Is Torah for Israel or Everyone?

Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg is Head of School and Professor of Ancient Cultures at Israel Bible Center. He is an expert Israeli scholar in Biblical Studies and early Christianity with copious Jewish and Christian religious and secular education. Dr. Eli Lizorkin-Eyzenberg has a great passion for building bridges of trust, respect, and understanding between Christians and Jews to overcome centuries of difficult but fully entwined history.

Dr. Yeshaya Gruber is Professor of Jewish History and Culture at the Israel Bible Center and hosts the Roundtable Talks with leading scholars and authors in Biblical, Second Temple Period, and Jewish-Christian Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in History from Georgetown University and has held research and teaching positions in Jerusalem, Athens, Sydney, and elsewhere. His extensive travels, coupled with his research and teaching experience, help to enrich his students’ understanding of Jewish-Christian relations, history, and potential future paths.

Prof. Pinchas Shir is nearing the completion of his Ph.D. studies in the Department of Religion at Groningen University in the Netherlands. His academic interests focus on ancient dining culture, culinary contexts of the Second Temple period, and particularly on the table interactions between Jews and Gentiles in antiquity. In addition, Pinchas is keenly interested in the archaeology of Ancient Israel and the Mediterranean.

In addition to his work with Israel Bible Center as Professor of Hebrew Bible, Dr. Schaser is an Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at Macalester College and the Adjunct Instructor of the New Testament at Bethel Seminary (both in St. Paul, Minnesota). Professor Schaser’s research interests include rabbinic literature and the Jewishness of the New Testament, with particular focus on Midrash and the Gospel of Matthew. Dr. Schaser strives to promote mutual learning and respect between Jews and Christians.