Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Check out these highlight's from Katz Center fellow Yosefa Raz's seminar last week, The Amalek Moment and Other Chapters in the Contemporary Israeli Bible.

29th Annual Meyerhoff Lecture in Judaic Studies: America’s Jewish Questions at 250 Years YouTube video by Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Watch leading scholars in American Jewish studies explore the field’s future opportunities and challenges.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em0p...

Rethinking American Jewish Liberalism: Jewish Communists and "Jewish Life," 1946-56 Kate Rosenblatt asks what forms of illiberalism were central to American Jews in the mid-twentieth century

Join us Tuesday, March 17 at noon EST! While many scholars have long argued over the shape and content of Jewish liberalism, Kate Rosenblatt will instead ask: what forms of illiberalism were central to mid-twentieth century American Jews? katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/rethi...

Tackling Antisemitism and Islamophobia on College Campuses: Lessons from Harvard Two leading Harvard professors unpack higher education’s responses to Antisemitism and Islamophobia on US campuses

Starting in one hour, join us! katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/tackl...

The Katz Center is thrilled the National Jewish Book Awards honored former Katz Center fellows!

Tackling Antisemitism and Islamophobia on College Campuses: Lessons from Harvard Two leading Harvard professors unpack higher education’s responses to Antisemitism and Islamophobia on US campuses

Join us this Thursday, March 5 at noon EST, Harvard professors Danielle Allan and Derek Penslar unpack higher education’s responses to Antisemitism and Islamophobia on US campuses. #religiousstudies
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/tackl...

Now open access! Read past Katz Center fellow Iris Idelson-Shein's book between the bridge and the barricade for free with the link below.
penn.manifoldapp.org/projects/bet...

PSCO Event https://rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2026/03/05/psco-event

https://rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2026/03/27/praise-impractical-innovative-pedagogy-and-future-humanities

https://rels.sas.upenn.edu/events/2026/03/19/book-launch-prof-steve-weitzmans-disasters-biblical-proportions

Upcoming RELS events!

3/5: Philadelphia Seminar on Christian Origins

3/19: Book Launch for Prof. Steve Weitzman's "Disasters of Biblical Proportions" (RELS Colloquium/PSCO/Jewish Studies)

3/27: In Praise of the Impractical: Innovative Pedagogy and the Future of the Humanities (Boardman symposium)

Harry York, "Purim Polka" (1856, Sep. Winner and Co.), Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Collection of Early American Judaica, University of Pennsylvania. With no complicated rhythms or large chords, this sheet music may have been intended for young pianists to play as their family and friends danced.

Jewish Anti-Zionism as Political Theology by Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.

Shaul’s new translation book is out and Open Access—making accessible selections from the writings of the Satmar Rebbe (i.e. Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum) w/focus on recovering his significance as a political thinker @ucpress.bsky.social www.ucpress.edu/books/jewish...

Tackling Antisemitism and Islamophobia on College Campuses: Lessons from Harvard Two leading Harvard professors unpack higher education’s responses to Antisemitism and Islamophobia on US campuses

Thursday, March 5 at noon EST, Danielle Allan and Derek Penslar (both Harvard) unpack higher education’s responses to Antisemitism and Islamophobia on US campuses.
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/tackl...

Check out these highlights from last week's seminar, A Kibbutz Remembers: Collaborative Writing of Trauma, led by Katz Center fellow Lilach Naishtat.

Racialized Citizenship: Ethiopian Jews Between the Israeli State and Jewish Diaspora Efrat Yerday examines how the history of Ethiopian Jews illuminates the racialization of Israeli citizenship

Today at noon EST! #jewishstudies
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/racia...

This summer our colleagues at the University of Antwerp are hosting the annual Advanced Summer School for Graduate Students. Click below to learn more about Jewish Studies "On Edge!" #jewishstudies
www.uantwerpen.be/en/summer-wi...

Racialized Citizenship: Ethiopian Jews Between the Israeli State and Jewish Diaspora Efrat Yerday examines how the history of Ethiopian Jews illuminates the racialization of Israeli citizenship

Join us Thursday at noon EST when Katz Center fellow Efrat Yerday examines how Ethiopian Jews have been excluded from the "ingathering of the exiles."
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/racia...

America’s Jewish Questions at 250 Years—ONLINE ONLY Leading scholars in American Jewish studies explore the field’s future opportunities and challenges

This event is now ONLINE ONLY due to weather.
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/ameri...

Check out these highlights from last week's seminar. Katz Center fellow Michael Hoberman spoke on Theodore Seixas Solomons: Jewish Conservationist of the High Sierra.

America’s Jewish Questions at 250 Years Leading scholars in American Jewish studies explore the field’s future opportunities and challenges

Tuesday, February 24 at 5:15 EST, join us for the 29th annual Meyerhoff Lecture tackling America's Jewish Questions at 250 Years. Click below to register for free. Virtual and and in-person tickets are available. #jewishstudies
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/ameri...

We're thrilled to share that 2024–25 fellow Ronit Yoeli Tlalim's new book (coedited with G. Geltner and J. Coomans), Public Health in the Premodern World: Dynamic Balalnces was just released by Oxford University Press. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

We're delighted to share that 2013–14 Katz Center fellows Elisheva Carlebach and Debra Kaplan released a new book last fall, A Woman is Responsible for Everything (Princeton University Press). Click below to read an inteveiw Dr. Carlebach.

Jewish-Muslim Dialogue in Europe and the U.S.: Solidarity and Its Challenges Elisabeth Becker-Topkara analyses how solidarities between Jewish and Muslim communities have developed—and changed—since October 7

Tomorrow at noon EST, Elisabeth Becker-Topkara will explore the solidarities between Jewish and Muslim communities, their resilience and their challenges, arguing that our capacity to speak to one another in times of crisis is vital to the flourishing of society
katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/jewis...

Q&A Roundup Meet the 2025–26 fellows and find out what drives them in their own words

This #fellowtuesday catch all of this year's fellow Q&As. More are on the horizon, so be sure to keep an eye on our blog!
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...

JQR Enters the Open Era In a letter to readers in the winter issue, the editors usher in open access

JQR's move to open access represents a new era in the life of the journal. In a letter to readers in our winter issue and on our blog, the editors reflect on the transition.
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...

The Katz Center mourns the loss of scholar of medieval philosophy Alfred Lyon Ivry (1935–2026). Dr. Ivry was a Katz Center fellow during the 1995–96 and 2006–07 fellowship years.

Entanglement and Its Limits: Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Twenty-First Century France YouTube video by Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Now on YouTube! Katz Center fellow Mendel Kranz interrogates the “new antisemitism” and the “Muslim question” in French public life.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyiV...

Mapping Memory: Jewish Women’s Narratives in Modern Istanbul Esra Almas explores the memory work of Jewish women in twentieth-century Turkey

Today at noon EST! katz.sas.upenn.edu/events/mappi...

Check out these highlights from Katz Center fellow Ayala Fader's recent seminar, Illiberal Religion and the Gendered Politics of Health and Wellness.

Be sure to check out Jewish Culture and Contexts!

Two Amish Women Walked into a Casino (Because I Drove Them There) | The Lehrhaus Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar tells the story of a funny-yet-poignant experience from when she lived in an Amish community and sought to bring some of her friends to see the ocean.

Check out this essay 2024–25 Katz Center fellow Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar wrote for Lehrhaus.
thelehrhaus.com/culture/two-...

Q&A: Historian, Journalist, and Filmmaker Lipika Pelham Dives into the Archives of India’s Baghdadi Jews Katz Center fellow Lipika Pelham maps a non-European Jewish Internationalism

This #fellowtuesday read our latest Q&A with Katz Center fellow Lipika Pelham.
katz.sas.upenn.edu/resources/bl...