Rabbi Judah Moscato and the Jewish Intellectual World of Mantua in the 16th-17th Centuries

Judah ben Joseph Moscato (c.1533–1590) was one of the most distinguished rabbis, authors, and preachers of the Italian-Jewish Renaissance. This volume is a record of the proceedings of an international conference, organized by the Institute of Jewish Studies at Halle-Wittenberg (Germany), and Mantua’s State Archives. It consists of contributions on Moscato and the intellectual world in Mantua during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Giuseppe Veltri, is Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Halle-Wittenberg and Director of the Zunz Centre (Halle). He has published widely in the subjects of hermeneutics and philosophy including Gegenwart der Tradition (2002), Cultural Intermediaries (2004 with D. Ruderman); Libraries, Translation and 'Canonic texts' (2006); The Jewish Body (2008, with M. Diemling); Renaissance Philosophy in Jewish Garb (2009); Judah Moscato’s Sermons (2011).

Gianfranco Miletto is university private lecturer (“Privatdozent”) at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. He has published on Biblical Philology and on the Jewish culture in Italy at the time of the Renaissance and Counter-Reformation: L’ Antico Testamento Ebraico nella tradizione babilonese (1992); Die Heldenschilde des Abraham ben David Portaleone, 2 vols. (2003); Glauben und Wissen im Zeitalter der Reformation (2004); Judah Moscato’s Sermons (2011).

"This fascinating conference volume is the latest publication of the remarkable Italian-German scholars Veltri and Miletto. It reflects the strong trend in Renaissance interests among European Jewish studies scholars, of whom this pair are leading lights. [...] The book overall is a fine example of what a conference volume should be. [...] [T]he essays [...] are all good; [...] rise to the level of excellence." – Matt Goldish, The Ohio State University, in: Renaissance Quarterly 65.4 (Winter 2012), pp. 1271-1273, DOI: 10.1086/669413
"Brill's new scholarly edition and translation of Moscato's sermons is a major contribution to Jewish Renaissance studies. [...] The editors identify the many references to both Jewish and Classical literature, and give brief but clear explanations when needed. The translation is also clear, and seems to accruately reflect the Hebrew text." – Jim Rosenbloom, in: Association of Jewish Libraries Reviews, November/December 2012