literature After 70 C.E.” AAJR Graduate Student Seminar, June 2012.
  • “From Spatial to Temporal: The Euphrates in Pseudepigraphic Texts,” ISBL, London, UK. July 2011.
  • “The Status Quaestionis of the Synagogue at Ostia,” As part of a research tour funded by the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University. Ostia Antica, Italy. July 2011.
  • The Epistle of 2 Baruch: Exegetical Session. Enoch Seminar, Milan, Italy. June 2011 (Invited).
  • “Jewish Identity in the Epistle of 2 Baruch.” Montréal Biblical Colloquium, Montréal, Canada. June 2010 (Invited).
  • “Remember Me by Mean of this Letter: The Audience and Function in the Epistle of 2 Baruch.” Annual SBL. November 2010
  • “Transforming Zion: The Mourning Woman and the Structure of 4 Ezra.” Third Graduate Enoch Seminar, Budapest, Hungary. July 2010.
  • “From Words to Actions: An Analysis of 4 Ezra 9:26–10:58.” CSBS Annual Meeting, Montréal, Canada. May 2010.
  • “Balancing School and Family.” Two-part discussion co-led with Ann Duncan. Annual AAR. Montréal, Canada. November 2009.
  • “The Need for Two Speeches in Josephus’s Masada Narrative.” Central State Regional SBL. March 2008. St. Louis, USA.

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to Judaism. Centre College, Fall 2017. University of Kentucky, Spring, Summer, Fall 2019, Spring 2020 (online).
  • Western Religious Traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). Centre College, Fall 2015.
  • Biblical History and Ideas (Hebrew Bible and New Testament). Centre College, Fall & Spring semesters 2016–2018.
  • Introduction to Hebrew Bible. McGill University, Spring 2014.
  • Creation and Destruction in the Ancient Near East & Today (Ancient & Modern Flood Narratives in Judaism, Christianity, Islam). Centre College, January-term, 2017.
  • Dying for God (Suffering, Pain, and Death in ancient Judaism & Christianity). Centre College, Spring 2018.
  • Apocalypse: Now and Then. McGill University, Summer 2012. Colgate University, Spring 2015. Centre College, Spring 2016.
  • Women in Religions in Antiquity. Colgate University, Spring 2015. Centre College, Spring 2017. Butler University, Spring 2019.
  • Reading Women in the Ancient World. McGill University, Summer 2013, 2014 (co-taught with Sara Parks and Meredith Warren).
  • Women in Judaism and Islam, co-instructor, Judaism section. McGill University, Summer 2011.
  • Legacies of the Ancient World (Great Books and Bible). Colgate University, Fall & Spring 2014–2015.
  • Bible as/and Literature (focus on Midrashic interpretation). Colgate University, Fall 2014.
  • Biblical Hebrew. McGill University, Year-long course, 2011–2014.
  • Psalms. University of Dayton Graduate Theology Program. Online, Summer 2019.
  • Young Adult Dystopian Literature. First-year seminar. Centre College, January-term, 2016.

Professional and University Service

  • Ziegler Advisory Committee for Jewish Studies, Ball State University, 2018–present
  • Jewish Student Organization (JSO), Faculty Advisor, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Organizer: Religion Program Lunch & Learn Events, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Undergraduate Summer Research Presentations & Luncheons, co-planner, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Convocation Committee, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Center for Teaching and Learning Advisory Board, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Library Advisory Board, Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Faculty Learning Community, “Diversity in the Classroom,” Centre College, 2015–2018
  • Faculty Learning Community, co-leader, “Active Learning,” Centre College, 2015–2018
  • On-Campus Interview Committee, representing Religious Diversity; Search for the Vice President of Diversity, Centre College, 2015–2018

Society of Biblical Literature

  • Steering Committee, Lived Religiousness in Antiquity. SBL. 2019–present.
  • Steering Committee, Cultic Personnel. SBL. 2018–present.
  • Steering Committee, ISBL Apocalyptic Unit. 2017–present.
  • Steering Committee, Seminar on the Construction of Christian Identities. 2016–2018.

Enoch Seminar

  • Co-Chair, “Second Temple Judaism: A Global Enterprise,” Virtual Enoch Meeting. January 2022.
    Co-Chair, “Constructions of Gender in Late Antiquity,” Enoch Nangeroni Meeting, Online. July 2021.
  • Consultant, Professional Ethics Committee.
  • Co-chair, “Gender in Second Temple Judaism,” Enoch Nangeroni Meeting, Rome, Italy. June 17–21, 2018.
  • Digital Curator, Reviews of the Enoch Seminar, 2015–2018.
  • Editorial Board, 4 Enoch [http://www.4enoch.org/], 2012–present.
  • Associate Editor and Co-Chair of Thematic Board, 4 Enoch [http://www.4enoch.org/], 2012–2016.
  • Editor, Reviews of the Enoch Seminar [http://www.enochseminar.org], 2013–2015.

Editorial Boards

  • Journal of Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, 2018–present
  • Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, 2018–present
  • Interim Co-Editor-in-Chief, Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, 1 April – 6 October 2020

Other

  • Trustee-at-Large, Temple Beth El, Muncie, Indiana. 2020–present.
  • Certified Leadership Coach, Gaia Leadership Project, March 2019
  • Intergroup Dialogue Training, Centre College. April 2017
  • Book Proposal Reviewer, Bloomsbury Publishing. Spring 2016
  • Co-Editor, Arc—The Journal of the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, Montreal, QC, 2009–2011

Research Languages

  • Hebrew (Biblical, Mishnaic)
  • Aramaic (Biblical, Targumic, Rabbinic)
  • Greek (Koine)
  • English (Fluent)
  • German (Reading)
  • French (Reading)

Professional Memberships

  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies
  • American Academy of Religion
  • Association for Jewish Studies
  • Enoch Seminar

Service to Community

  • “Passover Seder.” Invited speaker/seder leader, Middle Eastern Collegiate Association at Taylor University. May 2019.
  • “Third Sunday Conversations: Being Jewish in Muncie.” Invited speaker, Friends Meeting Place (Quaker). March 2019.
  • “What the Apocalypse can Tell us About Ourselves.” Invited Speaker. Rotary International, Muncie Chapter. January 2019.
  • “Ask Anything” panelist, representing Judaism. Council of Religious Advisors, Ball State University. Muncie, IN. November 2018.
  • Weekly Drash (Homily); Torah Portion: Matot/Masei (2018); Tzav (2018); Balak (2017). Ohavay Zion Synagogue, Lexington, KY.
  • Passover Community Seder; Organizer and Host. Traditional Model Seder for Centre College and larger Danville Community, 2018, 2017, 2016.
  • Host, Inaugural Shabbat Dinner, Shabbat Series of the PJ Library in Kentucky. December 2017.
  • Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Community Program; Discussion leader. Temple Adath Israel. Spring 2017.
  • Benediction. Centre College Opening Convocation, Fall 2016.
  • “Chanukah and Judaism: A Basic Introduction.” Boyle County Detention Center. Danville, KY. December 2015.
  • “Loving the Ger: Who is the Stranger in our Midst?” The Global Day of Jewish Learning, Temple Adath Israel, Lexington, KY. November 2015.