Karimah, a charming, headstrong Jewish teenager in 11th Century Egypt, follows her heart to live a life of adventure; as a brigand targeting desert caravans and as a pirate on the high seas. Rabbi Nissim, writing from North Africa, comforts Karimah's father with tales from classical rabbinic literature. The book is presented as a series of ?found? Cairo Genizah (old book depository) documents. Writing home to her brother, Karimah quotes not only from traditional Jewish texts, but also from the Arabian Nights. Although unpredictable, Karimah is nevertheless guided by her own steadfast ideas of honor and tradition. A DELIGHTFUL COMPENDIUM OF CONSOLATION is historically accurate. With this book, Rabbi Visotzky, professor of midrash, proves to be not only a master teacher, but a master storyteller, as well.
Burton L Visotzky serves as the Nathan and Janet Appleman Professor of Midrash and Interreligious Studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he joined the faculty upon his ordination as Rabbi in 1977. He has served as the Associate and Acting Dean of the Graduate School (1991-96), as the founding Rabbi of the egalitarian worship service of the Seminary Synagogue, and as the director of the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies at JTS.
Prof. Visotzky has been a visiting scholar at Oxford University, a visiting fellow and life member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, as well as a visiting faculty member at Princeton Theological Seminary, Hebrew Union College, and the Russian State University of the Humanities in Moscow. Dr. Visotzky is also Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary, New York. In Spring '04 he was Visiting Professor of Religion and Judaic Studies at Princeton University. In Spring '07, he served as the Master Visiting Professor of Jewish Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
Dr. Visotzky received his B.A. with honors and highest distinction from the University of Illinois (Chicago), a Masters in Education from Harvard University, and his M.A., Rabbinic ordination, and Ph.D., and D.H.L. (hon.) from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Prof. Visotzky's articles and reviews have been published in America, Europe, and Israel. He is the author of eight books. Visotzky's popular volumes include: Reading the Book: Making the Bible a Timeless Text (1991), The Genesis of Ethics: How the Tormented Family of Genesis leads us to Moral Development (1996), The Road to Redemption: Lessons from Exodus on Leadership and Community (1998), and From Mesopotamia to Modernity: Ten Introductions to Jewish History and Literature (1999).
With Bill Moyers, he developed ten hours of television for PBS on the book of Genesis, serving as consultant and a featured on-screen participant. The series, "Genesis: A Living Conversation," premiered in October, 1996. Visotzky was also a consultant to Jeffrey Katzenberg of DreamWorks for their 1998 film, "Prince of Egypt".
Visotzky is active in Jewish/Christian/Muslim dialogue internationally, in capitals such as Warsaw, Rome, Cairo, and Doha, Qatar.
Rabbi Visotzky is active as a lecturer and scholar-in-residence throughout North America, Europe, and Israel. His study groups and books have been hailed on radio, television, and in print. He is married to an attorney, Sandra Edelman. They make their home in New York City and Kent, Connecticut.
