Professor Golb's Opening Words
On August 29, 2008, Professor Lawrence Schiffman of New York University sent to one or more officials at his university a statement regarding my work on the Dead Sea Scrolls that is regrettably stamped with misleading claims regarding my research activities in this field of study. If I am responding to it only now, over two years later, that is because Dr. Schiffman did not inform me of the existence of this text but on the contrary warned in an introductory statement (p.1) that “The text of this document and the information contained therein are strictly confidential and are intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. It is forbidden to disclose it to anyone other than the addressee…” Despite this initial secrecy, the text in question is now a public document, and as such I am obliged to respond to the claims expressed in it. For every case the relevant page number of Schiffman’s text is given, with each claim being quoted verbatim and followed by my response.
On Page 5, Schiffman wrote: “Norman Golb has used a variety of methods, including threats, lawsuits, and use of the Internet to advance the claim that his point of view should be followed in these exhibits.” By “these exhibits,” Schiffman is referring to a series of Dead Sea Scroll exhibits held in various science and other museums since 1993.
On August 29, 2008, Professor Lawrence Schiffman of New York University sent to one or more officials at his university a statement regarding my work on the Dead Sea Scrolls that is regrettably stamped with misleading claims regarding my research activities in this field of study. If I am responding to it only now, over two years later, that is because Dr. Schiffman did not inform me of the existence of this text but on the contrary warned in an introductory statement (p.1) that “The text of this document and the information contained therein are strictly confidential and are intended only for the person(s) to whom it is addressed. It is forbidden to disclose it to anyone other than the addressee…” Despite this initial secrecy, the text in question is now a public document, and as such I am obliged to respond to the claims expressed in it. For every case the relevant page number of Schiffman’s text is given, with each claim being quoted verbatim and followed by my response.
On Page 5, Schiffman wrote: “Norman Golb has used a variety of methods, including threats, lawsuits, and use of the Internet to advance the claim that his point of view should be followed in these exhibits.” By “these exhibits,” Schiffman is referring to a series of Dead Sea Scroll exhibits held in various science and other museums since 1993.
Norman Golb's Response:
It is Schiffman’s groundless claims that should matter to concerned parties. I have never
employed threats of any sort, nor engaged in any lawsuits, in pursuing my work and publications on the Scrolls. I am also unaware of any writing of mine where the claim is advanced that my “point of view should be followed” in museum exhibits of the Scrolls. My critiques of the exhibits have specifically dealt with the question of their factuality as well as with the equally grave problem of one-sidedness in the approach taken to the question of the Scrolls’ identity and origin. I trust that Dr. Schiffman will at least explain what he means by this diatribe — at all events by adducing some shred of evidence supporting these secret claims.
