Professor Avigdor Shinan () is the Yitzhak Becker professor emeritus Jewish Studies in the departments of Hebrew Literature, Yiddish and Comparative Jewish Folklore at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Shinan has served as head of the departments of General Studies, and of Hebrew Literature and as Dean of The Hebrew University. He has served as visiting professor at Yale, JTS, and Yeshiva University and has also taught at Ben-Gurion, Tel-Aviv, and at the Schechter Institute.

He retired in 2012.

Biography Born in Prague in 1946, he has been living in Israel since 1949. He completed his higher education at The Hebrew University, where he has been teaching since 1972 while engaged in his principal research fields: the literature of the Aggadah and the Midrash, the Aramaic translations of Scriptures and the history of the Siddur. He has published and over 140 articles in these various fields and more than ten books. Shinan also translated Yosef Dov Soloveitchik's books into Hebrew, and edited the popular journal "Et Ha-Da'at". He initiated a new series of books introducing a new "Israeli commentary" on several books of the Bible. He wrote/cowrote four- on the Book of Jonah, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers). He served as advisor to the Book of Esther, written by Rabbi Mishael Zion.

According to Haaretz newspaper, the Pirkei Avot book was a best seller when it appeared in 2009.

He also serves as an academic consultant for Keren Avi Chai  and Beit Avi Chai in Jerusalem.

Books Shinan, A. This Man. Jesus Through Jewish Eyes (Hebrew), Ludwig Mayer, 1999

Shinan, A. The Avi Chai Siddur, 1999

Shinan, A. Midrash Shemot-rabah, parashot 1-14: Yotse la-or ʻal-pi ketav-yad shebi-Yerushalayim uve-tsado ḥilufe-nusḥaʼot, perush u-mavo (Hebrew Edition) Devir Publisher, 1984,

Shinan, A. The World of the Aggadah, Jewish Lights Publications, 1990,

Shinan, A. Targum ṿe-agadah bo: Ha-agadah be-Targum ha-Torah ha-Arami ha-meyuḥas le-Yonatan ben ʻUziʼel (Sidrat sefarim le-ḥeḳer ha-Miḳra mi-yesodo shel S. Sh. Peri) (Hebrew Edition) Magnes Publishers, 1992,

Shinan, A, Pirkei Avot a New Israeli Commentary, Yediot Sefarim, 2009,

Zakovitz, Y, Shinan, A. Gam lo kakh katuv baTanakh [Once again, That's not what the good book says] (Hebrew) Yediot Achronot Press, 2010,

Bilski, S, Shinan, A, Rupture and Repair in Art, Judaism, and Society (Shever veTikun: BaHagut Baomanut, Bachevra). Adi Foundation, 2010,

Shinan, A., Zakovitch, Y. & Zakovitch, V., From Gods to God: How the Bible Debunked, Suppressed, or Changed Ancient Myths and Legends. Jewish Publication Society, 2012,

Zakovitz, Y, Shinan, A. The Book of Jonah, a New Israeli Commentary (Hebrew), Yediot Sefarim, 2015,

Zakovitz, Y, Shinan, A. Song of Songs, a New Israeli Commentary (Hebrew), Yediot Sefarim, 2020,

Shinan, A, Ecclesiastes, a New Israeli Commentary (Hebrew) Yediot Sefarim, 2021,

Key recent publications

Shinan A ( Ed) The Wisdom of the Sages: Biblical commentary in Rabbinic literature - presented to Hananel Maco (translated from Hebrew) Carmel Press, Jerusalem, 2019 Shinan, A. & Zakovitch, Y., Why is "A" placed next to "B"? Juxtaposition in the bible and beyond, Tradition, Transmission, and Transformation from Second Temple Literature through Judaism and Christianity in Late Antiquity: Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Symposium of the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature: Jointly Sponsored by the Hebrew University Center for the Study of Christianity, 22-24 February, 2011. Brill Academic Publishers, p. 322-342 21 p. (Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah; vol. 113). 2015

Shinan, A.,Where is Jonah from? in Jesus Among the Jews: Representation and Thought. Taylor and Francis, p. 36-45 1 Jan 2012 Shinan, A., Kasher, R., Marmur, M. & Flesher, P. V. M., 2011, Michael Klein on the Targums: Collected Essays 1972-2002. Shinan, A., Kasher, R., Flesher, P. V. M. & Marmur, M. (eds.). Brill Academic Publishers, p. 1-331 331 p. (Studies in the Aramaic Interpretation of Scripture; vol. 11). Shinan, A., 2007, Early translations in the Semitic languages: From Hebrew into Aramaic Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft. Kittel, H., Frank, A. P., Greiner, N., Hermans, T., Koller, W., Lambert, J. & Paul, F. (eds.). Walter de Gruyter GmbH, p. 1182-1186 5 p. (Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft; vol. 2). Shinan, A., The late midrashic, paytanic, and targumic literature, The Cambridge History of Judaism: Volume IV the Late Roman-Rabbinic Period. Cambridge University Press, p. 678-698 21 p. 1 Jan 2006⁨

References