Noam Sienna
Scholar of Jewish culture in the medieval and early modern Islamic worlds, Jerome and Lorraine Aresty Visiting Scholar in Jewish Book Arts at Rutgers, and author of Jewish Books in North Africa (Indiana UP, 2025), recipient of the 2025 Middle East Librarians Association Book Award.
Best podcasts with Noam Sienna
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Jan 12, 2026 • 1h 1min
Noam Sienna, "Jewish Books in North Africa: Between the Early Modern and Modern Worlds" (Indiana UP, 2025)
Noam Sienna, a scholar specializing in Jewish culture during the medieval and early modern Islamic eras, discusses his book on Jewish literature in North Africa. He reveals how these texts connected communities from Morocco to Livorno. Sienna highlights the significance of physical books in cultural exchanges and the decline of Judeo-Arabic as newer languages took over. He also delves into the lives of overlooked artisans and shares a poignant story about the emotional attachment to books. Plus, he teases his next project on a 16th-century Sephardi printing press!
Jan 12, 2026 • 1h 1min
Noam Sienna, "Jewish Books in North Africa: Between the Early Modern and Modern Worlds" (Indiana UP, 2025)
Noam Sienna, a leading scholar of Jewish culture, explores the intricate world of Jewish books in North Africa. He reveals how these texts knitted together diverse Sephardic communities across regions like Fez, Tunis, and Livorno. Sienna highlights the shift from manuscripts to print, the evolving identity of Sephardic culture, and the often-overlooked labor of scribes and correctors. He also discusses the emotional significance of books post-expulsion and teases his upcoming project on Ottoman Sephardi printing, promising more fascinating insights into a rich cultural history.
