Rafael Rachel Neis, University of Michigan
“When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven”
2024-25 Frankel Institute “Jewish/Queer/Trans”
In this episode, we explore the work of Rafael Rachel Neis, a professor of ancient history at the University of Michigan, whose book, When a Human Gives Birth to a Raven, delves into ancient rabbinic understandings of reproduction and identity, focusing on how the rabbis of the Talmud viewed the emergence of new life. The book aims to reveal a more complex, varied, and open ancient world, countering the traditional Judeo-Christian perspectives on family, reproduction, and identity.