Shaul Stampfer
Rabbi Edward Sandrow Professor of Soviet and East European Jewry
at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
(and son of Rabbi Joshua Stampfer and Goldie Stampfer)

How Jewish Were the Khazars?

Over the years, a great deal of attention has been given to the issue of the conversion of the Khazars to Judaism. Since the Khazars fought with the neighboring Slavs, many, especially in Russia, saw the conversion as the beginning of the conflict or tension between Slavs and Jews. Others, probably more, have seen the Khazars as ancestors of East European Jewry and have concluded that the claim of common origins of Jews and the idea of Jewish ties to the land of Israel are myths. Many people have opinions however the question of the sources of our information on the conversion of the Khazars has been neglected. Looking carefully at the sources yields some surprising conclusions — and that is what I intend to do in this lecture.

Lecture is open and free to the public.
For further information, e-mail us at: info@portlandjudaicstudies.org

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