Judah Segal
Encyclopedia
Judah Benzion Segal MC, FBA, often known as Ben (21 June 1912 - 23 October 2003, Edgware
, Middlesex
) was Professor of Semitic
Languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies
.
His father was Professor Moshe Zvi Segal
and his brother was the doctor and Labour Party
politician Samuel Segal
. He had two daughters; one is Prof. Naomi Segal.
Edgware
Edgware is an area in London, situated north-northwest of Charing Cross. It forms part of both the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Harrow. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
) was Professor of Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
Languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
.
His father was Professor Moshe Zvi Segal
Moshe Zvi Segal
Moshe Zvi Segal was an eminent Israeli rabbi, linguist and Talmudic scholar.- Early life :...
and his brother was the doctor and Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician Samuel Segal
Samuel Segal, Baron Segal
Samuel Segal, Baron Segal MRCS, LRCP, MA was a British doctor and Labour Party politician who became Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords.- Early life :...
. He had two daughters; one is Prof. Naomi Segal.
Education
- Magdalen College School, Oxford
- St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. Jarrett Scholar, 1932; John Stewart of Rannoch Scholar in Hebrew, 1933; 1st Class Oriental Langs Tripos, 1935; Tyrwhitt Scholar and Mason Prizeman, 1936. BA (Cambridge), 1935, MA 1938; DPhil (Oxford) 1939.
- Colours, Cambridge University Boxing Club, 1935, 1936.
Career
- Mansel Research Exhibitioner, St. John's College, Oxford, 1936-39; James Mew Scholar, 1937.
- Deputy Assistant Director, Public Security, SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
Government, 1939-41 - Served in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, GHQ, MEF, 1942-44, Captain; Education Officer, British Military Administration, Tripolitania, 1945-46. He was awarded a Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1942. - School of Oriental and African Studies from 1946; Head of Department of Near and Middle East, 1961-68; Professor 1961-79, then Emeritus Professor; Honorary Fellow 1983.
- Visiting Lecturer, Ain Shams UniversityAin Shams UniversityAin Shams University is an institute of higher education located in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 1950, the university provides education at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels.-History:...
, CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, 1979 - Research Fellow, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1980
- Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship, South India, 1981
Involvement in Jewish community
- Principal, Leo Baeck CollegeLeo Baeck CollegeLeo Baeck College is a rabbinical college and centre for Jewish education located in north London. As well as being the smallest academic college in England, it is also the largest Jewish Progressive University and Rabbinic College in Europe....
, 1982-85; President, 1985-2003 - Member, Council of Christians and Jews
- President: North Western Reform Synagogue
- President: British Association for Jewish Studies, 1980
- Vice-President, Reform Synagogues of Great Britain, 1985-91
Publications
- The Diacritical Point and the Accents in Syriac, 1953
- The Hebrew Passover, 1963
- Edessa, 'the blessed city', 1970
- Aramaic Texts From North Saqqara, 1983
- A History of the Jews of Cochin, 1993
- Aramaic and Mandaic Incantation Bowls in the British Museum, 2000
- Whisper Awhile, 2000
- Articles in learned periodicals.