Program Overview

Jewish Studies

Explore Jewish cultures across centuries and continents.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Oberlin College

A Program of Endless Possibilities

Since 1971, Oberlin’s interdisciplinary Jewish Studies Program has taught students to appreciate and analyze the rich diversity and fascinating continuities among Jewish history, faith, and cultures around the world. Students who major or minor in Jewish studies take courses in a variety of fields—including art history, comparative literature, history, Hispanic studies, politics, and religious studies—to gain a comprehensive understanding of Jewish philosophies and achievements. Faculty help students learn to read and comprehend core texts of Jewish religion and history and to apply diverse methods for understanding Jewish cultures and communities. Our graduates have excelled in academic careers, the rabbinate, Jewish education, communal work, and various professions enriched by grounding in Jewish historical experiences, text, and instruction.

Faculty-Student Mentorship and Research

Whether taking one class or pursuing graduate study, students will find a collegial, open-minded, and inclusive community in Jewish studies at Oberlin. Rooted in the particularity of Jewish texts and histories, our classes and events explore the great questions of human experience. The mentorship and close attention students receive from faculty empower them to explore their interests and tailor a course of study around their passions.

Contact

Chair:

Shari Rabin

Administrative Assistant:

Brenda Hall

brenda.hall@oberlin.edu

440-775-8866

Established in 1971 Oberlin’s Jewish Studies program was founded in the early years of the academic discipline

Jewish History and Travel

From Jerusalem or Tel Aviv to Paris or Berlin, Oberlin students have the opportunity to spend a semester or academic year at partner universities abroad. The Office of Study Away works closely with interested students to select the right program for their global educational goals.

Learn more about Oberlin’s Study Away programs

A large group of students gathered in a hall.

Oberlin College is among the top producers of Fulbright scholars in the United States

Learn more about Oberlin’s legacy of Fulbright scholars

Oberlin’s Jewish Community

Oberlin students have access to a number of extracurricular opportunities for exploring Jewish identities. Those who elect to live in the Hebrew Heritage House, which is overseen by Jewish studies faculty, share a space where they can create community, whether around a film, a Havdalah ritual, or a bagel brunch.

Learn more about Jewish life at Oberlin

Student playing accordion at Jewish Alumni Panel and Schtick and Poke Performance

Undergraduate Research

I really enjoy the interdisciplinary nature of my research. It’s exhilarating to take pieces of evidence from seminal works across different fields to craft something new.

Learn more about Elliot’s project

JWST/HIST 281

Jewish Communities of the Ottoman Empire 1453–1914

This course focuses on Jewish communities of the Near East and North Africa from the conquest of Constantinople to World War I. It examines the experiences of Jews as one of many minorities, with special attention to the permeability of social boundaries within a multiethnic, multireligious, and multicultural empire. Emphasis will be placed on the history of Jewish-Muslim relations, specifically in contrast to the experiences of Jewish communities within Christendom.

Taught by: Laura Herron

JWST/RELG 253

Jewish Pilgrimage

The desire to seek spiritual fulfillment in a far-away place is a hallmark of many religious traditions, including Judaism. In this course we trace the ancient and medieval roots of Jewish pilgrimage; modern travel and pilgrimage practices that have emerged in Israel, Europe, North Africa, and the United States; and theories of pilgrimage, travel, and secularization. Traversing from the ancient Temple in Jerusalem to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, we will explore how place and movement function in diverse Jewish cultures.

Taught by: Shari Rabin

JWST/POLT 310

Zionisms

"Zionism" is a fiercely debated concept. For some, it evokes national liberation and rebirth, while for others it signifies oppression and inequality. Yet others, both Jewish and Christian, view the triumph of Zionism as the prelude to a messianic age. This course explores and compares a range of "Zionisms" and Zionism-adjacent political formations, from the many Jewish articulations of a Zionist vision to past and present Christian Zionisms, anti-Zionisms, post-Zionisms, and Black Zionisms.

Taught by: Matthew Berkman

JWST/RELG 205

Hebrew Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern Context

This course introduces the literature, religion, and history of ancient Israel as contained within the Hebrew Bible as well as the interpretation methods modern scholars use to understand this ancient text. Biblical writings will be studied within the context of other ancient Near Eastern texts. Thematic emphases include the emergence of monotheism, the conceptualization of the divine/human relationship, the mediation of priest, prophet and king, and issues of canon. Prerequisites and Notes: Identical to RELG 205. No previous knowledge of the Hebrew Bible is assumed.

Taught by: Cynthia (Cindy) Chapman

Exploring a Passage from Exodus

A Jewish studies, history, and classics triple major, Elliot Diaz '23 is researching the conflicting interpretations of an important biblical passage, relevant to contemporary debates on abortion.

Learn more about Elliot's research

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Fellow

At Oberlin, Jesse Gamoran ’16 majored in history, German studies, and Jewish studies. After graduation he was selected to participate in the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) fellowship program.

Learn more about Jesse’s fellowship

A Fulbright Fellowship to Taiwan

A psychology major with a minor in Jewish studies, Talia Greenberg ’15 performed with CHALLaH cappella, a Jewish music a cappella group she and Lyz Glickman ’13 founded in 2012. After graduation, Talia was awarded a 10-month Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in Taiwan.

Learn more about Talia’s academic and extra-curricular interests