The Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University

08/19/2026

Mark your Calendar!
The CJS will host some exciting events in the fall of 2026
Please be sure to revisit our website for detailed, up-to-date information.
https://websites.harvard.edu/cjs/news-events/events/

07/17/2026

We are excited to share the appointment of two new faculty members in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations:
Mazalit Haim, Senior Preceptor in Modern Hebrew.
Adi Mahalel, Lecturer in Yiddish Studies.

We are excited to share the appointment of two new faculty members in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations: Mazalit Haim, Senior Preceptor in Modern Hebrew. Dr. Haim will be teaching Elementary Modern Hebrew I and Intermediate Modern Hebrew I this fall. She will be joined by Vi...

07/17/2026

Professor Julia Rhyder Selected as a Short-Term Fellow at the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies. Congratulations Julia!

The CJS congratulates Julia Rhyder,  John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities and Associate Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations for her appointment as a short-term fellow at The Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She will be a....

07/17/2026

American Jewish History in the Harvard Judaica Collection:
In honor of the USA’s 250th anniversary, the Harvard Judaica Department shared a brief overview of the many resources in the Harvard Judaica Collection published in the United States.

In honor of the USA’s 250th anniversary, the Harvard Judaica Department shared a brief overview of the many resources in the Harvard Judaica Collection published in the United States. For further details see the Harvard Judaica Newsletter....

07/17/2026

The CJS congratulates our faculty Director, Professor Derek Penslar.
Derek Penslar, William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at the Department of History, has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree (Doctor of Philosophy Honoris Causa) for the year 5786 (2025/2026) by The Open University of Israel.
https://websites.harvard.edu/cjs/2026/06/29/derek-penslar-awarded-honorary-doctorate-degree/

06/18/2026

The CJS congratulates Sandy Cantave Vil, our Program Coordinator, for being recognized a 2026 Harvard Hero!
On June 11th, we were joined by Sandy’s family, friends and colleagues to celebrate the special moment. The Harvard Heroes program honors high-performing staff for the impact they have on the Harvard community based on criteria set by a University-wide advisory committee. President Garber congratulated each and every one of the 67 staff members who were recognized, to the raucous roars of a full Sanders Theater.

The CJS congratulates Sandy Cantave Vil, our Program Coordinator, for being recognized a 2026 Harvard Hero! On June 11th, we were joined by Sandy’s family, friends and colleagues to celebrate the special moment. The Harvard Heroes program  honors high-performing staff for the impact they have...

06/17/2026

The CJS is proud to introduce the new cohort of Academic Visitors who will be joining us for the 2026-2027 Academic year.

Browse the Academic Visitors page to get acquainted with this wonderful group of Jewish studies scholars!

We will update this page over the coming months as more Visitors join the CJS at Harvard.

The Center for Jewish Studies sponsors Visiting Professors and Lecturers in a variety of academic disciplines to supplement our course offerings in Jewish studies. We also host several research scholars each year: This page will be updated as more Academic Visitors join us Visiting Professors &....

05/28/2026

The CJS congratulates the 2026 Starr and Weinstein prize winners!
This year, the Center for Jewish Studies awarded one undergraduate students with the Harry and Cecile Starr Prize in Jewish Studies. The Prize is by faculty member nomination only, for an outstanding senior thesis in Jewish and Hebrew studies by a Harvard student.
The Selma and Lewis Weinstein Prize in Jewish Studies is awarded to the Harvard College student with the best essay on a Jewish theme.
Read about the students and their abstracts:

The CJS congratulates the 2026 Starr and Weinstein prize winners! HARRY AND CECILE STARR PRIZES IN JEWISH STUDIES This year, the Center for Jewish Studies awarded one undergraduate students with the Harry and Cecile Starr Prize in Jewish Studies. The Prize is by faculty member nomination only, for a...

05/20/2026

The CJS welcomes its 2026-2027 Starr Fellows (Theme: Jewish Philosophy) and our Spring 2027 Silver Fellow.

Please join us in welcoming our 2026-2027 Fellows. The Starr Fellowship this academic year is centered around the theme of Jewish Philosophy The Faculty co-hosts for this cohort are: Starr Fellows: The Silver Fellowship is awarded to an active member of the clergy who has demonstrated serious intell...

05/20/2026

On May 14, Harvard hosted a full-day symposium on the topic of Antisemitism and Universities.
Read the recap in the Harvard Magazine:

Scholars discuss the paradoxes and challenges that Jews navigate on college campuses.