The Next MBAS meeting is:

Date: Wednesday, May 6, 1998
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: 2080 Grainger Hall, University of Wisconsin

Speaker: Professor Michael O. Wise, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago
Subject: TBA

Dr. Wise is Professor of Aramaic at the University of Chicago.  He is co-author of "The Dead Sea Scrolls Uncovered," and author of  "Thunder in Gemini And Other Essays on the History, Language and Literature of Second Temple Palestine."

The Following MBAS meeting will be:

Date: TBA (September 1998)
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: TBA

Speaker:
Subject: TBA

MBAS wishes you a happy summer. We will return in the Autumn with a new series of speakers.

Date: Tuesday, April 22, 1998
Time: TBA
Location: TBA

Speaker: Dr. Peter Flint
Subject: "Judaism, Christianity, & ther Dead Sea Scrolls"

In a change from tradition, the annual dinner will be held on 22 April, a few weeks earlier than usual.  Dr. Flint will be speaking on "Judaism, Christianity, & ther Dead Sea Scrolls": The Different Bibles of Ancient Judaism & Christianity in the Light of the Dead Sea Scrolls."

Date: Tuesday, March 31, 1998
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: TBA, Edgewood College

Speaker: Dr. Mark Chavalas, UW LaCrosse
Subject: "Terqa, the Amorites, and Dagan along the Middle Euphrates Region of Syria in the Late Bronze Age"

Dr. Chavalas is Associate Professor of History at UW La Crosse, with specialties in Historical Archaeology, Classical West Asia & Historiography.

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 1998
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: 2080 Grainger Hall, University of Wisconsin

Speaker: Professor Anson Rainey, Tel Aviv University
Subject: TBA

Dr. Rainey will be speaking about a textual or geographic study.  Dr. Rainey has published numerous papers on Ugarit as well as on social and economic conditions in the ANE.

Date: Wednesday, December 3, 1997
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: 2080 Grainger Hall, University of Wisconsin

Speaker: Professor Dennis Pardee, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago
Subject: "Recent Discoveries at Ras Shamra-Ugarit"

Professor Pardee will also be speaking in the Hebrew Department's Ugaritic class with the Department's newly arrived Professor Cynthia Miller. His lecture will discuss a recently discovered, unpublished Ugaritic text. The class meets in Van Hise 1251 from 12:05 - 12:50.

Date: Thursday, November 13, 1997
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: 2080 Grainger Hall, University of Wisconsin

Speaker: Professor William Schniedewind, UCLA
Subject: "Urbanization, Literacy, and the Josianic Reforms"

This is an illustrated lecture akin to the one he is giving two days later at the Wheaton Conference. Professor Schniedewind was a fellow at the Albright Institute last year. He has also worked with the new archaeological project at Tell es-Safi, Biblical Gath. It should be an interesting lecture by a creative young scholar.

Date: Tuesday, October 14, 1997
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Room 1100 Grainger Hall, University of Wisconsin

Speaker: Professor Emeritus Menahem Mansoor
Subject: "Sign, Symbol, Script"

Dr. Mansoor is the former President and Co-Founder of MBAS. On 17 September Professor Mansoor presented the premier showing of his new video, "Sign, Symbol, Script: Origins of Written Communication and the Birth of the Alphabet." This video was received very warmly by the appreciative opening night crowd. Professor Mansoor has graciously agreed to host a special showing of the video for MBAS members.

Date: Wednesday, September 17, 1997
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: State Historical Society Auditorium

Speaker: Emeritus Professor Menahem Mansoor
Subject: "Sign, Symbol, Script: Origins of Written Communication and the Birth of the Alphabet"

The video traces the fascinating development of written communication from ancient rock and cave paintings, picture, signs, symbols, hieroglyphs, Chinese systems of writing to the Phoenician, Greek and Roman Alphabets.  Emeritus Professor Menahem Mansoor will introduce the program.  Narrated by Emeritus Professor Karl Schmidt.

Date: Wednesday, September 24, 1997
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Room 313 DeRicci Hall, Edgewood College

Speaker: Gordon Grovier
Subject: "Desert Wisdom"

The meeting will have three components:

1. Brief program and planning session.

2. "Desert Wisdom" - An audio-visual program presenting an overview of travel and discussion he had in Israel recently.

3. Our Co-President Jeff Blakely will give a brief summary of his experiences living and working in Jerusalem last year as Annual Professor at the Albright.