Gratz College

Gratz College Learn. Teach. Lead Today, the college is a dynamic, vibrant historically Jewish institution with both undergrad and graduate programs.

Gratz College, the first transdenominational Jewish college in the United States, has been teaching Jewish studies and training professionals for more than a century. We also offer certificates and micro-credentials in all programs:

Jewish Studies
Human Rights
Camp Administration and Leadership
Interfaith Studies
Non-Profit Management
Education and Educational Leadership
Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Online and flexible scheduling designed for your busy life.

Our Associate Director of Enrollment Management Mindy Escourt Blechman is hosting a table at the Prizmah Conference 2025...
02/02/2025

Our Associate Director of Enrollment Management Mindy Escourt Blechman is hosting a table at the Prizmah Conference 2025 in Boston.

Please stop by to say hello! Weโ€™ve got so many opportunities for educators in the Jewish space.

A new class started at our Beit Midrash today. On the right is Rabbi Andrew Markowitz of Adath Israel discussing "Jewish...
01/29/2025

A new class started at our Beit Midrash today. On the right is Rabbi Andrew Markowitz of Adath Israel discussing "Jewish Mythbusters!"

Don't forget: We've got an in-person beginner's Hebrew class starting next week! Come learn your Aleph Bet with us.

Last Call: Our adult learning classes begin next week!Check out this fascinating class with Rabbi Lance J. Sussman. King...
01/28/2025

Last Call: Our adult learning classes begin next week!
Check out this fascinating class with Rabbi Lance J. Sussman.

Kings to Kibbutzniks: A History of Jews and Agriculture
Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, PhD
Mondays: 2pm - 4pm ET
February 3 - March 24 (8 weeks)
Zoom, $250

This course explores the long and complex history of Jewish agriculture, from Biblical times to the present. It covers the agricultural practices in Ancient Israel, the shift to city-based economies in late Antiquity, and the impact of antisemitic laws. The course also examines the 19th-century encouragement of Jewish farming by Russian Czars and philanthropists, the development of Jewish model farms globally, and the role of the kibbutz movement in early 20th-century Zionism. Additionally, it highlights Jewish involvement in collectivized agriculture in the USSR and contemporary contributions to agricultural research, agribusiness, and sustainability, with Israel as a leading food exporter.


Jewish Farm School

On this somber 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we reflect on what we have and haven't learned. Below is...
01/27/2025

On this somber 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we reflect on what we have and haven't learned.

Below is a photo from our Elie Wiesel Archive, showing Wiesel with L**h Walesa, the former President of Poland, in 1989.


The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity

Shout out to Gratz's hometown team! ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿ‘NFC Champions: E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!Can't wait to watch you ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY ...
01/27/2025

Shout out to Gratz's hometown team! ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿ‘
NFC Champions: E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!
Can't wait to watch you ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY at the Super Bowl on February 9th!

Thank you Andrew Guckes of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent for writing about our NEW PhD in Jewish Studies degree progr...
01/23/2025

Thank you Andrew Guckes of the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent for writing about our NEW PhD in Jewish Studies degree program. We are excited to have over 30 applicants to the first cohort(s) beginning in May. And we are only just beginning. There are many more students in the pipeline!

Our program director and Jewish Studies fearless leader Brendan G Goldman shares his vision for the program in this article.

"The post-October 7 world demands a new kind of Jewish leader deeply informed about what is going on.โ€

https://www.jewishexponent.com/gratz-announces-new-ph-d-program/

Earlier in January, Gratz College in Melrose Park announced that it will begin courses in the spring for a doctoral program focused on training experts in rabbinic, educational, nonprofit and public policy positions in the Jewish community.

"It's a win-win situation." That's how Ethiopian Jew Mulu describes his relationship with his American tutor Richard Low...
01/22/2025

"It's a win-win situation." That's how Ethiopian Jew Mulu describes his relationship with his American tutor Richard Lowe.

At our lunch program today, English B'Yachad founder and executive director Marla Gamoran shared the good works of this incredible English language tutoring program.

English-speaking tutors meet 1/week with (mostly) Ethiopian Jews living in Israel who are highly motivated to take next steps in their lives and career.

Thank you to Marla and Richard for sharing this opportunity with our community.

Want to learn how you can become an online English tutor for Ethiopian Israelis?
https://www.skillvolunteerisrael.org/contact

Our continuing education adult classes are starting soon. Don't miss out. Here's a good one in Bala Cynwyd. Stay tuned f...
01/21/2025

Our continuing education adult classes are starting soon. Don't miss out. Here's a good one in Bala Cynwyd. Stay tuned for more!

Grandparenting in Jewish History ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿ‘ด๐Ÿ‘ต
Dr. Reena Sigman Friedman
Wednesdays: 2pm - 4pm ET
February 5 - March 26 (8 weeks)
In-person in Bala Cynwyd
This course explores the unique role that grandparents have played throughout Jewish history, from Biblical times to the present. We will discuss the ways in which grandparents influenced their grandchildren, including some well-known Jewish historical figures. In telling this moving story, we'll talk about our personal connections to our grandparents, and (for those of us who are grandparents ourselves) our relationships with our grandchildren. How do grandparents connect us to our past and help to shape the Jewish future?

View the entire schedule:
https://www.gratz.edu/academics/degree/continuing-education/gratz-scholars-program

01/19/2025

01/17/2025



She shared her dreams, fears and a belief in the goodness of humanity, even in the darkest times for her and her family. Anne Frank was born on June 12, 1929...

Welcome to Gratz, Lachele Vaughan! Lachele is beginning her journey for her Master of Science in Teaching Practice (MST)...
01/15/2025

Welcome to Gratz, Lachele Vaughan! Lachele is beginning her journey for her Master of Science in Teaching Practice (MST) degree at Gratz. To help support her success, she has been awarded a Henry Speaker Scholarship. ๐ŸŽ“

Her gratitude for the scholarship and enthusiasm has pumped up our team at Gratz. Read Lachele's acceptance of her scholarship, sent to us soon after Thanksgiving:

"Words can not even express the deep gratitude I feel from receiving this information. I feel seen and heard. I can not even remember the last time I have felt this seen and heard and receiving the huge blessing of furthering my education which will enhance my teaching skills, help me to inspire my students and peers, and will eventually increase my salary.

I feel like I want to cook you all something to show you how much I appreciate this! And my family's meals of the week are Greek salad with chickpeas, quiche with bacon and spinach, Thanksgiving leftovers, and prepping the red onions for gourmet burgers. Lol! So, one of my biggest ways of showing love and appreciation is feeding people. Let me know if you want to take me up my offer! Thank you so so much for giving me this scholarship!!!!

Lachele, what time should we stop over?! ๐Ÿ˜†

We wish you every great success on the path to your degree. We know you will pay your knowledge forward to young minds.

We started a new class at our Beit Midrash today! Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison presented "Visions in the Night: Judaism a...
01/13/2025

We started a new class at our Beit Midrash today! Rabbi Howard Avruhm Addison presented "Visions in the Night: Judaism and Dreams." ๐ŸŒƒ๐ŸŒˆ๐ŸŒ’

There's so much to do at Gratz!
A new beginner's Hebrew class starts in Bala in February. Adult education courses are available THREE ways: online, in-person at Elkins Park, and in-person in Bala. A Chavruta class with Daniel Levitt on Deuteronomy begins in February, also!

Can't wait to see you there!

Learn more: https://www.gratz.edu/academics/degree/continuing-education

Make a difference in the world. ๐Ÿ’ช Volunteer to teach English to young Israeli adults from less-advantaged communities an...
01/07/2025

Make a difference in the world. ๐Ÿ’ช Volunteer to teach English to young Israeli adults from less-advantaged communities and help them advance socio-economically.

Join us for a Kosher lunch with English B'Yachad.
Wednesday, January 22, 12:00-1:30pm
In-person in Elkins Park

https://www.gratz.edu/news-and-events/event-calendar/ll-english-byachad

Lunch and Learn

12/30/2024

May this new year bring peace, good health and prosperity to everyone! ๐ŸŒ๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ โ˜ฎ๏ธ

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธOur modern Hebrew and Yiddish courses are open for registration! Online classes begin in February. Or take a beginner'...
12/29/2024

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธOur modern Hebrew and Yiddish courses are open for registration! Online classes begin in February. Or take a beginner's modern Hebrew class in-person in Bala Cynwyd.

Join the conversation.

Are you wondering what we've been up to recently? Dig in to our '23 - '24 school year report. It was an impactful year โ€”...
12/26/2024

Are you wondering what we've been up to recently? Dig in to our '23 - '24 school year report. It was an impactful year โ€” and yet, there's still so much to be done. We will continue to roll up our sleeves! ๐Ÿฆพ ๐ŸŽ“ ๐Ÿ‘

https://www.gratz.edu/giving/annual-report

How Your Support is Making a Difference

Merry Everything! ๐Ÿ•Ž ๐ŸŽ„ โ„๏ธ  This year's convergence of Christmas and Chanukah make the holidays brighter and more festive ...
12/25/2024

Merry Everything! ๐Ÿ•Ž ๐ŸŽ„ โ„๏ธ This year's convergence of Christmas and Chanukah make the holidays brighter and more festive for everyone. We wish our entire Gratz community and beyond a healthy and happy holiday season and joyous start to the new year!

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7605 Old York Road
Cheltenham, PA
19027

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Our Story

Gratz College has a long history of educational service to the Philadelphia area. Founded in 1895, Gratz is the oldest independent and pluralistic college for Jewish studies in North America. From its inception Gratz holds the distinction of being the first institution of advanced Jewish learning to accept women on par with men.

Addressing evolving needs, Gratz College grew to offer training programs for educators and communal professionals in the Jewish and secular communities. Over the last 20 years, the College has expanded its offerings to include a broad array of credentials and programs, including a PhD and EdD, mastersโ€™ level programs, BA completion programs, and graduate and undergraduate certificates. An early adopter of online education, Gratz offers blended and fully online degrees and has enrolled students from 36 states and 6 countries. Gratz is a private non-profit institution with a Carnegie Classification as a Masterโ€™s โ€“ Large Programs level and first received accreditation from the Middle States Commission for Higher Education (MSCHE) in 1967.

Gratz College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the State of Israel, and is a partner of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. The institution is guided with transparency by its Board of Governors.