Education

• PhD in Theoretical Linguistics: University of Maryland at College Park, 1991-6.
• Visiting MS student in Computer Science: Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, 1989-90.
• BA (Summa Cum Laude with departmental honors): Brandeis University, 1986-9.

Representative Academic Lectures

• Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium: "Identifying, Understanding and Translating the Metaphors of a Dead Language." Invited Lecture.
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York Campus: "The Origins of the Tetragrammaton." Faculty Seminar presentation.
• Bar Ilan University, Tel Aviv, Israel: "Biliteral Roots in Tiberian and Modern Hebrew."
• Tromsoe University, Tromsoe, Norway: "On Adverb Placement and Adjunction Sites." Invited Lecture.
• University of Manchester, Manchester, England: "The Behavior of Strong and Weak Verbs in Modern and Tiberian Hebrew." Invited Lecture.
• Szeged, Hungary: "Two Types of Paratactic Word-Order Variation." Part of First International Conference of Eastern-European Languages.
• National University of Comahue, Neuquen, Argentina: "The History of Hebrew and the Revival of Ancient Hebrew to form Modern Hebrew." Guest lecture.

Sample Recent Classes and Popular Lectures

• Louisville, KY: "The Bible Doesn't Say That."
• New Orleans, LA: "The Alphabet Story."
• Toronto, Ontario: "The Mystery and Majesty of the Dead Sea Scrolls."
• Bedford, NY: "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People: From the Book of Job to Modernity."
• San Francisco, CA: "This Is Your Brain On Hebrew." RAVSAK 2009 Leadership Conference. (Handouts: English / Hebrew)
• Mexico City, MX: Tzipiyot, Hesegim, Ufotentzial ("Expectations, Accomplishments, and Potential") Keynote address at international symposium on teaching Hebrew in Jewish day schools run by the Jewish Agency. (Handout.)
• Washington University, St. Louis, MO: Keynote speaker and teacher at CAJE 32. (Handouts.)
• Bedford, NY: "From Jerusalem (and King David) to Exile (and Jesus): The First Thousand Years." (Syllabus / Reading list)
• Bedford, NY: "Life in Exile from Jesus to the Crusades: The Second Thousand Years." (Syllabus)
• Bedford, NY: "Jewish Life from the Crusades to the Enlightenment: Eight-hundred more years." (Syllabus)
• Bedford, NY: "Jewish life from the Enlightenment to Now: The most recent two-hundred years." (Handouts)

• Brandeis University, Waltham, MA. Adjunct Faculty.
• Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, New York City. Adjunct Faculty.
• Academy of Jewish Religion, New York City. Adjunct Faculty.
• National University of Comahue, General Roca, Argentina. Guest Lecturer.

Books and Columns

• And God Said: How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning. 2010 from Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin's Press. (More information/order....)
• In The Beginning: A Short History of the Hebrew Language. Hardcover 2004, paperback 2006 from NYU Press. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator and contributing essaying for Who by Fire, Who by Water, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2010 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Passover Haggadah, Volumes I-II, ed. Dr. David Arnow and Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2008 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Shabbat Morning, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2007 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Welcoming the Night ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2005 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Kabbalat Shabbat (Welcoming Shabbat in the Synagogue), ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2004 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Shabbat At Home, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2003 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Tachanun and Concluding Prayers, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2002 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Birkhot HaShachar (Morning Blessings), ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2001 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: Seder K'riat Hatorah (Shabbat Torah Service), ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 2000 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: P'sukei D'zimrah (Morning Psalms), ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 199 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: The Amidah, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 1998 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Chief translator for My People's Prayerbook: The Sh'ma And Its Blessings, ed. Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman, 1997 from Jewish Lights Publishing. (More information/order....)
• Glamour of the Grammar, biweekly column on Hebrew in the Jerusalem Post. (Read online....)

Other Teaching Experience
Adult Education:

• Frequent scholar in residence. Topics include:
  • The Bible Doesn't Say That.
  • The Mystery and Majesty of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
  • The Alphabet Story.
  • Four Exiles and Four Spiritual Revolutions.
  • How do We Know What the Ancient Words Mean?
  • and more.
• Frequent lecturer at lay conferences, including:
  • Limmud, Nottingham, England. Invited lecturer.
  • CAJE 31: Duke University, Durham, NC. Invited Speaker.
  • CAJE 32: Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Keynote Speaker.
  • CAJE 33: University of Vermont, Burlington, VT. Conference Chair.

• Temple Israel of Northern Westchester, Croton, NY. Director of Education.
• Temple Shaaray Tefila, Bedford, NY. Resident Scholar.
• Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, New York City. Teacher and program coordinator.
• Woodlands Community Synagogue, White Plains, NY. Teacher.
• Prozdor program at Hebrew College, Boston, MA. Teacher and curriculum consultant.
• Temple Shir Tikvah, MA. Teacher.

• Temple Israel of Northern Westchester, Croton, NY. Director of Education: Grades K-12.
• Temple Shaaray Tefila, Bedford, NY. Resident Scholar. Teach Grade 6. Design and lead weekly worship for grades 4-6.
• Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, New York City. Teach Grades 3 and 6. Design and lead weekly services for grades 3-6.
• Temple Beth El, Sudbury, MA. Teach Grade 6.

Consulting
Frequent consultant to supplemental and day schools, including schools in:

• Toronto, Ontario
• Mexico City, Mexico
• West Palm Beach, Florida
• New York City