User:Jtspress/Shmuel Glick

Shmuel Glick (born 1948) is a distinguished scholar in Jewish studies. Since 1987, he has been the head of the Schocken Institute for Jewish Research and a professor of Halakhic Literature and the History of Jewish Education at the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies since 1990. Glick is actively engaged as a researcher and bibliographer of Responsa literature, meticulously documenting Responsa from the fragments of the Cairo Genizah and unpublished manuscripts. His extensive contributions include a comprehensive Bibliographic Thesaurus of Responsa Literature, as well as works focusing on the History of Jewish education, Jewish marriage, and mourning customs. Glick's profound insights have greatly enriched the field of Rabbinic Responsa.

Teaching, Education, and Managment
In 1987, he earned a doctorate in Talmud and Halakhic literature from The Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. His doctoral work focused on "Laws and regulations in education compared to Responsa literature and congregation regulations."

Since 1987, Glick has served as the head of the JTS-Schocken Institute for Research. He has been a faculty member at the Schechter Institute for Jewish Studies since 1990, teaching halachic literature and the history of Jewish education. Glick has held various management positions and played a vital role in teacher training programs. He has served as the CEO of The Jewish Theological Seminary's Israel branch, as well as the Beit Midrash for Jewish Studies and Midreshet Jerusalem for Jewish Education in the Diaspora. In 1988-1989, Glick led a teacher training program for American-Latin Rabbis in Buenos Aires, in collaboration with the Latin American Rabbinical Seminar.

Glick played a pivotal role in revitalizing teaching at the Jewish Theological Seminary (OR-ZSE) in Budapest. In 1989, he established the Midreshet Yerusalim at OR-ZSE, a pedagogical institute dedicated to training teachers in Jewish studies in Hungary. Under his leadership, the program gained recognition from the Hungarian Education Council as an accredited bachelor's degree program. Until 2011, Glick served as a visiting professor of Halachic literature, mentoring PhD students.

In 1990, Glick assumed the position of head at the Dov Rafel Center for Jewish Education Thinking at Lifshitz College. He also served as a co-editor for the journal "Hagut: Studies in Jewish Educational Thought."

In 2007, during his sabbatical at Cambridge University Library, he coordinated a research program on Responsa fragments from the Cairo Genizah at the Taylor-Schechter Research Unit. This endeavor led to the publication of a series of books dedicated to the study of Responsa fragments in the Cairo Genizah Collection and the Mosseri Collection.

In 2009, Glick was elected as the President of Liphshitz College, a religious teacher training college in Jerusalem. However, shortly after his appointment, it was revoked by the general assembly of the association under pressure from extreem nationalist Haredi rabbis. They opposed the appointment due to Glick's previous affiliation with the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, identified as a Conservative institution. As a response to the opposition and controversy, Glick resigned from all his positions at the college.

Glick's teaching areas encompass several key subjects:


 * Studies in Responsa Literature: Types of Questioners and Responders; Changes and Replacements in Content and Style of Responses; Editing and Censorship in Responsa Literature; Polemical Responses and their Contribution to Historical Research.
 * Jewish Customs: Mourning Customs and their Connection to Marriage Customs.
 * History of Jewish Education: Parental Obligations and Rights in Educating their Children

Research
Glick has an extensive publication record, with numerous articles and publications to his credit. During the 1990s, his research primarily focused on the history of Jewish education and the History and Development of Jewish Customs. In the 2000s, Glick expanded his research interests to include the study of rabbinic queries and responses, particularly from the Sages of the Ottoman Empire spanning the 16th - 19th century.

1.  Or Naga Aleihem (Light has Dawned): The Affinity between Marriage and Mourning Customs in the Jewish Tradition (new edition): This book examines the development and interrelation of marriage and mourning customs within the Jewish tradition. The author explores the reasons underlying the affinity for these customs, drawing comparisons to customs in other cultures.

2.  Hamudot Mitzraim: Volume I – Responsa of the Last Egyptian Sages from the Cairo Genizah: This book compiles the responses of Egyptian sages from the 16th to the 18th century, discovered in the Cairo Genizah. It includes an introduction on the Egyptian sages whose responses were lost or shelved.

3.  Hamudot Mitzraim: Volume II – Responsa of Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Abbas: This two-volume set presents the responses of Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Abbas, a 17th-century sage who studied under Rabbi Joseph Trani (1568–1639). The queries and their corresponding responses are published for the first time in a scholarly edition, sourced from manuscripts preserved in the Bodleian Library in Oxford. The book includes a section that compares wording variations and provides a comprehensive introduction on the author, his responses, his works, and the sages of his circle.

4. Seridei Teshuvot from the Sages of the Ottoman Empire: Responsa from the Cairo Genizah in the A.N. Adler Collection at the JTS Library in New York: This book documents 48 remaining fragments of responsa from the 16th to the 17th century, discovered in the Elkan Nathan Adler collection. It includes an introduction that focuses on the identification of responsa in unidentified passages.

5.  Seridei Teshuvot from the Sages of the Ottoman Empire: Responsa from the Cairo Genizah Fragments and Manuscripts in the Collections of the University of Cambridge Libraries. This book meticulously documents 115 remaining responses from the 16th to the 19th century, introducing new Rabbis who have made significant contributions to the field of Responsa literature.

6.  Eshnav Le-Sifrut Ha-Teshuvot (A Gateway to the Responsa Literature): This book delves into the significant milestones in the journey of queries and answers, spanning over 1300 years. It provides valuable insights into the characteristics of questioners and the responses offered by rabbis, as well as the style and structure of responsa. Moreover, it offers a captivating glimpse into the Jewish community, featuring its rabbis, leaders, and pivotal moments captured within the vast corpus of published Responsa.

7. Seridei Teshuvot: A Descriptive Catalogue of Responsa Fragments from the Jacques Mosseri Collection at the Cambridge University Library: The uniqueness of this Catalogue lies in its comprehensive treatment, encompassing transcriptions of responsa from the Geonic period until the 18th century. It includes translations of Judaeo-Arabic writings into Hebrew, as well as bibliographical details about the authors and texts. The Catalogue also features images of responsa, along with English descriptions of their contents, with Hebrew notes and commentary provide further insights.

8.  Kuntress Ha-teshuvot He-hadash: A Bibliographic Thesaurus of Responsa Literature (ca. 1470-2000). This four-volume work provides a comprehensive study of responsa literature, featuring descriptions of over 4,500 books containing responsa. It highlights unique responsa, offers author information, and contributes to historical research and the development of Jewish law. The fourth volume, published in 2010, includes indices with 12,000 entries on halachic-historical and biographical aspects, along with an extensive bibliography on the study of responsa literature.

9. Quntress Al Inyan Shabbat Ha-hatuna: A Treatise on the Sabbath Wedding. This singular and scarce book, exclusively found only in the Schocken Library, was discovered by Glick during his research on Responsa books. Authored by R. Eliezer Sofino and printed in Amsterdam around 1742, it explores a contentious custom practiced in specific Sephardic communities, commonly referred to as the "Sabbath after the wedding." The book encountered criticism and defamation, and was heavily in disputed between the author and his rabbinical colleagues, who discredited the book and hid the author's name and limit the dissemination of his work.

Books (writing and editing)
1. Or Naga Aleihem (Light has Dawned): The Affinity between Marriage and Mourning Customs in the Jewish Tradition (second edition with corrections and additions), Schocken Institute for Jewish Research, Jerusalem 2020.

2. Meḥevah le-Menaḥem: studies in honor of Menahem Hayyim Schmelzer / edited by Shmuel Glick, Evelyn M. Cohen, Angelo M. Piattelli, Jerusalem 2019

3. Hamudot Mitzrayim: Vol. 1, Responsa of the Last Egyptian Sages from the Cairo Genizah, JTS-Schocken Institute for Jewish Research, Jerusalem 2018.

4. Hamudot Mitzrayim: Vol. II, Responsa of Rabbi Moshe Abas, JTS-Schocken Institute for Jewish Research, Jerusalem 2018.

5. Hamudot Mitzrayim: Vol. III, Responsa of Rabbi Haim Shalom Mali, JTS-Schocken Institute for Jewish Research [in preperation]

6. Seride Teshuvot of the Ottoman Empire Sages from the Cairo Genizah Collection of the Cambridge University Library, Volumes 1-3, JTS-Schocken Institute for Jewish Research & Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit of Cambridge University Library, Jerusalem 2013-2014 (Heb.)

7. Seride Teshuvot: A descriptive Catalogue of Responsa Fragments from the Jacques Mosseri Collection Cambridge University Library, Brill, Leiden and Boston 2012. (Eng+Heb.)

8. Eshnav Le-Sifrut Ha-Teshuvot (A Window to the Responsa Literature), The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Jerusalem, 2012 (Heb.)

9. Kuntress Ha-teshuvot He-hadash: a bibliographic thesaurus of responsa literature published from ca. 1470-2000. Vol. 4. The Schocken Institute for Jewish Research & The Institute of Applied Halakhah Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 2010. (Heb.)

10. Mekorot le-toldot ha-hinukh be-Yisrael – A Sourcebook for the History of Jewish Education: Responsa from the Europe Lands (16th – 20th century) . The Jewish Theological Seminary of America & Lifshitz College, Jerusalem, 2009. (Vol. 5-6 of Mekorot…) (Heb.)

11. Kuntress Ha-teshuvot He-hadash: a bibliographic thesaurus of responsa literature published from ca. 1470-2000. Vol. 1-3, Bar-Ilan University – Faculty of Law & The Schocken Institute for Jewish Research & The Institute of Applied Halakhah Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem and Ramat-Gan, 2006-2007-2009. (Heb.)

12. Zekhor davar le-’avdekha: essays and studies in memory of Dov Rappel / edited by Shmuel Glick, Jerusalem, 2007. (Heb.)

13. Quntres `al inyan Shabbat ha-hatunah: Treatise concerning the Sabbath wedding. Mosad Harav Kook, Jerusalem, 2007. (Heb.)

14. Mekorot le-toldot ha-hinukh be-Yisrael – A Sourcebook for the History of Jewish Education: Responsa from the Lands of Islam and the Ottoman Empire (16th – 20th century) , The Jewish Theological Seminary of America & Lifshitz College, Jerusalem, 2004. (Vol. 4 of Mekorot…) (Heb)

15. Light and Consolation: The Development of Jewish Consolation Practices, JTS- Schocken Institute for Jewish Research and Keren Ori, Jerusalem 2004. (Eng.)

16. Mekorot le-toldot ha-hinukh be-Yisrael – A Source-Book for the History of Jewish Education from the Beginning of the Middle Ages to the Period of the Haskalah, S. Assaf., / Revised edition, edited by Shmuel Glick. Vol. 1-3. Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York-Jerusalem, 2001-2002. (Heb.)

17. Education in Light of Israeli Law and Halakhic Literature. Vol. 1-2. The Institute of Applied Halakhah - The Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem, 1999-2000. (Heb.)

18. Light Has Dawned: The Relationship Between Marriage and Mourning Customs in Jewish Tradition. Efrat, 1997. (Heb.)

19. Light and Consolation: The Development of Jewish Customs of Consolation Following Bereavement. Efrat, 1993. (Heb.)

20. A Light unto the Mourner, the Development of Mourning Customs in Jewish Tradition. Efrat, 1991. (Heb.)

His Family
Glick is married to Margalit and is the father of four children: Oriel Yitzchak (Ori) Glick z"l, who tragically lost his life during his military service; Dr. Tziporit Markovitz-Glick, a psychologist; Dr. Alon Glick, a plant geneticist; and Dr. Amram Glick, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He is also a proud grandfather to 16 grandchildren.

Quntres: An Online Journal for the History, Culture, and Art of the Jewish Book, Vol 1, No 1 (2009.

Quntres: An Online Journal for the History, Culture, and Art of the Jewish Book, Vol 3, No 1 (2012(.