Horvitz 2025: Genesis: Archaeology and the Patriarchal Narrative

The 30th Bunny and Leo Horvitz Scholar-in-Residence Program Featuring Dr. David Ilan
NEW HORIZONS: The Incredible Story of Ancient Israel Told Through Archaeology
February 2 – 20, 2025

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Series 1: Biblical Texts and Ancient Artifacts: A Dialogue

Genesis: Archaeology and the Patriarchal Narrative
Monday, February 3 | 7:30 PM

In the patriarchal narratives, we are told of Abraham’s emigration from Ur of the Chaldees to the Land of Canaan via Haran. Is there any evidence for this story? It turns out that there is, but as usual, it gets complicated.

About Dr. Ilan
A native of Los Angeles, Dr. David llan was the director of the Nelson Glueck School of Biblical Archaeology at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem from 2003 to 2024. He has excavated at Tel Arad, Tel Malhata, Tel Yokneam and Tel Megiddo and directed the excavations at Tel Dan from 2005 to 2022. He teaches at the Hebrew Union College, has taught at Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, Johns Hopkins University, and spent a sabbatical year in 2019-2020 at the Center for the Study of Origins of the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Ilan specializes in mortuary archaeology, the archaeology of religion and ritual, ground stone artifacts, ceramic typology and technology, and the Chalcolithic period, the Middle Bronze Age and the early Iron Age of the southern Levant. He is the editor of the journal NGSBA Archaeology and the monograph series of the Nelson Glueck School. Dr. Ilan has published three final excavation reports and numerous articles in scholarly journals and in the popular press. His most recent articles deal with the praxis and paraphernalia of ritual action and religious belief in the ancient Near East, including the use of psychotropic substances.

Registration is FREE | Advanced Registration Requested for All Events
Dr. Leo Horvitz’s commitment to the Jewish community is legendary. The Scholar-in-Residence Program was originally established in 1989 by his wife, Bunny, to honor the memory of Dr. Horvitz who served the Houston Jewish community in many capacities. In 1995, to honor the blessed memory of Bunny Horvitz, the program was renamed the Bunny and Leo Horvitz Scholar-in-Residence Program. Due to a generous donation from Shirley and Sig Horvitz and Carol and Paul Horvitz, the series continues to reflect their dedication to excellence in Jewish education for the entire community. The Evelyn Rubenstein JCC thanks the Horvitz Family for their continued support of this program. Though registration is free, attendees are welcome and encouraged to contribute to the principal of the fund. Your contributions will help support the program’s continued growth and success.