How to Pursue Jewish Studies
For those seeking to learn more about the Jews, Jewish history, Israeli culture, the Hebrew language, Yiddish, the Bible, the Talmud, and the many other subjects that constitute Jewish Studies, the Taube Center offers three pathways.
1) For Undergraduate Students
Some students find Jewish Studies a valuable focus for their undergraduate experience, a way to prepare for careers in the Jewish community or to approach a liberal arts education from a very interesting angle. Students who do not wish to major or minor in Jewish Studies can derive great benefit from individual courses with leading scholars in the field. Learning Hebrew can be very helpful for understanding the Middle East. Studying the Holocaust is crucial for understanding modernity and the threat of genocide today. Judaism and Jewish religious texts are a classic focus for the study of religion.
There is also now the option of writing an honors thesis in Jewish Studies even if one is not majoring in Jewish Studies. For a new service learning opportunity, visit the Haas Center for Public Service.
How to get started? A good first step is to try out a course. If you wish to pursue Jewish Studies beyond that, a good next step is contact Center Manager, Linda Huynh (lindamh@stanford.edu) who will be happy to meet with you to discuss your interests and the opportunities that the center offers. Please note that Jewish Studies at Stanford is meant for both Jewish and non-Jewish students.
2) For Graduate Students
Stanford is a leading center for the training of the next generation of scholars and intellectual leaders in the field of Jewish Studies, training scholars now at leading universities throughout the country. Stanford is especially strong in the fields of modern Jewish history, literary studies (Hebrew, German-Jewish literature, Russian and East European Jewish literature), Sephardic Studies, and Rabbinics, among other subjects, and its Education School now offers a concentration in Education and Jewish Studies for students interested in doing research at the intersection of these fields.
Prospective students wishing to pursue a masters or doctoral degree in Jewish Studies at Stanford University should seek information and apply for admission through the relevant department (History, Religious Studies, Comparative Literature, etc). The Taube Center offers graduate fellowships, an on-going colloquium for graduate students, research support and other opportunities. For more information, contact Linda Huynh (lindamh@stanford.edu).
3) For the Community
The educational mission of the Taube Center is not limited to Stanford students. It aims to educate the broader community, Jewish and non-Jewish, through lectures and other public events, almost all free and open to the public. Many programs are undertaken in collaboration with other organizations and institutions, and some are held off-campus, in Palo Alto, San Francisco and elsewhere. For more information about our public events, see Our Calendar.
Some faculty are willing to serve as guest speakers and teachers. For information about their scholarship and interests, see Our Faculty.
For information about how to support our educational efforts, click the Support Jewish Studies button at the bottom of the website.
