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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Armenian Studies
Report on Activities 2003-4

Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Asian and African Studies
Mt. Scopus, Jerusalem 91905, Israel
Tel: (972) 2 588 3651/5 Fax: (972) 2 5883658
Web Site: http://micro5.mscc.huji.ac.il/~armenia
email: JerusalemArmenian@h2.hum.huji.ac.il

Introduction
Background and History of the Program
We have decided to coordinate our reports with the academic year.
This report, therefore, covers calendar year 2003 and the second semester to 2003-04

Academic Matters - Teaching, Fellowships, Students
An active program in Armenian Studies has existed at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 1967; in 1998-1999 we celebrated 30 Years of Armenian Studies at the Hebrew University. Thus, the University has recognized the significant role of the Armenians in Israel's complex society and in the Holy Land over more than three decades.

In recent years the Armenian Studies program entered a period of unprecedented and dynamic growth. Ever closer relationships with the Republic of Armenia and its academic institutions have been nurtured. An agreement between the Armenian Patriarchate and the University encourages newly ordained clergy to continue their education at the Hebrew University. Israeli students are exhibiting a new interest in Armenian Studies. The number of students increases each year. With the help and support of friends of Armenian Studies from all over the world, we have striven to respond to this growing demand. The program has been enriched, and now a broad range of courses is offered, reflecting the wealth and variety of Armenian history, language and culture.

Armenian Studies forms part of the Department of Indian, Iranian and Armenian Studies in the University's Institute of Asian and African Studies. Georgian Studies are also taught in conjunction with the Armenian program. The programs of the Hebrew University and its Rothberg School for overseas students are fully accredited.

Faculty, Degrees and Courses
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem offers degree courses in Armenian Studies at the Bachelor's, Master's and the Doctoral levels. Undergraduate and graduate students also come for one year periods of study as part of their degree programs at other institutions. Post-doctoral students often spend a research year in the Department.

The faculty members directly involved in Armenian and Georgian Studies this year are:

1. Michael E. Stone, Ph.D. (Harvard), D.Litt. (Melbourne), Armenian Studies (Professor)
2. Sergio La Porta, Ph.D. (Harvard) - Armenian Studies (Tenure Track Lecturer)
3. Constantine Lerner, Dr.Sc. (Tbilisi) - Georgian Studies (Associate Professor)
4. Nira Stone, Ph.D. (Hebrew University) - Armenian Art (Adjunct Lecturer)
5. Spring 2004, Robert Hewsen, Ph.D. (Georgetown) - Visiting Lady Davis Professor
6. Spring 2004 Aram Topchyan, Ph.D. (Yerevan) - Visiting Fellow
7. Spring 2004 Gohar Muradyan, Ph.D. (Yerevan) - Visiting Research Fellow

Many other faculty members offer courses relevant to Armenian Studies in associated fields, such as History, Middle East Studies, Central Asian Studies, Turkish Studies, Iranian Studies, Classical Studies, Comparative Religion and Christian Studies.

Staff Matters
Dr. Sergio La Porta was successful in the world-wide competition for the 4 tenure-track positions available starting this year in the Faculty of Humanities. He ended 2nd in a field of about 70 candidates. As a result, from academic year 2003-04 on, he is part of the regular, budgeted staff of the Faculty of Humanities, being two thirds in Armenian Studies and one third in Religious Studies (Oriental Christianity).

Professor Robert Hewsen joined us for the spring semester, having won a prestigious Lady Davis Professorial Fellowship. He is teaching a course on the Conversion of Armenia. Dr. Aram Topchyan of the Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Yerevan is here as an Orion Visiting Fellow. He teaches a course on Armenian sources for the history of the surrounding regions. He is also working with Professor Stone on a major article or monograph on the Jews in Armenia and participates in the course on the history of the Jews in Armenia. Dr. Muradyan has an appointment as Visiting Research Fellow. She is pursuing her research on the influential ancient writing, the Physiologus, which will be published in the Hebrew University Armenian Series.

Courses taught at the Armenian Studies Program 2003-04

Language

Modern Literary Armenian for Beginners, Reading and Composition Dr. Sergio La Porta

History

Armenian Sources on the Jews and Israel Prof. M. E. Stone
Biblical and Haggadic Traditions in Armenian Culture Prof. M. E. Stone
Armenian Sources for the Crusader Period Dr. Sergio La Porta
Historical Sources on Armenia until the Crusades Dr. Aram Topchyan
The Conversion of Armenia Prof. R Hewsen
The World of Oriental Christianity Dr. Sergio La Porta

Literature and Art

Armenian Art Dr. N. Stone

Georgian Studies

Spoken Georgian Prof. K. Lerner
Political History of the Georgian People Prof. K. Lerner
Jewish Folklore as a Source for Georgian Historiography Prof. K. Lerner

Graduate Students and Research Visitors
Yoav Loeff 's MA thesis was approved with commendation. It was on: "Four Texts from the Oldest Known Armenian Amulet Scroll: Matenadaran 116 (1428)". He is being encouraged to publish the main part of this interesting research. The doctoral students Noune Poghossian, On the Liturgical Music of the Armenian Church of Jerusalem and Marlen Eordigian, On the Relationship between the State of Israel and the Armenian Patriarchate 1948-1967 are on leave.

Father Pakrad Bourjekian continues work on his master's thesis on: "An Unpublished Homily of St. Gregory Martyrophile", and Narineh Yacoubian on her master's thesis on: "The Life and Works of Patriarch Gregory the Chainbearer of Jerusalem". In addition, Fr. Emmanuel Aljanian is working for an MA in Religious Studies through the Rothberg School.

Mr. Mikayel Arakelian of Erevan has been admitted to write a Ph.D. on Late Medieval Armenian Art. He received fellowship support from the Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel and the Soros Foundation. Unfortunately, he fell in Yerevan and fractured his leg severely and will be able to come to Jerusalem only in the academic year 2004-05.

Fellowships
The Sam and May Rudin Foundation Fellowships were established to build bridges with the Armenian religious community in Jerusalem. In 200 3-4, four priests from the Armenian Monastery of the Sts. James studied at the University under Sam and May Rudin Foundation Fellowships. These are:

1. Father Pakrad Bourjekian - Armenian Studies. Father Pakrad graduated his BA degree and is currently completing an MA, with plans to continue for a doctorate.
2. Father Norayr Kazazian - Armenian Studies. Father Norayr will complete his BA degree this year and continue studying in the Hebrew University Library School.
3. Father Emmanuel Atajanian - Religious Studies is completing his MA.
4. Father Isahak Minassian - First year BA with a minor in Armenian Studies. He finished the pre-academic preparatory course with distinction and has entered the BA program.

In the Fall of 2003, Prof. Michael Stone presented a report on the Rudin Fellowships to the Foundation as required and the Foundation has renewed the grant.
The Krikor Momjian Fellowships were donated by Jerusalem's Momjian Family, Tsolag and Allegra Momjian, and their children, Hagop, Albert and Monique in honour of their father and grandfather Krikor Momjian. These fellowships are for graduates of St. Tarkmanchatz High School in the Armenian Quarter to study at Hebrew University.

The first Momjian Fellow is Ms Lena Najarian who is in the first year of her BA studies.

MA Program in Armenian and Religious Studies
This new program has been approved by the institutions of the Faculty of Humanities. The establishment of this program is an important step for the future of the Armenian Studies Program.

Field Trip
Dr. Sergio La Porta led a tour of the Armenian Monastery of St. James in Jerusalem. The tour was attended by students in his course on the History of Oriental Christianity. Dr. La Porta provided an hour-long introductory lecture on Armenian history and Christianity as well as on the long presence of Armenians in Jerusalem.

The three-hour tour was an effective way to introduce the richness of Armenian history and culture to those who were unfamiliar with them. His Beatitude Torkom II, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, and His Excellency Archbishop Nurhan Manoogian, Grand Sacristan of the Cathedral of Sts. James, gave full and enthusiastic cooperation and assistance in the planning and execution of the tour.

Publications
Excellent progress is being made in the field of publications. This highlights the role of the Hebrew University Armenian Studies program as a major research center in the field. In addition to excitement over the volumes published in the Hebrew University Armenian Series, we are particularly proud that scholarly studies and translations, prepared by students of the BA and MA degrees as part of their course work, have been accepted or published in refereed scholarly journals and literary forums. This unique aspect of our achievement is the most eloquent witness possible to the high standard of motivation and study that we achieve.

Hebrew University Armenian Series

Four volumes have been published so far. These are:
Michael E. Stone, A Concordance of the Armenian Apocryphal Adam Books, Peeters, Leuven, 2001, xvi + 292 pages (HUAS, 1)
Christina Maranci, Medieval Armenian Architecture: Constructions of Race and Nation, Peeters, Leuven, 2001, viii + 282 pages (HUAS, 2)
Robert W. Thomson, The Armenian Adaptation of the Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus, Peeters, Leuven, 2001, xxii + 254 pages (HUAS, 3)
Michael E. Stone, Roberta R. Ervine and Nira Stone (eds.), The Armenians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, Peeters, Leuven, 2002.

We have accepted for publication:

Robert W. Thomson, Hamam's Commentary on Proverbs

The following volumes are in final stages of preparation:

Gohar Muradyan, The Physiologus: Edition and Translation
Michael E. Stone and Nira Stone, Catalogue of the Unpublished Armenian Manuscripts of the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin
Th.M. van Lint et. al. Volume to Honour Prof. J.J.S. Weitenberg
Aram Topchyan, The Question of the Sources of Movses Xorenac'i

A number of further volumes have been promised.

Armenian Paradigms by Gregory E. Sterling, edited by Michael E. Stone
This pedagogical tool was assembled by Professor Gregory E. Sterling of Notre Dame University, who was a student in Michael Stone's course in Ancient Armenian in 2000-2001. This 50-page booklet is currently in press with Peeters, Leuven and publication is expected momentarily. It is another publication of the Armenian Studies program emerging out of course work.

Translations of Poems by Catholicos Grigor Tghay
A poem by the medieval Armenian poet Catholicos Grigor Tghay ws translated into English by Michael Stone, in the context of his seminar on medieval Armenian poetry last year. The poem was published, with annotations and introduction, in Sion, Journal of the Armenian Patriarchate, in 2003.

Hebrew University Expedition to Armenia
The second and final part of the report on the expedition to and excavation of the Jewish Cemetery in Eghegis is in final stages of preparation and will be sent to the Journal of Jewish Studies for publication within the coming month. The Hebrew language report is in press with Pe'amim (Ben-Tzvi Institute for the Study of the Oriental Jewish Communities).

Library
The growth of the Armenian Studies Program and its student body and the consequent growing needs of courses and research created an urgent need to increase our modest library collection. Some books on Armenian topics are purchased from the general library budget, but this limited sum is not adequate for keeping up with current publications, not to speak of collection development. We have worked on a number of programs that help us enhance our collection, though it is still far from adequate. We acknowledge the following institutions and individuals who contributed to this effort.

• Our exchange program with the Library of Congress continues and we acknowledge the value of this program for building our collection.
  
  
• We regularly send copies of HUAS volumes to Yerevan State University, with which we have an Agreement of Cooperation. We have received a number of volumes in return.
  
  
• H.B. Torkom II, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem has made gifts to the library of a number of volumes published by the Patriarchate's St. James Press.
  
  
• The Jewish National and University Library and the Bloomfield Central Library on Mount Scopus, both provided sums of money with which Professor Stone was able to purchase a number of important reference books during his last visit to Armenia.
  
  
• A number of individuals and institutions have donated books to our collection.

The Armenian Studies Program provides a student to assist in the cataloguing of works in Armenian, in order to get them onto the shelves more efficiently. The matter of library remains particularly pressing since the Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate is still closed for renovation and will remain closed for some time. Thus every book that is added to the collection benefits our students.

Appointments and Honors

Professor Michael Stone was presented with a volume honouring his contribution in the field of Second Temple Jewish Studies, written by his friends and students. The honourary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters will be conferred on Professor Michael Stone by Hebrew Union College at the convocation in Jerusalem in November, 2004.

Research Themes
The research carried out in the Armenian Studies Program is rich and varied.

The major funded project is headed by Professor M.E. Stone and funded by the Israel Science Foundation. It is on The Adam Epic of Arakel of Siwnik. This project is well under way and should be finished by October 2005, as projected.

Other main focuses of research of members of the Department are the following:

Armenians in the Holy Land and the Georgians in the Holy Land

• M.E. Stone, Armenian Inscriptions in the Holy Land. Professor Stone continues his publications on this field. A number of new articles have been published in this field.
• R. Ervine and M.E. Stone, The Inscriptions and Dedications of the Church of the Holy Archangels in Jerusalem. One article has been published. Due to R. Ervine's move to the United States, it is foreseen that the pace of this project will be slower but the next article is under planning.
• K. Lerner: Problems of Semitic Tradition in Ancient Georgian Culture. Dr. Lerner's monographic study on the early Georgian Judaeo-Christian community is currently in press. He continues with further project on this theme.

Biblical Traditions in Armenian Culture and Related Topics

• M.E. Stone, Further Armenian Apocryphal Texts from Manuscripts; Concordances of the Armenian Apocryphal Adam Literature.
• N. Stone, The Figure of Satan in Armenian Art
• N. Stone, Apocryphal Stories reflected in Armenian Manuscript Illuminations
• N. Stone, Narrative Illustrative Cycles in Armenian Art
• N. Stone, The Iconography of Paradise in Byzantine and Armenian Art

Armenian Literature and Thought

• M.E. Stone and N. Stone, The Unpublished Armenian Holdings of the Chester Beatty Library. Michael and Nira Stone serve as consultants for the Armenian Collections of this famous library in Dublin. They have completed the first volume of this project: The Unpublished Armenian Manuscripts.
• S. La Porta is working on medieval Armenian religious thought. He is finishing a book on the Armenian commentaries on the work entitled On the Celestial Hierarchy by Pseudo-Dionysius, who was a crucial writer in medieval Christian traditions. He is also translating the history written by Thomas of Mecop into English, with a commentary, and he and Michael Stone are translating and annotating the Commentary on Genesis of Vardan Arewelc'i. He continues working on Grigor Tat'ewac'i's Book of Questions and its place in medieval Armenian thought.
• K. Lerner, The Social Status of the Jewish Community in Georgia
• K. Lerner, An Hypothesis of the Typology of Language Movements

Publications and Works in Press: Full bibliographies of members of the Armenian Studies Program, including journal articles not listed here, are to be found on the web site: http://micro5.mscc.huji.ac.il/~armenia

Student Activities, Outreach and Community-Orientated Program

Public Lecture Series is sponsored by the Department in English, Armenian and Hebrew. In 2003-04 we held the following lectures:

• March 17: Robert Hewsen, "Karabagh, Today and Future".
• April 28: Evening in Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.
• May 23: Symposium on Translating Cultures

Armenian Studies Web Page and Press Releases
The Internet Site, established by the Department in order to present its own work, and also the riches of Armenian culture, has been completely restructured. The Webmaster is Michael Hillel. It is available at: http://micro5.mscc.huji.ac.il/~armenia. The Internet Site is a rich source of historical and cultural information. Special pages are devoted to the ancient Armenian mosaics discovered in Jerusalem, Armenian Art (under development) and other similar topics. Full information about the Armenian Program and its activities is posted there and all press releases and other information.

We continue to make the work of the Armenian Studies Program known through a series of Press Releases in English and Armenian which have had good coverage in the Armenian press and to sustain relations with our friends and supporters abroad.

Friends of the Armenian Studies Program
Contact is maintained through regular mailing of news about the Armenian Studies Program
and of matters of Armenian interest in Jerusalem. Members visiting Jerusalem are welcomed.
We encourage you to become a member and support our work.
The achievements recorded in this report are only possible with the support of our Friends.

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