Prof. Rella Kushelevsky

Publications:

Books:

1. Rella Kushelevsly, Tales in Context: Sefer ha-ma'asim in Medieval Northern France (Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Ms. bodl. 135), (Raphael Patai Series in Jewish Folklore and Anthropology, Dan Ben Amos, editor),Wayne State U. P., 2017. With a historical epilogue by Elisheva Baumgarten
2.  Rella Kushelevsky, Penalty and Temptation: Hebrew Tales in Ashkenaz, Magnes press, 2010 (Hebrew)
3. Rella Kushelevsky, Moses and the Angel of Death (Studies on Themes and Motifs in Literature Series, Horst  S. Dammrich, ed., Vol. 4), New York: Peter Lang Press, 1995

Edited Books:

1. Lipsker Avidov and Rella Kushelevsky, Ma'aseh Sippur, Studies in Jewish Narrative, vol.3, Ramat Gan: Bar Ilan University, 2013, (Hebrew, 495 pp.)
2. Lipsker Avidov and Rella Kushelevsky, Ma'aseh Sippur, Studies in Jewish Narrative, vol. 2, Ramat Gan: Bar Ilan University, 2009 (Hebrew, 461 pp.)
3.  Elstein Yoav, Avidov Lipsker, Rella Kushelevsky, Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 2, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 2009 (Hebrew, 334 pp.)
4. Lipsker Avidov and Rella Kushelevsky, Ma'aseh Sippur, Studies in Jewish Narrative, vol. 2, Ramat Gan: Bar Ilan University, 2006 (Hebrew, 541 pp.)
5. Elstein Yoav, Avidov Lipsker, Rella Kushelevsky, Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol.1, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan,2004 (Hebrew, 373 pp.)
6. Rella Kushelevsky, Bialik and Agnon, Criticism and Interpretation 35-36, Ramat-Gan: Bar-Ilan U.P.,  2002

Chapters in Books (Refereed)

1. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Crossing of Boundaries and Liminality in the Rabbinic Aggadot on the Death of Moses and on 'Those to Die in the Wilderness': Analogous Aspects," Exodus: Border Crossings in Jewish, Christian and Islamic Texts and Images, Annette Hoffmann (ed.), Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz (forthcoming, 16 pp.)
2. Rella Kushelevsky, "Abstinence in Medieval Northern France: A Comparison of 'A Slave for Seven Years' in Sefer ha-Ma'asim to  'The Life of Alexis'," Elisheva Baumgarten and Juda Galinsky eds., Jews and Christians in 13th-Century France (New Middle Ages Series, edited by Bonnie Wheeler), New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015,  259–272
3. Rella Kushelevsky, "Moses", in Haya Bar-Itzhak (ed.), Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions, vol. 2, Armonk, New York, London: M. E. Sharpe, 2013, 373–376
4. Rella Kushelevsky, "Sites of Collective Memory in Narratives of the Prague Ghetto", Framing Jewish Culture: Boundaries and Representations (Jewish Cultural Studies Series, Simon J. Bronner, series editor, vol. 4), Oxford, Portland, Oregon: The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2014, 173–191
5. Rella Kushelevsky, "Forbidden Love in the Story 'Which Was the Thief?' A Look into Bialik's Workshop in And It Came to Pass," Nathanael Riemer (ed.), Jewish Lifeworlds and Jewish Thought, Festschrift presented to Karl E. Grözinger on the Occasion of his 70^th Birthday, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Publishing House, 2012, 185–197
6. Rella Kushelevsky, "King Solomon and Asmodeus (Ashmedai)," Yoav Elstein, Avidov Lipsker and Rella Kushelevsky (eds.), Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 2, Ramat-Gan: Bar Ilan Univ., 2009,  85–111 (Hebrew)
7. Rella Kushelevsky and Vered Tohar, "The Pious Man and the Tax-Collector's Son", Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 2, ibid, 233– 250 (Hebrew)
8. Rella Kushelevsky and Vered Tohar, "The Thief who has Given Himself Away," Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 2, ibid, 113– 128  (Hebrew)
9. Rella Kushelevsky, "A Study of the Tale: 'The Miracle of Chanukkah' – Chana and her Seven Sons," Haya Bar Itzhak and Idit Pintel-Ginsberg (eds.), The Power of  a Tale, The Jubilee Book of IFA, Haifa: IFA And Haifa U.P , 2008, 59–63 (Hebrew)
10. Rella Kushelevsky, "Gaps Between Versions Constituting a Thematic Series: A Study of the Legend 'Solomon and Ashmedai'," Avidov Lipsker and Rella Kushelevsky eds., Ma’aseh Sippur, Studies in Jewish Narrative, vol. 1, Ramat-Gan: Bar-Ilan U. P., 2006, 221–241(Hebrew)
11. Rella Kushelevsky, "From 'Geniza to Death': A Chiastic Phenomenon in the Narratives on The Death of Moses," Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 1, Ramat-Gan: Bar-Ilan University Press, 2004, 135–167 (Hebrew)
12. Rella Kushelevsky, "Rabbi Joshua ben Levi and the Angel of Death," Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 1, ibid, 261–279 (Hebrew)
13. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Tanna and the Restless Dead," Yoav Elstein, Avidov Lipsker, Rella Kushelevsky (eds.), Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 1, ibid, 281–296 (Hebrew)
14. Rella Kushelevsky and Dina Levin,"Ben Sever and Shefifon ben Lyish", Encyclopedia of the Jewish Story, Sippur Okev Sippur, vol. 1, ibid, 324–331 (Hebrew)
15. Rella Kushelevsky, "Reading Midrash Today: A Study of  'Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa and His Stone' in Songs of Songs Rabbah 1.4," Ora Wiskind-Elper, Susan Handelman (eds.), Torat Imekha: Unheard Women's Voices on Tanakh, Midrash, Hassidut and Jewish Thought, Urim Publications, New-York and Jerusalem 2000, 236–245

Journal Articles (Refereed)

1. Rella Kushelevsky, "Jews Reading Arthurian Romances from the Middle-Ages: on the reception of Chrétien de Troyes’s Yvain, the Knight of the Lion, based on Ms. JTS Rab. 1164," AJS review (Fall 2018, forthcoming).
2. Rella Kushelevsky, "What is a 'Story Collection' in the Middle Ages? A Study of Ms. JTS 2374," Assif le-Yassif, Jubilee Book in honor of Eli Yassif, Nili Arie Sapir, Tsafi Zeva Elran, Tova Rosen, Dudu Rotman (eds.), Special issue of  Teuda 28 (2018), 475–493
3. Rella Kushelevsky, "Between Medieval Traditions and the Winds of the Renaissance: Midrash Aseret ha-Dibberot in Ms. Parma 2267," Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore, 29 (2015), 33–77 (Hebrew)
4. Rella Kushelevsky, "Rabbinical Sage Stories in Midrashic Compilations: An Intertextual Reading of ‘The Usha Synod Homily’ in Song of Songs Rabbah  2, 5 and Deut. 27: 9," Jewish Journal Studies (JJS) 65 (autumn 2014), 284–301
5. Rella Kushelevsky, "Intercultural Encounters in Collective Narratives: the Transition of 'The Shining Robe' from North Africa to Ashkenaz via Provence," Medieval Encounters, 19 (2013), 259–273
6. Rella Kushelevsky, "Medieval and Oral Variants of 'The Tree Demon' Tale-type (ATU 1168B): Literacy and Orality in the Study of Folklore," Folklore (the Folklore Society), 124 (August 2013), 200–213
7. Rella Kushelevsky, "Chastity versus Courtly Love in a Hebrew Story Collection from Medieval Northern France: A Study of 'The Poor Bachelor and his Rich Maiden Cousin'," Jewish Studies Quarterly (JSQ),  20 (2013), 61–82
8. Rella Kushelevsky, "Family Images and Identities in a Medieval Jewish Version of 'Shooting at Father's Corpse' (Tubach 1272): A Comparative Study," Fabula 53 (2011), 228–240
9. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Metaphor of the 'Empty Place' in Yehudit Hendel's Work: from 'My Friend B.'s Solemn Feast' to 'The Empty Place'," Criticism and Interpretation 43 (2010), 213–228 (Hebrew)
10. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Story of the Mother and Sons in Light of the Hetrotopus of their Tomb," Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore, 24–25 (2008), 109–125 (Hebrew)
11. Elisheva Baumgarten and Rella Kushelevsky, "From 'The Mother and her Sons' to the 'Mother of the Sons' in Medieval Ashkenaz," Zion 71 (2006), 301–342 (Hebrew)
12. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Image of  Woman in Transition from East to West," Aschkenas 11 (2001), 9–38
13. Rella Kushelevsky,  "'Heaven Plead for Me': From a Midrashic Covension to a Modern Literary Pattern, "Jerusalem Studies in Hebrew Literature 17 (1999), 59–75 (Hebrew)
14. Rella Kushelevsky, "Mythic Elements in the theme of 'Ben-Sever and Shefifon ben-Layish': A Story and its Development," Dapim - Research in Literature 11 (1998), 209–220 (Hebrew)
15. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Function of Humor in Three Versions of the Theme 'Rabbi Joshua Ben Levi and the Angel of Death'", Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore 19-20 (1997-1998), 329–344 (Hebrew)
16. Rella Kushelevsky, "Some Remarks on the Date and Sources of 'Sefer ha-Massiyyiot' (Gaster)," Kiryat-Sefer, Collected  Essays, supplement to Volume 68, Jerusalem 1998, 155–157 (Hebrew)
17. Rella Kushelevsky, "'The Death of Moses': Ms. Parma 2785", Kiryat-Sefer, Collected Essays, supplement to Volume 68, Jerusalem 1998, 157–165 (Hebrew)
18. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Legend of 'Ben Dordia': A Monotheistic Reply to a Mythological Perception", Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore, 18 (1996), 7–18 (Hebrew) 
19. Rella Kushelevsky, "'The Tanna and the Restless Dead': A Jewish or Non-Jewish Legend?" Criticism and Interpretation 30 (1994), 41–63 (Hebrew)
20. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Figure of the Messiah at the Intersection of Five Themes in ha’Mitpachat," Criticism and Interpretation (2002), 35-36, 207–230 (Hebrew) 
21. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Stone that 'Transports Itself': A Comparative Study of Song of Songs Rabbah (1,4) and the Dialogue on Miracles (8:63) by Caesarius of Heisterbach (Tubach 4638)," Fabula 44 (2003), 237–254
22. Rella Kushelevsky, "Hillel as the 'Image of a Man in the Skylight': A Hermeneutic Perspective," R.E.J  165, 3-4 (2006), 363–381
23. Rella Kushelevsky, "The Yearnings for the Land of Israel in the Theme of Moses' Death", Alei-Siah 31-32 (1992), 189–196
24. Rella Kushelevsky, "Aaron's Rod: An Exploration of One Criterion for Establishing a Thematic Series," Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore 13-14 (1991-92), 249–259

Book Reviews:

• Kushelevsky, Rella , "Eli, Yassif, Ninety-Nine Tales: The Jerusalem Manuscript Cycle of Legends in Medieval Jewish Folklore, Tel-Aviv: Tel Aviv University Press, University, 2013," Jerusalem Studies in Jewish Folklore, 30, (2016), 265—272 (Hebrew)
• Kushelevsky, Rella, "Folktales of the Jews, edited with commentary by Dan Ben Amos, Consulting editor Dov Noy, Ellen Frankel Series editor, vol. 1: Tales from the Sephardic Dispersion, Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2000," Fabula 49 (2008), 128–132

Funds:

1. ISF (Israel Science Foundation), principal investigator, with Elisheva Baumgarten, co-investigator, "The Story Collection known as Sefer ha-ma'asim (Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, Ms. Bodl. Or. 135): a Diplomatic Edition, Notes and Exegesis," 2008–2011
2.  ISF, principal investigator, with Elisheva Baumgarten, co-investigator, "a Typology of Narrative Collections in Ashkenazi Manuscripts of the 13^th and 14^th centuries, 2002–2005
3. Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture:"Ashkenaz as Reflected in Medieval Hebrew Stories (a study of a 13^th century ms. from Northern France"), 2005–6.  

Conferences (last 6 years)

1. World Union Congress for Jewish Studies, 6–10, 2017. Title of lecture: "Hebrew Tales in Medieval Ashkenas: An Overview."
2. "Berechia Hanaqdan and Medieval and Early Modern Fable-lore and Moralizing Literature." A work-shop held at the Hebrew University and organized by Tobi Bibring and Revital Refael-Vivante, sponsored by Israel Science Foundation (ISF). Title of lecture: "Moralizing and Entertaining Trends in Sefer ha-Ma'asim", 16—19. 11, 2015
3. "Literature, Science, Medicine and Jewish-Christian Relations: Berechiah b. Natronai ha-Naqdan and the Reception of his Works." A work-shop organized by Tamás Visi, Faculty of Arts, Palacky University, Olomouc, 19—20. 5, 2015. Title of lecture: "R. Berachia's Imprint on Sefer ha-ma'asim: the Case of the Wolf and the Goats (Haberman, #21)."
4. "The 34^th Inter-University Conference for Folklore Research in Israel," Bar Ilan University, 10—11.5, 2015.  Title of lecture: "'The Prophecy of the Ravens' and its Affinities to 'The Seven Sages of Rome' and 'Mishlei Sandebar." (Hebrew)
5. PARDES, Michlala, Jerusalem, 17—18. 2, 2015. Title of lecture: "Hermeneutic Potentials in Talmudic and Midrashic Tales in View of their Parallels in Medieval Ashkenaz."  (Hebrew)
6. European Association of Jewish Studies (EAJS), Paris, 20—24.7, 2014. Title of lectue: "Sefer ha-Ma'asim and the Medieval Renaissance: The Case of 'R. Meir and Yehuda of Anatot' and its Affinities to Marie de France." 
7. National Association of Professors of Hebrew (NAPH), Beer Sheva, 24. 6,  2014. Title of lecture: "A Study of 'Johanan and the Scorpion' in Light of 'The Story of the Grail' by Chrétien de Troyes, A Comparative Study ." (Hebrew)
8. International Medieval Congress (IMC), Leeds 1—4.7 2013. Title of lecture: 'Representations of Pleasure in a Medieval Hebrew Story Collection from Northern France." 
9. World Union Congress for Jewish Studies (WCJS), 28.7—8.1, 2013, Jerusalem. Title of lecture: "Hybridity as a Poetical Principal in Sefer ha-Ma'asim." (Hebrew)
10. Association of Jewish Studies (AJS), Chicago, 16—18.12, 2012. Title of lecture: "Rabbinic Narratives in Medieval Story Compilations: Models of Adaptation in Sefer ha-Ma'asim, Northen France". 
11. National Association of Professors of Hebrew (NAPH), UCLA, 24-27.6, 2012. Title of lecture: "Tales of Debate: the Tree-Demon in Midrash Aseret ha-Dibberot in Light of Manichaistic and Muslim Parallels." (Hebrew)
12. The International Conference for Judaic Studies, The Jewry of Provence, L' Institut Interuniversitaire d'Etudes et de Culture Juives (IECJ), Aix-Marseille Université, 13—15.2 , 2012. Title of lecture: "Hibbur Yaffe MeHa'Yeshua: Its Reception in Ashkenaz through Provence: A Study of the 'Glowing Robe' as a Test Case."
13. "The Novel and Theories of Love," The Hebrew University, International Conference, 18—20.6, 2012. Title of lecture: "The Ethos of Courtly Love and Its Absorption-Rejection in a Thirteenth-Century Hebrew Story Collection from Northern France: A Study of 'The Poor Bachelor and his Rich Maiden Cousin'."
14. The 30^th Inter-University Conference for the Research of Folklore, 5—6.6, 2011. Title of lecture: "The Legend of 'Alexis' in Jewish Folklore: Medieval Notions of Asceticism in Ashkenas."
15. "Midreshei Aggadah in Eretz Israel and Their Proliferation." A Work Shop Session at Yad Izhak Ben-Zvi, Jerusalem, 5. 6, 2011 (Hebrew, participation in a symposium).
16. "13th Century France: Continuity and Change," an international workshop on: organized by Elisheva Baumgarten and Jehuda Galinsky, sponsored by ISF, February 2011. Title of lecture: "Cultural aspects in a Story Collection from the 13th C. in North France."