Jewish Studies: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Exploring the rich and diverse heritage of the Jewish people, this interdisciplinary program examines the historical, cultural, and religious dimensions of Jewish life across time and geography. Students engage with foundational texts, philosophical traditions, and socio-political movements that have shaped Jewish identity, both within Israel and in diasporic communities worldwide.

• Jewish religious heritage and sacred texts: Study of core scriptures including the Torah, Talmud, and Midrash, along with their interpretation across historical and theological contexts.
• Jewish law (Halakha): Analysis of legal traditions and ethical frameworks that govern religious practice, communal life, and personal conduct in Jewish communities.
• Jewish philosophy and intellectual history: Investigation into major thinkers and schools of thought from antiquity to the modern era, including figures like Maimonides and Spinoza.
• Contemporary and historical Jewish cultures: Exploration of lived experiences, traditions, and cultural expressions in both Israel and the global Jewish diaspora.
• Minority Jewish linguistic and cultural communities: In-depth study of distinct cultural forms such as Yiddish, Sephardic, Mizrahi, and other regional Jewish identities.
• Anti-Semitism and historical trauma: Critical examination of persecution, discrimination, and the Holocaust (Shoa) as pivotal events in Jewish history and collective memory.
• Gentile-Jewish relations: Analysis of historical and modern interactions between Jewish communities and non-Jewish societies, including patterns of coexistence and conflict.
• Zionism and the State of Israel: Study of the ideological, political, and cultural foundations of modern Jewish nationalism and the establishment of Israel.
• Modern developments in Judaism: Engagement with evolving religious movements, gender roles, pluralism, and the role of Judaism in a globalized world.