Biblical Origins: The Political Intent of the Bible's Writers - Paperback

Sperling, David: - David Sperling has been a world-famous authority on the Bible for five decades. He retired in 2019 from a 40+ year career as a professor of Bible at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York City. He has also been a visiting professor at New York University, Syracuse University, the College of William and Mary and The Jewish Theological Seminary. Professor Sperling served as Consulting Editor to The Haftarah Commentary by W. Gunther Plaut, translated by Chaim Stern (URJ Press, 1996), and to The Torah: A Modern Commentary by W. Gunther Plaut and David E.S. Stein (URJ Press, 2005). Additionally, he has contributed to some 145 articles published in the Encyclopaedia Judaica (2007), as well as serving as Editor of the Bible section. His current project is a book on the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113-118). Professor Sperling was ordained as a rabbi by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1967, following which he earned his Ph.D. in Ancient Semitic Languages from Columbia University. He is a member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.Keiter, Tara: - Tara Keiter graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 1987 with a double degree in Economics and Sociology. After an 8-year career in the financial services industry in New York City, Tara left the workforce to raise her children. Tara and her family have been members of Temple Israel of Northern Westchester since 1995. She is grateful that her work summarizing by blog (2014-2025) and podcast (2015-2023) Rabbi Jennifer Jaech's Torah Study sessions led her to involvement with this fulfilling project.Jaech, Jennifer: - Jennifer Jaech served as the Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel of Northern Westchester from 2006 until 2025. She is passionate about interpreting the complexity of contemporary American life through the prism of Jewish history and traditions. She is active in interfaith work in her community with an emphasis on social justice. Rabbi Jaech is a former Co-Chair of Reform Jewish Voice of New York State, and served on the Union for Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action and the Central Conference of American Rabbis' Committee on Justice, Peace and Civil Liberties. Rabbi Jaech received her MA in Hebrew Literature from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in New York City in 2002, becoming an ordained rabbi in 2003. While at HUC-JIR, she earned thirteen academic prizes in several disciplines, including history, liturgy, human relations and Hebrew. She completed her undergraduate education at The Evergreen State College, earning a BA with a concentration in American Studies in 1985. Prior to joining the rabbinate, she worked in higher education administration, government relations, and politics.