Hanan Eshel, my good friend and colleague from the Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology at Bar-Ilan University, and one of the leading scholars in the field of Dead Sea Scrolls, the Bar Kochba Revolt, and many other issues, passed away last night, after a long illness.
Hanan, who was loved and admired by many, will be deeply missed.
The funeral is today (Thursday, April 8th, 2010) at 4 pm in the cemetery at Ma’aleh Hahamisha, just outside of Jerusalem.
Aren
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Baruch Dayan Emet. A great scholar and even greater friend, Hanan will be missed by all of his friends and collegues. He was active in research and in teaching until almost the very end. His passing leaves us all brokenhearted.
Yigal
Indeed very sad, baruch dayan haemet. It is clear, in my opinion, that Professor Hanan Eshel was the most important scholar on the history of the Jewish people in the second temple period of the last decades. A good friend who always was interested in the works of others and always encouraged colleagues to persevere in their research.
Haval Haval al deavdin vela michtakhin!
aren, i’m very sorry for your personal loss of a friend. and i hope you’ll pass along to his family my most heartfelt condolences. he was a brilliant scholar.
Jim,
Thanks.
Aren
For those of us who did not know him personally, or know that he was suffering from a terrible illness, this is a sad shock, & a significant loss to the academic community. I only communicated with him on a couple of occasions, but he was as friendly & helpful as he could be, & a source of encouragement when I needed it.
This is a time of mourning for family, friends and colleagues. I think it important to remember that the life and work of Prof. Eshel had an impact on hundreds of thousands around the world who did not have the privilege of knowing him but knew his work and benefited as a product of that work. I was one of those. This impact on learning will continue for many years.
My deepest sympathies to Mrs. Eshel and the family.
Our condolences to the family of Hanan Eshel, to his friends and colleagues, and to the State of Israel, which has lost one of its most remarkable sons, a true gentleman and scholar.
Jeff and Kim Chadwick
Aren,
The Jim Joseph Foundation Fellows had the incredible privilege of not only meeting Hanan and hearing him speak, but of having a lovely Shabbat dinner with him and his family.
We extend our deepest condolences to his Bar Ilan Family and his personal family.
May his memory be for a blessing.
My condolences. His stories about Qumran were mesmerizing.
Louise
This was a generous man, ready to give his time and help to anyone who approached him. His passing is so sad – a tremendous loss to scholarship and humanity.
Robert Feather, London
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