When bold signs declaring “Messiah is here!” began popping up around New York, most observers read them as the work of a Christian organization. But the image dominating the posters was an oversized photograph of the deceased Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a serious Jew. Huh? Schneerson as the mashiach? Do Jews even believe a messiah is coming?

This class will explore the evolution of the Jewish concept of the Messiah and the influence of messianic figures on Jewish communities based on the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the Talmud, Midrashic literature and both medieval and modern Jewish writings. It is open to individuals of all backgrounds interested in Jewish thought, theology and the history of religious ideas.