Our work combines academics, student life, & community outreach. The Yaschik/Arnold Jewish Studies Program at the College of Charleston is the result of the vision and generosity of Henry and Sylvia Vlosky Yaschik, who began the program in 1984 to honor their parents’ commitment to philanthropy and community involvement. The matching endowment from Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold in 1998 enabled the Program to significantly expand its offerings. Jewish Studies at the College of Charleston is unique in its incorporation of Jewish student life, via Hillel, as an integral part of the Program. The College of Charleston currently has nearly eight hundred Jewish students and CofC Hillel is very active in arranging weekly Shabbat services, Wednesday meet-to-eats, and other events and celebrations to keep students interested in Judaism engaged and interacting with one another. For more on what CofC Hillel does, check out their website at cofchillel.org. Jewish Studies at the College also emphasizes community outreach as a hallmark of its program. By sponsoring numerous events, lectures, discussions, and Sunday morning brunches that are open to the public, the Program serves as a bridge between town and gown, between the academic and broader South Carolina community. More recently, the Program assumed the last remaining programs of the Charleston Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Book and Jewish Film Festivals. The Sylvia Vlosky Yaschik Jewish Studies Center, at the corner of Glebe and Wentworth Street, has been the home of the Program since October 2002. The Center houses the offices of faculty members of the Jewish Studies Program, CofC Hillel, and the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. It also offers Arnold Hall, a state-of-the-art meeting and conference room where educational and cultural programs are conducted, benefiting both students and the community-at-large. In January 2016, the Jewish Studies Center completed an expansion, doubling in size and including additional classroom space, offices, and Marty's Place, a dining hall offering Kosher, Vegan, and Vegetarian options. Community participation has long been the lifeblood of the Program, and we have built our foundation on the contributions of a growing group of dedicated donors. To discuss giving opportunities, please contact Program Director, Dr. Yaron Ayalon, at 843-953-7625 or [email protected].
