Solomon Zeitlin

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Solomon Zeitlin, שְׁלֹמֹה צײטלין, Шломо Цейтлин Shlomo Cejtlin(Tseitlin, Tseytlin) (1892/1886, Chashniki, Vitebsk guberniya - 1976, United States) was a Jewish historian. His work The Rise and Fall of the Judean State is still considered the standard history of the Second Jewish Commonwealth, and essential reading for anyone wishing to study the origins and birth of Christianity. Zeitlin taught at Dropsie College in Philadelphia. In addition to history he taught Talmud. Many Rabbis of the Philadelphia area were his students. He never married and had no immediate survivors. Dr Zeitlin stirred up controversey when he stated that he did not believe that the Dead Sea Scrolls were of pre-Christian origin. He went against the prevailing academic view which contended that these writings predated the birth of Jesus Christ. He believed they were of a much later origin.

[edit] Works

The Rise and Fall of the Judean State: A Political, Social and Religious History of the Second Commonwealth. New York: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1967.