Jewish Blues A History of a Color in Judaism

"Sagiv simultaneously engages in a synchronic analysis of the color blue in this contemporary moment by skillfully interweaving interdisciplinary lenses necessary for a robust social history of a color in Jewish and Zionist thinking that continues to reflect deeper unspoken truths. Sagiv engages the reader in a generative discussion about blue, ranging from its appearances in Israeli poetry and art criticism to European philosophy and Jewish mysticism." (Religious Studies Review) "Gadi Sagiv's Jewish Blues masterfully unravels the history of tekhelet, a biblically mandated blue pigment that was lost in antiquity, discussed by legalists, exegetes, and mystics for millennia, and rediscovered with messianic verve in recent decades. Sagiv has created a deeply polychrome and compelling narrative that stretches the blue thread of Jewish tradition to the very heart of contemporary culture studies." (Steven Fine, Yeshiva University)