Rutgers Jewish Studies Faculty Research and Publications

Updated

Rutgers Jewish Studies faculty research spans Jewish history, language, culture, and religion, and the department highlights it through a faculty bookshelf, recent publications, and named lectures. The department's site features books authored and edited by its faculty, articles in journals such as Nashim: The Journal of Jewish Women's Studies and Gender Issues, and recognition including a book named among the top ten medieval studies books of 2023 and another listed among the top 26 books in Jewish History to read in 2022. The department also hosts the Ian Karten Memorial Lecture, with the 2023 lecture given by Professor Nancy Sinkoff.

Faculty Bookshelf

The department maintains a "Jewish Studies Faculty Bookshelf" that collects books written and edited by its faculty members. The site describes these as the work of "accomplished faculty members" and links to more information about the books.

Recent Faculty Publications and Media

The department's "New and Noteworthy" section lists recent faculty activity, including:

  • A faculty article published in Nashim: The Journal of Jewish Women's Studies and Gender Issues
  • A faculty book named among the top ten medieval studies books of 2023
  • A faculty book named in the top 26 books in Jewish History to read in 2022
  • Professor Sinkoff's piece on the plight of refugee children from Ukraine
  • Professor Raucher's op-ed published in NBC News
  • A professor's work shedding light on the Yiddish revival that has young people "kvelling"

Lectures and Visiting Faculty

The department's core faculty is complemented by affiliated faculty from other departments and by visiting faculty sponsored by the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life. The Bildner Center sponsors named lectures, including the Ian Karten Memorial Lecture; the 2023 lecture was given by Professor Nancy Sinkoff.

Research Topics Reflected in Teaching

The department's course offerings indicate the research areas its faculty cover. Courses address the historical, social, cultural, religious, linguistic, and political life of the Jewish people from antiquity to the present, and examine interactions between Jews and other peoples. Specific course titles listed by the department include:

  • Antisemitism
  • History of the Holocaust
  • Between Nazism and Communism
  • Jews, Heretics, and the Inquisition
  • Holocaust Memory
  • Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain
  • Modern Jewish History

The department also notes that Rutgers students have worked on deciphering the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt, reflecting the broader interdisciplinary range of faculty and student work.

Where to Find More

To browse faculty books and recent activity, start from the department's home page and follow the "Jewish Studies Faculty Bookshelf" and "New and Noteworthy" links. For course-related information, the department lists Undergraduate Academics, Current Course Offerings, Student Awards, and Transfer Credits as separate sections.