ARMENIAN STUDIES IN JERUSALEM
Mickael Araqelyan
"Noravank" Foundation
12 March 2010
Armenian Studies Centre of Israel is in Jerusalem. It was founded
in 1967 by Professor Michael Stone and it works till today at the
Hebrew University. The Armenian Studies Centre is the independent
branch of the Department of the Indian and Iranian Studies and it is
subject to the Institute of African and Asian Studies at humanities
faculty. The Georgian studies are taught within the framework of the
Armenian programme. All the programmes of the Hebrew University and
its Rothberg School are intended for foreign students.
We will focus on the activity of the Armenian Studies Centre for the
recent decade.
In 2001 Professor Michael Stone (the Head of the Armenian Studies
Centre) with the assistance of the Faculty of Humanities of the Hebrew
University established close ties with the academic establishments in
Armenia (Yerevan State University and the Mesrop Mashtots Institute
of Ancient Manuscripts – Matenadaran). The chancellors of the Hebrew
University and Yerevan State University signed agreement about the
cooperation in the fields of students and research experience exchange.
Besides, an agreement was reached between the St. Hakobyants Fraternity
in Jerusalem and Hebrew University which would encourage and assist
Armenian clergy to continue its education at the Hebrew University.
Israeli students are also interested in studying different branches
of the Armenia Studies. Throughout the school year, according to
the statistic data of the Faculty of Humanities the lessons of the
Armenian studies are attended by 2-8 students. Here it is considered
to be a good performance. Due to the financial aid of beneficiaries
from different countries the level of the research and teaching of
different branches of the studies has grown. The students pass rather
informative courses which reflect the richness and diversity of the
Armenian history, language, art and culture.
Academic degrees – at the end of the study at the Armenian Studies
Centre and after the defence of the papers and theses the Senate
of the Hebrew University awards the academic degrees of Bachelor of
Arts (BA), Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) to the
students. Those students and post-graduates who study and carry out
their researches abroad are also allowed to visit Jerusalem for a
short period during the academic year for in-depth training course or
researching. The applicants for the PhD, according to the programme,
may come for a year or two, in order to carry out their studies in
the Armenian, Indian or Iranian departments.
The main lecturers of the Armenian and Georgian studies Michael
E. Stone, PhD (Harvard), D. Lit (Melbourne) – Armenian studies
(Professor) Sergio la Porta, PhD (Harvard) – Armenian studies
(lecturer) Konstantin Lerner, Doctor of Sciences (Tbilisi) – Georgian
studies (Professor) Nira Stone, PhD (Hebrew University) – Armenian
Medieval painting (lecturer).
A number of other lecturers also offer the students of the Hebrew
University different courses which are directly or indirectly connected
with the Armenian studies, e.g. history, Eastern studies, comparative
religious studies and the studies of the Eastern Christianity.
The following courses have been taught for the recent 8 years1.
The courses offered for 1999-2000 academic year The Art of Armenia and
Christian East (Doctor N. Stone)2 Armenians in the Ottoman Empire: the
Early Period (Doctor Roberta Ervine) Armenian hagiography (Saints’
live) (Doctor R. Ervine) The History of Sebeos (Prof. M. Stone)
Eznik Koghbatsi, "Against Herecy" (Prof. M. Stone) The Texts Written
in Medieval Armenian (grabar) (Prof. M. Stone) University Monasteries
in Medieval Armenia (Doctor S. la Porta and Prof. M. Stone) Seminar on
Armenian Studies (Prof. M. Stone) Primary Georgian (Prof. K. Lerner)
Georgian Saints’ Live (V-X centuries) (Prof. K. Lerner) 3 The History
of the Jewish Community in Georgia (Prof. K. Lerner)4.
The courses offered for 2000-2001 academic year Primary Ancient
Armenia (grabar) (Prof. M. Stone) Armenians in the Modern Period
(17th-20th centuries) (Doctor R. Ervine) On Some Issues of the Armenia
Art (Doctor N. Stone)5 Medieval Armenian Poetry (Prof. M. Stone)
The Advanced Course of Modern Armenian (Doctor R. Ervine) Modern
Armenian: Reading of the Text and its Structure (Doctor R. Ervine)
Armenian Holy Places and their visitors in the Holy Land before the
Crusades (Prof. M. Stone) Pilgrimage in the Armenian Tradition (Doctor
R. Ervine)6 Literature: "Questions and Answers" in the Armenian
Tradition (Doctor R. Ervin)7 Advanced Georgian (Prof. K. Lerner)
Introduction to the History of Georgia (Prof. K. Lerner)8 Jewish
Folklore as a Source of Georgian Historiography (Prof. K. Lerner)9 The
courses offered for 2001-2002 academic year Armenia Lithography in
Israel and Armenia (Prof. M. Stone) 10 Adam and Eva in the Armenian
Tradition11 Christianity in Armenia: Origin and Development (Doctor
S. la Porta) Armenian Studies: Modern Orientation and Researches
(Doctor S. la Porta) Grigor Tatewaci’s "Book of Questions" ("Doctor
S. la Porta) 12 Eastern Monasticism (Doctor S. la Porta) 13 Armenian
History from the Beginning till the 19th century (Doctor S. la Porta)
Armenian Art (Doctor N. Stone) 14 The courses for 2003-2008 by themes
Language: "Modern Armenian Literary Language for the Beginners"
(Doctor S. la Porta). History: Armenian Sources about the Jews and
Israel", "Scriptural Literary Traditions in Armenian Culture" (Prof.
M. Stone), "Historical Sources about Armenia before the Crusades"
(Doctor Aram Topchyan, Matenadaran, Yerevan), "Conversion of Armenia"
(Prof. Robert Hewsen, USA), "The World of the Eastern Christianity"
(Doctor S. la Porta). Literature and art: "The Art of the Medieval
Armenia" (Doctor N. Stone). Georgian studies: "Colloquial Georgian",
"Jewish Folklore as a Source of Georgian Historiography" and "The
Political History of the Georgian People" (Prof. K. Lerner).
Since 2004 the Armenian Studies Centre has been inviting specialists
in the field of the Armenian studies to read lectures. E.g. Prof.
Robert Hewsen (USA) who won Lady Davis’s Grant and came to Jerusalem
read the lectures during the spring semester. The lectures were devoted
to the Christianization of Armenia. Then doctor Aram Topchyan (Yerevan,
Matenadaran) came thanks to the Orion Foundation (Jerusalem). He
ran a course devoted to the information in the Armenian historical
sources about the countries neighbouring to Armenia. Together with
Prof. Stone Aram Topchyan keep on working at the project devoted to
the Jews in Armenia. Another specialist, Doctor Gohar Muradyan was
invited to the Hebrew University in order to present to the students
the results of the researches about the ancient Physiologus text
published in Jerusalem in 200515. The Armenian Studies Centre has
preserved that tradition and invited specialists in Armenian studies,
such as Prof. Theo van Lint (Oxford), Prof. Jasmine Dum-Tragud
(Salzburg) and others.
The Master’s Degree contenders at the Armenian Studies Centre. There
were few students in the history of this centre of the Hebrew
University who finished their study and defended their papers. Let
us mention all those students to whom the Hebrew University granted
academic degrees (including PhD). Narine Yakubian (Los Angeles) wrote
"The Life and Work of Jerusalem Patriarch Grigor Shghtayakir" master’s
thesis. The master’s thesis of Yoav Loeff (Israel) was "Four Texts
from the well-known oldest Armenian Manuscripts: Matenadaran, N116
(1428)". The author prepares for publishing this study in the form
of monograph. The member of St. Hakobyants Fraternity archimandrite
Bagrat Purdjikian has finished his "The Unpublished Sermon of St.
Grigor Vkayaser" master’s thesis, and archimandrite Emmanuel Aldjanian
continues his study at Rothberg School and prepares paper on the
study of the religions.
The PhD contenders at the Armenian Studies Centre. There have been
only three PhD contenders for the recent 10 years. Nune Poghosyan
defended her doctoral thesis "The Liturgical Music of the Armenian
Church in Jerusalem", and the subject of Marlen Yeordigian’s doctoral
thesis was "The Relations between the State of Israel and Armenian
Patriarchate in 1948-1967" 16. Mikael Arakelyan is professional painter
and historian of art. He defended his "The Illustrated Gospels of
Miniaturist Mesrop Khizantsi (the fist half of the 17th century)"
candidate’s dissertation at the Institute of Art of the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia in 2004. In the same year he started
his post-graduate studies at the Hebrew University which he finished
in 2009. The subject of his PhD thesis is "New Djugha’s school of
the Armenian Miniature: Old Testament and New Testament cycles in
four Gospels (1607-1660)" 17. The work is coming to an end and it
should be submitted for consideration to the senate of the Hebrew
University at the end of 2009 or at the beginning of 2010.
Friends and the sponsors of the Armenian Studies Centre.
The Sam and May Rudin Foundation Fellowships are awarded to cover the
costs of the study at the Hebrew University of the clergymen from St.
Hakobyants Fraternity. In 2003-2009 five clergymen were granted the
fellowship at the university. They all have been studying at BA and
MA courses.
"Grigor Momdjian" Fellowship is awarded by the Momdjyan’s family from
Jerusalem (Tsolak, Alegra and their children Hakob, Albert and Monika)
to the certified graduates of "Srbots Targmanchats" school for them
to continue study at the Hebrew University. All the grant holders
should attend different courses on Armenian studies as a part of
their university education during the whole five years of study.
The Jack Rudin Fellowship was instituted by Mr. Jack Rudin (New
York) and it is intended for the deacons who graduated from the
"Zharangavorats" theological seminary under the Patriarchate
of Jerusalem and who want to continue their study in the field of
Armenian studies at the Hebrew University. The fellowship is awarded
in order to help young deacons to deepen their knowledge and be
useful to the Armenian Apostolic Church in the sequel All the three
foundations were officially approved by the president of the Hebrew
University Mr. Menahem Magidor. Such financial assistance boosts the
development of the Armenian Studies Centre and this, in its turn,
promotes the growth of the educational level of the students and
helps to contribute to the study of the intellectual, historical and
artistic heritage of the Armenian people.
Prospects – Despite the eager activity of the Armenian Studies Centre
in Jerusalem there are a number of problems and we will touch upon them
briefly. Two years ago Prof. Michael Stone (the Head of the Armenian
Studies Centre at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem) retired. In
2006-2007 academic years Doctor Sergio la Porta – the specialist in the
field of Armenian Medieval Theology, history, grabar, as well as the
role of the Armenians in Jerusalem (particularly in the Middle Ages)
– was entrusted with the managing of the centre. At current moment
the Armenian Studies Centre is at the verge of closing because the
administration of the Hebrew University has not assigned means (as it
used to do for the recent 40 years) to cover the expenses necessary
for carrying out researches connected with the Armenian studies. The
financial crisis has also hit other faculties. Amid such uncertainty
Doctor S. la Porta was invited to the University of Fresno (California)
to teach Armenian studies in 2009-2010 academic year. Even if he
returns to Jerusalem it does not mean that the problem will be solved
in the positive way. The administration of the university formally
preserves the status of the Armenian studies at their university
but if the persons concerned do not manage to find finances and new
specialists then, most probably, there will be no Armenian studies in
Jerusalem any more. The aforementioned sponsors are ready to continue
granting fellowships to the students, but who will assign means to
preserve the Armenian Studies Centre in Jerusalem? This issue can
only be solved with the help of the government of Armenia.
Besides Armenia there are only several large centers of Armenian
studies. Unfortunately their number is gradually reducing and they
are "critically endangered". Jerusalem with its Armenian Quarter has
been and is important spiritual and historical place for Armenia and
Armeniancy, and we, despite all the difficulties, should preserve not
only Armenian studies but also our presence in the Armenian Quarter.
In order to solve this issue, it is necessary to preserve the
possibility of carrying out researches connected with the Armenian
studies and education in Jerusalem which will promote to the
preservation and survival of the national and Christian significance
of the Armenian Quarter.
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2N. Stone. "A Pair of Armenian Manuscript Missals in the Library of
Congress," Revue des Etudes arméniennes, 29 (2003-2004), pp. 193-211;
M. E. Stone. "A Reassessment of the Bird and Eustathius Mosaics," in:
The Armenians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, eds. M. E. Stone, R. R.
Ervine, and N. Stone. Hebrew University Armenian Series 4. Leuven:
Peeters, 2002, pp. 203-219.
3K. Lerner. "Georgia, Christian History," in: The Blackwell Dictionary
of Eastern Christianity, ed. by Ken Parry, Blackwell Publishers 1999,
pp. 210-214.
4K. Lerner. "The Social Status of the Jewish Community in Ancient
Georgia," Central Asia and Caucasus 2 (Lulea, Sweden 1999), pp.
206-210 (in Russian).
5N. Stone. "Apocryphal Stories in Armenian Manuscripts," Publications
del’Institut Romand des Sciences Bibliques 1, Apocryphes arméniens,
Actes du colloque international sur la littérature apocryphe en langue
arménienne (Genève, 18-20 septembre 1997), Lausanne: Ã~Iditions du
Zèbre, 1999, pp. 161-169.
6R. Ervine. "Changes in Armenian Pilgrim Attitudes between 1600 and
1857," in: The Armenians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, eds. M. E.
Stone, R. R. Ervine, and N. Stone. Hebrew University Armenian Series
4. Leuven: Peeters, 2002, pp. 81-95.
7R. Ervine. Vanakan Vardapet’s Questions relating to the Pentateuch
(forthcoming).
8K. Lerner. "The Conversion of Kartli (Georgia)," in: Anatolian and
Caucasian Studies, Cleveland State University (in press).
9K. Lerner. Problems of Semitic Tradition in Ancient Georgian Culture
(forthcoming).
10R. R. Ervine, M. E. Stone. The Inscriptions and Dedications of the
Church of the Holy Archangels in Jerusalem (in press); R. Ervine.
"Epigraphica Armeniaca Hierosolymitana VII," Revue des Etudes
arméniennes, 28 (2001-2002), pp. 443-464. Though Doctor R. Ervine
(after 20 years in Jerusalem) has been working at St. Nerses Seminary
in New York for recent 8 years, he gathered very important material
about Holy Land and he has many studies which are devoted to the
history of the Armenians in Jerusalem. Particularly he has been
studying the diaries of Patriarch Minas Amtetsi for his future book.
11M. E. Stone. A Concordance of the Armenian Apocryphal Adam Books,
Hebrew University Armenian Studies, 1. Peeters, Leuven, 2001; M. E.
Stone. Adamgirk’: The Adam Book of Arak’el of Siwnik’, Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2007.
12S. La Porta. "Additional Remarks Concerning ‘Man as the Image of God’
in Grigor Tat’ewac’i’s Book of Questions," St. Nersess Theological
Seminary Review, vol. 7 (2002), pp. 67-84; S. La Porta, M.
Arakelian. "A Copy of Grigor Tat’ewac’i’s Book of Questions: MS 3425
of the Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem," SION, vol.
76, nn° 7-12 (Jerusalem, 2002), pp. 338-350, ill. 1.
13S. La Porta. "The Liturgical Imagination of Medieval Armenian
Monasticism," in: Worship Traditions in Armenia and the Neighboring
Christian East: An International Symposium in Honor of the 40th
Anniversary of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, ed. R. R. Ervine, AVANT
3, Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press/St. Nersess Armenian
Seminary, 2003, pp. 197-221.
14M. E. Stone, N. Stone. The Armenians: Art, Culture and Religion.
Dublin: Chester Beatty Library, 2007.
15G. Muradyan. Physiologus, Hebrew University Armenian Studies, 6.
Peeters, Leuven, 2005.
16N. Poghosyan and M. Yeordigian are the citizens of Israel.
17M. Arakelyan works at Matenadaran (Yerevan) as a senior staff
scientist.