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Webb, Walter Prescott

(Encyclopedia)Webb, Walter Prescott, 1888–1963, U.S. historian, b. Panola co., Tex. He joined the faculty of the history department at the Univ. of Texas in 1918, received his Ph.D. in 1932, and became full profe...

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...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

Hadera

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

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...

Therapeutae

(Encyclopedia)Therapeutae thĕrəpyo͞oˈtē [key] [Gr.,=worshipers], Jewish monastic order living on the shore of Lake Mareotis, Egypt, about the 1st cent. a.d. They led an ascetic life devoted to solitary prayer ...