"The Wandering Jew: Between Myth and Reality," with Yair Mintzker, Princeton University

The Annual Manfred H. Vogel Lecture in Judaic Studies:

"The Wandering Jew: Between Myth and Reality," with Yair Mintzker, Princeton University

For more than four centuries, people across Europe claimed to have encountered a man condemned to wander the earth forever. At once a figure of literature, art, religion, and reported real-life sightings, the Wandering Jew fascinated Jews and non-Jews alike. Who was this figure, and why did so many believe it was real? Drawing on his new book I, Wandering Jew, historian Yair Mintzker uncovers the surprising history of one of Europe’s most enduring myths and reflects on what this remarkable story can tell us about the deep past and the present moment.

Professor Yair Mintzker is Professor of History at Princeton University and the author or editor of five books on German and Jewish history. His latest book, I, Wandering Jew (Princeton University Press, 2026), combines history, detective story, and memoir to explore the origins and legacy of the Wandering Jew myth. His previous book, The Many Deaths of Jew Süss (2017), won the National Jewish Book Award in History and was named one of the Financial Times' Best Books of the Year. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his education at Tel Aviv University and Stanford University and has held fellowships at leadiYair Mintzker is Professor of History at Princeton University and the author or editor of five books on German and Jewish history. His latest book, I, Wandering Jew (Princeton University Press, 2026), combines history, detective story, and memoir to explore the origins and legacy of the Wandering Jew myth. His previous book, The Many Deaths of Jew Süss (2017), won the National Jewish Book Award in History and was named one of the Financial Times' Best Books of the Year. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Mintzker received his education at Tel Aviv University and Stanford University and has held fellowships at leading research institutions in the United States and Germany.

Cosponsored by The Chabraja Center for Historical Studies

Cost: Free and open to the public.

Add Event To My Group

Please sign-in