Biography
Yuval Katz Wilfing obtained his Ph.D. (2020) in Jewish Studies from the University of Vienna with a thesis on the reception history of Genesis 12:5, where he traced the development of the ideas of soul and conversion in Jewish thought. Yuval had a postdoc position in the University of Vienna, department of Religious studies working on a project researching Jewish and Muslim communities in Vienna, their identity construction, and their relations to each other and the general Austrian society. He also holds an M.A. in Religious Studies (2013) from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a B.Sc. in Computer Science (2001) from the Tel Hai College. He has worked for many years as a chip designer and project manager, working on robust computer networks for the Orion spacecraft, self-driving vehicles, and wind energy projects. Yuval regularly organizes various events for both adults and children's education, prayers and Jewish festivals. Yuval also teaches Talmud, Mishnah, and other Jewish texts. He is the CEO of the Austrian Committee for Christian-Jewish Co-operation and is regularly lecturing and writing about inter-religious dialogue from a Jewish perspective. He lives with his wife and three children in Vienna.
Areas of SPECIALIZATION
Yuval’s main academic interests relate to the history of ideas, identity construction, development of the soul concept, conversion, Hebrew philology, Jewish history, rabbinics, interreligious phenomena, and interreligious dialogue.
Publications
Articles (5)
Articles (5)
- Thoughts of Conversion and the Resident Alien, in: Judaica Petropolitana 12 (2019), 5-30.
- A Tale of Love and Darkness - A Political Biography, in: Dialog Du Siach 120 (2020), 21-31.
- Lesen mit Tradition - Tradition des Lesens, in: Dialog Du-Siach 122 (2021), 12-14.
- Times of Distanced Judaism 11.11.21
- König Salomo in der jüdischen Tradition, in: Bibel und Kirche, 2 (2021), 162-164.
Book chapters (9)
Book chapters (9)
- Interreligiöser Dialog: Konkrete Zugänge und praktische Erfahrungen Interreligious Dialogue, in: Regina Polak (ed.), Concrete Approaches and Practical Experiences in Interreligious Dialogue, Brill | Schöningh 2023, 258 - 277.
- Reden gegen Hass, Interreligiöser Dialog als Weg zum Abbau von Antisemitismus, in: Regina Polak (ed.), Kontinuität und Aktualität des Antisemitismus, Wochenschau Verlag 2023, 155- 167.
- The Figure of Ruth as a Convert in the Zohar, in: Carol Bakhos et al (eds.), The Bible and Woman, an Encyclopedia of Exegesis and Cultural History, Volume 4.2 The Middle Ages, SBL Press 2023, 263-284.
- Jüdische Traditionen, in: Karsten Lehmann, Wolfram Reiss (ed.), Religiöse Vielfalt in Österreich, Nomos | Facultas Verlag 2022, 221-238.
- Rut als Konvertitin im Sohar, in: Gerhard Langer et al (eds.), Das Jüdische Mittelalter, Kohlhammer 2020, 243-263.
Book reviews (4)
Book reviews (4)
- A Traveling Homeland, The Babylonian Talmud as Diaspora, Daniel Boyarin, Reading Religion, September 17 2018, in Reading Religion by the American Academy of Religion.
- Antisemitismus in den Medien? Beschneidungspraxis und Israelkritik in Österreichischen Printmedien, edited by Ulrike Bechmann and Wolfram Reiss, in Religion in Austria 4/2019, 289 - 297.
- Jüdisches Leben in der Wiener Vorstadt, Ottakring und Hernals, by Evelyn Adunka and Gabriele Anderl, in: Religion in Austria 5/2020, 355 - 361.
- Die vierte Gemeinde. Die Geschichte der Wiener Juden von 1945 bis heute by Evelyn Adunka, in: Religion in Austria 7/2022, 555 - 561.
other publications (5)
other publications (5)
- Heilung von Corona, in: theocare.network, Theologie im Zeichen von (Post)Corona, September 28 2020.
- Interview: Der mögliche Dialog, in: Die Furche 49, December 1 2020, 29-30.
- Wie ich Bibel lese, in: Rund um die Bibel 4/2021, p. 5.
- Begegnung am Dornbusch, Dein Wort Mein Weg 2/21, März 2021-May 2021, p. 6.
- Sh’ma Israel, Dein Wort Mein Weg, 2/22, March 2022 - May 2022, p. 35-36.
University Courses
University Courses
- Contemporary Judaism, Religionswissenschaft, University of Vienna, WS 2020.
- Konversion in Judentum: giur, teshuvah und mehr, Judaistik, University of Vienna WS. 2018
- Judentum heute Verstehen, Praktische Theologie, University of Vienna SS 2018.