The Department of Jewish History offers a unique learning experience that blends academic inquiry with practical reasoning. Our curriculum both enriches the cultural literacy of our students and cultivates useful skills needed in today’s workforce. Due to this rare synthesis of scholarship and practice, our curriculum dovetails perfectly with studies in any other university department.
On a practical level, our curriculum imparts a useful set of life skills, making our students thoughtful citizens and valuable in the workplace. For example, familiarity with Jewish History illuminates untold aspects of contemporary Israel and the research methods of the historical discipline's critical reasoning model. In addition, our faculty places particular emphasis on developing our students’ writing skills, because good writing reflects clear thinking and facilitates effective communication.
The Department is known for its warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere. In a large and, at times, overwhelming university setting, our faculty goes to great lengths to create a welcoming space where our students can feel at home.
About the Department of Jewish History
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Our Department is comprised of three divisions: Modern, Medieval and Ancient Jewish History. Thanks to the broad reach of our faculty as a whole, BA students receive a well-rounded education in Jewish History, while MA and PhD students research whichever period they desire.
The courses we offer span a wide range of topics, many of which touch upon burning issues in Israel and contemporary Jewish life. For example, we teach about Jewish identity, State and religion, Jewish culture vis-à-vis non-Jewish culture, social stratification, family history, Arabs and Jews, messianism, secularism and religious extremism.
The new courses we offer each year explore the ever-expanding universe of Jewish History. Courses of study are offered in Hebrew only.
