A World Written in Judeo-Arabic: From Sa’adia’s Tafsir to al-Andalus

This series will explore some of the most important works created in the centuries when Arabic was the everyday language of most Jewish communities. Our path will take us from the great literary works used in religious life to the patchwork of Judeo-Arabic texts that filled the daily routine. Along the way, we’ll gain a clearer sense of how deeply this Judeo-Arabic world shaped Jewish history and writing. We’ll conclude by looking at the relationship between Hebrew and Arabic, and the roles each played in this fascinating period. This series continues the journey we began in Jews and Arabic: Judeo-Arabic, Its Literature, and Why It Matters.