Professor Shepkaru is the Schusterman Professor of Jewish Intellectual and Religious History. He is the author of Jewish Martyrs in the Pagan and Christian Worlds, a study analyzing evolving patterns of Jewish martyrdom over some 2,000 years of history. The book is based on extensive archival work in Hebrew and Latin sources, as well as research in a diverse collection of classical, rabbinic, and medieval Hebrew texts. He has also published articles on a variety of topics and has presented his work at conferences in the United States and abroad. His current work is a book-length study focusing on the history of heaven and hell. He teaches courses on the evolution of martyrdom, Israeli culture, Jewish mysticism, and the history of heaven and hell. Professor Shepkaru received his Ph.D. from New York University.
