Jewish Studies

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Jewish Studies at Delaware is an intellectually compelling, interdisciplinary program that offers a broad range of courses in Jewish culture, especially its literature, language, and history, as well as its ethics, politics, and philosophy. The program’s courses allow you to explore two thousand years of a rich heritage and civilization, from its ancient origins to contemporary forms in the United States, Israel and in communities around the world. The study of Jewish history and culture provides a window for engaging with profound questions about modernity, including the impact of modernization on traditional Jewish life and the critical contributions that Jews have made to the modern world.

Jewish Studies is a uniquely interdisciplinary field at Delaware. Our courses are cross-listed and taught by faculty in the departments of History, English, Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Foreign Languages, and others. This diverse range of disciplines allows the Jewish Studies Minor to enrich many majors at the University. Courses range from small, intimate seminars to large lecture courses. Our curriculum is enhanced by cultural events and lectures that bring innovative scholars and artists to campus to share their work and participate in the intellectual life of the university. The University’s Special Collections at Morris Library also provides students and faculty with rare access to the papers of world-famous American Jewish writers, including Allen Ginsberg, Arthur Miller, Philip Roth, and Gertrude Stein.

 The Program is housed in the Frank and Yetta Chaiken Center for Jewish Studies and was endowed with a generous gift by the Chaikens.

For information regarding the Jewish Studies program, please contact Katie Capallo.

The courses in the Jewish Studies program encompass the range of modern Jewish Studies, including European Jewish life, classical and modern Jewish thought, contemporary Israel, the Holocaust, American Jewish culture, as well as modern Hebrew language and literature. Our program curriculum emphasizes the varieties of modern Jewish experience around the world today. In addition to our core curriculum in modern Jewish history and culture, we also offer courses in Biblical and Rabbinic literature, as well as medieval Jewish thought and history.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR IN JEWISH STUDIES

The interdisciplinary minor in Jewish Studies requires 15 credits.

• Students must take one of the following three credit classes:
• HIST 146: Introduction to Jewish Culture and History
• JWST 101: Introduction to Judaism
• Students must take a minimum of 12 credits of JWST or courses that have a JWST crosslisting from another department.  Six of these credits must be 300-level or higher.
• Most Jewish Studies courses are crosslisted with a number of departments including Philosophy, English, Sociology, History, Political Science, Anthropology, and Foreign Languages.
• Only three credits of Hebrew language and only three credits from courses offered during study abroad programs can be counted toward the minor.
• Three credits of independent course credit can be counted, with approval of the Director of the Jewish Studies Program.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR IN JEWISH STUDIES WITH LANGUAGE

The interdisciplinary minor in Jewish Studies with Language requires 15 credits.

• Students must take HEBR 107: Intermediate Hebrew (4 credits) AND one of the following three credit courses:
• HIST 146: Introduction to Jewish Culture and History
• JWST 101: Introduction to Judaism 
• Students must take a minimum of nine credits of JWST or courses that have a JWST crosslisiting frrom another department.  Six of these credits must be 300-level or higher.
• Most Jewish Studies courses are crosslisted with a number of departments including Philosophy, English, Sociology, History, Political Science, Anthropology, and Foreign Languages.
• Students who are exempted from Hebrew 107 (HEBR 107) through the proficiency examination must take a 200-level Hebrew course at UD. 
• Only three credits from courses offered during study abroad programs can be counted towards the minor.
• Three credits of independent course credit can be counted, with approval of the Director of the Jewish Studies Program.

Students who wish to create their own concentration within Jewish Studies may do so with the permission of the program director. Examples of possible concentrations include, but are not limited to: Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Modern Jewish Culture, Diaspora and Transnationalism within Jewish History. ​​

For more information about the Jewish Studies Program, contact Polly Zavadivker at pollyz@udel.edu​ ​ or Katie Capallo at ktw@udel.edu.

2021-2022 Call for proposals

The Yetta and Frank Chaiken Center for Jewish Studies is pleased to offer awards of up to $400 per academic year to support research and conference attendance in any area of Jewish Studies. All faculty and graduate students at the University of Delaware are eligible.

The subject of research or conference presentations may address any aspect of Jewish culture in the Diaspora or Israel, including history, religion, language, literature, politics, economics, demography, philosophy, and/or art. The award period runs from September 1, 2021 to August 31, 2022.

Funds may be used to offset the cost of research or conference travel and attendance. Salary, stipends and equipment are not eligible for funding.

Grant recipients may be asked to present their research results as part of the Issues in Jewish Studies (JWST201) spring public lecture series, as a guest lecturer in a Jewish Studies course, or in another public forum.

To apply, send the following items in one single document to Kathleen Capallo ktw@udel.edu:

1) Brief description of the funding request.

2) Brief explanation of how the research or conference relates to the applicant's research goals or professional activities.

3) Line-item budget, including any available sources of support either requested or already granted for the research or conference.

4) One-page CV.

Requests will be considered on a rolling basis, but should be submitted at least 30 days before the intended research or conference travel commences.

University of Delaware ​
210 John Munroe Hall
Newark, DE 19716
pollyz@udel.edu​ 

Polly Zavadivker
Director, Frank and Yetta Chaiken Center for Jewish Studies
Assistant Professor, History
pollyz@udel.edu 

Polly Zavadivker specializes in Modern Jewish History and teaches HIST/JWST146: Introduction to Jewish Culture and History, HIST/JWST250: Comparative Genocide, HIST/JWST254: Jewish Holocaust 1933-1945, HIST267: Imperial Russian History, HIST/WOMS/JWST303: Women in Judaism, HIST/JWST327: History of Antisemitism, HIST339: Jewish Life Before the Holocaust, and HIST/JWST350: Russian Jewish Experience in Literature and Film.

James Brophy
Francis H. Squire Professor of History, Department of History
jbrophy@udel.edu 

James Brophy specializes in nineteenth-century German history and teaches courses in modern Europe, nationalism, and the Holocaust.

Rebecca Davis
Associate Professor, Department of History
rldavis@udel.edu 

Rebecca Davis teaches courses that cover immigration, ethnicity, and religion in the United States, including the history of American Jews.

Alan Fox
Professor, Philosophy Department
afox@udel.edu 

Alan Fox teaches PHIL/JWST204: World Religions.

Michael Frasetto
Supplemental Faculty, Department of History
frassett@udel.edu 

Michael Frasetto teaches HIST/JWST398: Topics in Medieval History - Medieval Jews, Muslims and Christians, and HIST/JWST398: Topics in Medieval History - Jews Under Cross and Crescent.

Eynat Gutman
Assistant Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures
eynat@udel.edu 

Eynat Gutman teaches all levels of Hebrew and is especially interested in language for communication. Additionally, she teaches LLCU/JWST333: Israeli Film, LLCU/JWST335: A Land of Many Faces - Israel Through Time, and LLCU/JWST345: Modern Israel: History & Culture.

Karl Hein
Adjunct Professor, Philosophy Department
hein@udel.edu

Karl Hein teaches PHIL/JWST208: Introduction to Jewish Philosophy

Roger Horowitz
Adjunct Professor, History Department
Director, Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society - Hagley Museum & Library
rh@udel.edu

Roger Horowitz teaches HIST/JWST304: Jews and Food, and HIST/JWST327: Jews, Commerce, and Business.

Stuart Kaufman
Professor, Political Science & International Relations Department
skaufman@udel.edu 

Stuart Kaufman specializes in ethnic conflict, international security affairs and international relations theory.

Rudi Matthee
John and Dorothy Munroe Distinguished Professor of History
matthee@udel.edu 

Rudi Matthee teaches HIST380/JWST381: History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict.

George Miller
Professor, Department of English
miller@udel.edu 

George Miller teaches ENGL/JWST202: Biblical and Classical Literature.

Nick Renner
Adjunct Professor, English Department
nrenner@udel.edu

Rabbi Nick Renner teaches ENGL/JWST349: Interpreting Jewish Tradition: Ancient Scrolls to Netflix.  He is the Senior Jewish Educator at UD Hillel.

Leslie Reidel
Professor, Theatre Department
lreidel@udel.edu 

Leslie Reidel teaches THEA/JWST212: Jews & American Pop Culture.

Bruno Thibault
Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures
thibault@udel.edu 

Bruno Thibault teaches 20th Century Jewish/French Literature.

Sarah Wasserman
Assistant Professor, Department of English
swasser@udel.edu

Sarah Wasserman teaches ENGL/JWST348: Contemporary Jewish-American Literature.

Miranda Wilson
Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Department of English
wilsonm@udel.edu

Miranda Wilson teaches ENGL/JWST202: Biblical and Classical Literature.