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Undergraduate Jewish Studies

Background

From its inception, Jewish Studies at Emory was conceived as the effort to understand the multiple dimensions and complexities of Jewish civilization wherever it existed. As such, the field has availed itself of an extremely wide range of disciplines, including languages, linguistics, history, literature, textual analysis, ritual studies, sociology, ethnography, art, and philosophy, among others. This diversity of methods fosters appreciation for the depths and richness of Jewish civilization by Jews and non-Jews alike. It constructs natural bridges for students across the university to enter into dialogue with Jewish culture and, through such conversations, to reflect on their own disciplines or traditions. Thus, Jewish Studies has historically attracted both students who are exploring their own identities and those who are seeking to learn more about others.

The establishment of Emory University’s Institute for Jewish Studies in February 1999 gave institutional recognition to the university’s strength in the study of Jewish life and culture, and signaled Emory’s intention to become the premier site for Jewish Studies in the southeastern United States.

Dedicated to fostering the continued development of Jewish Studies on the Emory campus, the Institute for Jewish Studies is the natural outgrowth of carefully laid groundwork, including new faculty appointments, undergraduate and graduate programs, and the growth of lecture series and enrichment funds to support student and faculty travel and study.

Forging links to many university departments and schools, the Institute creates a center for investigation of the Jewish experience in such areas as: classical texts, the holocaust, modern Jewish history, American Jewish studies, Hebrew language and literature, the study of modern Israel, and contemporary issues such as women and Jewish culture, law and religion, and modern Jewish identity.