Researcher of the Week

Justine Isserles, PhD

École Pratique des Hautes Études-SAPRAT (Paris)

(English/Français)

“I am a research associate at the École Pratique des Hautes Études-SAPRAT (Paris) for the Books Within Books: Hebrew manuscript Fragments in European Libraries database since 2010. After two postdoctoral research projects and the creation of the descriptive catalogue of Hebrew manuscripts at the University Library of Geneva (Switzerland) (https://archives.bge-geneve.ch/ark:/17786/vta3485ae1cf4b675b6), I am currently the director of the Hebrew Manuscript Library of Switzerland project, in collaboration with the Swiss research website e-codices (https://e-codices.unifr.ch/en/about/subprojects). Equally, as an independent scholar, I focus my research publications not only on the material aspect of Hebrew manuscripts, but also on the intellectual, calendrical, liturgical, linguistic, and medical history of medieval European Jewry. Two of my recent publications in these fields of research are: “Maḥzor Vitry: A Study of Liturgical-Halakhic Compendia from Medieval Franco-Germany” Jewish History 35 (2021), 1–29; “The Twenty-Four Egyptian Days in Yiddish” Journal of Jewish Languages 9 (2021), 238–264.

Since the end of 2018, most of my time has been spent on developing the aforementioned project with e-codices, where I have had the privilege of viewing and describing the material aspects and contents of many medieval and post-medieval Hebrew manuscripts in Swiss public and private collections, mainly held in Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich. The digitized manuscripts on e-codices are accompanied by comprehensive descriptions, which include commentaries and bibliographical references, and whose main objective is to ensure the preservation and diffusion of these precious witnesses of Jewish culture in Switzerland. Two forthcoming articles pertaining to Hebrew manuscripts in Swiss collections are: “The Particular Case of an Engraved Esther Scroll Attributed to Shalom Italia,” in From Cairo to Amsterdam: Hebrew Scrolls from the 11th to the 18th Centuries, (eds.) E. Abate and J. Isserles, special section of Henoch 1 (2021); “Hebrew Manuscripts and Fragments in Switzerland”, to be published in a collective volume by Brill(Leiden: 2022).”

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Justine Isserles (Docteure en Langues, littératures et civilisations juives)

École Pratique des Hautes Études-SAPRAT (Paris)

“Je suis chercheure associée à l’École Pratique des Hautes Études-SAPRAT (Paris) pour le projet Books Within Books: Hebrew manuscript Fragments in European Libraries depuis 2010. Après deux projets de recherche postdoctoraux et la création du Catalogue des manuscrits hébreux de la Bibliothèque de Genève: notices et commentaires (https://archives.bge-geneve.ch/ark:/17786/vta3485ae1cf4b675b6), je dirige actuellement le projet Bibliothèque des manuscrits hébreux de Suisse, en collaboration avec le site de recherche e-codices (https://e-codices.unifr.ch/fr/about/subprojects). De surcroît, en tant que chercheure indépendante, je me concentre non seulement sur l’aspect matériel des manuscrits hébreux, mais aussi dans l’étude de l’histoire intellectuelle, calendaire, linguistique, liturgique et médicale des juifs d’Europe médiévale. Deux de mes publications récentes sont: “Maḥzor Vitry: A Study of Liturgical-Halakhic Compendia from Medieval Franco-Germany” Jewish History 35 (2021), 1–29; “The Twenty-Four Egyptian Days in Yiddish” Journal of Jewish Languages 9 (2021), 238–264.

Depuis la fin 2018, je me suis consacrée à développer le projet susmentionné avec e-codices, où j’ai eu le privilège de consulter et de décrire le contenu de nombreux manuscrits hébreux médiévaux et post-médiévaux des collections publiques et privées en Suisse, pour la plupart conservés à Bâle, Berne, Genève et Zurich. Les manuscrits hébreux numérisés sur e-codices sont accompagnés de notices descriptives complètes incluant des commentaires et des références bibliographiques, et qui ont avant tout, l’objectif de préserver et de faire connaître ces précieux témoins de culture juive en Suisse. Deux articles à paraître portant sur des manuscrits issus des collections suisses sont: “The Particular Case of an Engraved Esther Scroll Attributed to Shalom Italia”, dans From Cairo to Amsterdam: Hebrew Scrolls from the 11th to the 18th Centuries, (éd.) E. Abate et J. Isserles, section spéciale de la revue Henoch 1 (2021); “Hebrew Manuscripts and Fragments in Switzerland”, à paraître dans un volume collectif chez Brill (Leiden: 2022).”


OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Andreas Lehnertz (October 17, 2021). Researcher of the Week. medievalJewishStudiesNow! Retrieved March 7, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/rhgi


About Andreas Lehnertz

As Juniorprofessor of medieval history with a specialization in Jewish history at the University of Trier, Andreas Lehnertz studies the social, cultural, and religious history of Europe. His academic pursuits focus on the nuanced dynamics of everyday Christian-Jewish relations, the study of marginal Hebrew and Yiddish deeds, the study of Jewish and general sealing practices, and the in-depth study of Jewish craftspeople. He wrote a book on "Jewish Seals in the Medieval German Empire: The Authentication and Self-Representation of Jewish Men and Women". His expertise has been further honed through his roles as a postdoctoral fellow in the ERC project "Beyond the Elite - Jewish Daily Life in Medieval Europe" at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and as a member of the Martin Buber Society in the Humanities and Social Sciences, also at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Currently he writes a book about "Jewish Craftspeople in Medieval Germany". Through his research and publications, he aims to make a meaningful contribution to the academic discourse surrounding medieval history and to provide valuable insights into the rich tapestry of European history during this pivotal period.

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