Department of Hebrew Literature
Subject: The Poems of Josef Zark and his Circle: Hebrew Literature in 15th Century Italy.
Supervisor: Dr. Jonathan Vardi and Prof. Amindav Dykman.
Abstract: During the 15th century, while Europe is swept by the Renaissance, numerous Jews of various origins immigrate to Italy. Hebrew writers from Ashkenaz, Provence and Spain, alongside their coreligionists of the local Italian communities, combine trends and traditions, composing a literature that merges the religious and the secular, the old and the contemporary, the imported and the local.
My research begins with "Niv Sefataim (“Fruit of the Lips”), a collection of over 120 poems written by Yosef Zark, an immigrant from Spain, and his circle of associates in northern Italy. Through the network of relationships and exchanges reflected in this collection, I examine the history and poetics of 15th-century Hebrew poetry in Italy.
Graduate of the Honors Program for Outstanding MA Students, 2019–2021