Goy

The combination of rich textual analysis and a strong theoretical background make for an impressive study that is perfectly suited not only for scholars and graduate students of Biblical literature, ancient Judaism, and early Christianity, but also for those interested in the history of interreligious relations and tensions, including the study of anti-Judaism. * Scott Ury, Tel Aviv University, Religious Studies Review *
Their co-authored book is a rich and rewarding (if sometimes demanding) study that discusses a wide range of ancient Jewish texts, and points to different ways in which ideas of otherness can be understood and experienced * Andrew Gregory, University College, Anvil *
The work is thorough in its review of contemporary scholarship in this area, and rightly dismisses both the tendency of scholars to project rabbinic views back to an earlier period and the common misreading of the rabbis in the light of apologetic concerns. * Norman Solomon, University of Oxford, Journal of Jewish Studies *
Review from previous edition Goy is an important and absolutely necessary intervention in scholarly assumptions. * Cavan Concannon, University of Southern California. , Ancient Jew Review *
Ophir and Rosen-Zvi's study sheds light on a significant blind spot. The two uncover a dramatic historical development and for the first time elucidate the history of one of the oldest and most important Jewish institutions. * Tomer Persico, Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies at UC Berkeley, Haaretz *
Goy is first and foremost a meticulous historical and philological research into ancient rabbinic texts. Yet this research on things past is closely related with the present, what gives the discussion a sense of urgency. * Karma Ben-Johanan, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Political Theology Network *
Books such as this should be judged not only by what they say, but also by the quality of debate that they generate. On this score, Goy is already a success ... Ophir and Rosen-Zvi's blend of methodological precision with philological breadth has set a new standard for debate on these issues * James Adam Redfield, Reading Religion *
an impressive work of scholarship ... [it] is important and worthy of further discussion and research * Elad Lapidot, Political Theology *
This carefully argued, somewhat technical monograph offers a wide-ranging survey of ancient Israelite and early Jewish understandings of non-Israelites and non-Jews. ... there is no doubt that Ophir and Rosen-Zvi have done an important service by analyzing a vast amount of literature across several historical periods. They also engage an astonishing number of scholarly dialogue partners, as their extensive footnotes and 50-page bibliography reveal. An invaluable resource for those interested in the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple studies, the New Testament, and rabbinics. * CHOICE *
The English book provoked considerable interest and responses rates from the scholarly sphere. * Meir Ben Shahar, Sha'anan College, Haifa, Israel *
The study is both thorough and timely, and a contribution not only to biblical scholarship but also to interfaith relations and the understanding of relationships between Jews and non-Jews more widely. * Isabelle Hamley, JSOT 48, no. 5 *