"Jews, Animals, and Jewish Animals: From the Bible to the "Bark Mitzvah"
.Prof. David Shyovitz, Northwestern University, USA
July 19, 2026
ה' במנחם אב תשפ"ו
18:00 – 19:15
This lecture explores Jewish perspectives on the religious status of animals, asking whether religious identity extends beyond humans. Drawing on medieval rabbinic debates and modern philosophy, it examines questions of animal souls, mitzvah observance, human-animal transformation, and how these ideas shaped Jewish views on human uniqueness and interreligious relations
Rare Books Exhibit Room
(-3)
The Ilona and Hugo Lowy Special Collections Presentation Room
With support from the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Foundation