Our Mission

Our Mission
The Center for Jewish Studies is the research and outreach arm of Jewish Studies on campus, promoting Jewish knowledge, scholarship, and culture outside the formal classroom setting. Serving as a bridge between the academic program and the community, the center has a wide array of exciting extracurricular events, making it a preeminent Jewish intellectual and cultural resource for the entire region. Through its imaginative programming, the center seeks to:
  • Engage the college and general public in Jewish education and culture by organizing lectures, symposia, conferences, films, music and theater performances.
  • Foster Jewish learning in the community.
  • Publish and disseminate scholarly proceedings to laypeople and scholars.
  • Promote academic community among students and faculty.
  • Encourage and sustain the pedagogic and scholarly activities of the faculty and students within the Jewish Studies Program at Queens College.
  • Combat and overcome intolerance and stereotyping while promoting understanding among diverse groups on campus and within the broader community, with a belief in nurturing a sense of shared citizenship on issues transcending differences while recognizing and celebrating the beauty of difference.

*Deceased

Center For Jewish Studies Advisory Board
  • Professor Mark Rosenblum, Director
  • Dr. Diane Spielmann, Associate Director
  • Professor Evan Zimroth, Associate Director
Center For Jewish Studies Executive Board
  • Ernest Schwarcz, Founder*
  • Rabbi Israel Mowshowitz,Chair Emeritus*
  • Herbert Berman, Esq.,Chair Emeritus*
  • Arthur Anderman, Esq.,Chair Emeritus
  • Bernie Spear, Chair
  • Pearl Halegua, Vice Chair
  • Gary Sazer, Vice Chair
  • Simon Gold, Esq.,Honorary Vice Chair
  • William Ungar, Executive Vice President
  • Elsi Levy, Vice President for Cultural Affairs
General Board
  • Daniel Andron*
  • Elayne P. Bernstein-Schwartz*
  • Melvin Dubin
  • Barbara Finger, Esq.
  • Nathan Halegua
  • Jerry Kirschbaum
  • Marilyn Kirschbaum
  • Dr. Sheldon Landesman
  • Leon Levy*
  • Amy Magid
  • Marc Magid
  • Leon Miller
  • Sandi Povman
  • Judith Rosen, PhD
  • Marcia Schorr
  • Dr. Arden Smith
  • Laurie Spear
  • David Werber
  • Martin Werber
  • Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld
  • Marvin Zborowski

Staff:

  • Pat Tortorici
  • Rita Shliselberg
Cultural Programs
  • Biblical Archaeology Slide–Lecture Series
  • Lecture/Book Signings
  • Music & Theater Series
  • International Symposia and Conferences
  • Kristallnacht Memorials
  • Jewish Visual Arts Programs
  • Student Seminars
Programs In The Community
  • Faculty Speakers Bureau
  • Community Initiative
Publications
  • The Queens College Journal of Jewish Studies: A Student Publication
  • Occasional Papers Series
  • Conference/Symposium Proceedings
Supporters Of Endowed Lectures
  • Simon and Dr. Roslyn Gold
  • Robert and Susan Grossman
  • The Levy Family
  • Jack Lummer Endowment
  • The Ruth and Sidney Schindler Family
  • The Ernest and Marta Schwarcz Endowment Fund
  • The Stolar Family Lillian Taynor & Family
  • Max and Dr. Jenny Weil
  • Marvin and Celina Zborowski
  • Arthur and Carole Anderman (in honor of the Rose and Morris Danzig Trust)
Sponsors Of The Cinema On Sundays Film/Dialogue Series
  • Mr. & Mrs. Arthur A. Anderman
  • Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Dubin
  • Elsi Levy
  • The Honorable Nettie Mayersohn, New York State Assembly, 27th District
  • The Honorable Toby Ann Stavisky, New York State Senate, 16th District
Sponsors Of The Jewish Music & Theater Performance Series
  • The Honorable David I.Weprin, New York City Council, 23rd District
  • The Levy Family
Recently Hired Faculty
  • Elissa Bemporad The Jerry and William Ungar Professorship in Jewish Studies
  • Francesca Bregoli The Joseph and Oro Halegua Professor in Greek and Sephardic Jewish Studies
  • Abigail Doukhan The Pearl and Nathan Halegua Family Professor in Ethics and Tolerance
  • Arnold Franklin Medieval Jewish History in the Arabic-Speaking World
  • Sari Kisilevsky Philosophy of Law and Ethics
  • Miryam Segal Modern Hebrew Literature and Bible
Faculty
  • Jerome Acker Classical, Middle Eastern & Asian Languages & Cultures
  • Ammiel Alcalay Classical, Middle Eastern & Asian Languages & Cultures
  • Sami S. Chetrit Classical, Middle Eastern & Asian Languages & Cultures
  • Thomas E. Bird European Languages & Literatures
  • Liba H. Engel Elementary & Early Childhood Education
  • Raymond Erickson Copland School of Music
  • Alyson Cole Political Science
  • Sarah Covington History
  • Harriet Davis-Kram History
  • Isaac Alteras History
  • Rikki Asher Art Education
  • Ziva Flamhaft Political Science
  • Nora Glickman Hispanic Languages & Literatures
  • Arbie Orenstein Copland School of Music
  • Joseph Sungolowsky European Languages & Literatures
  • Michael Krasner Political Science
  • Benny Kraut* History
  • Steven Kruger English
  • Chava Lapin Classical, Middle Eastern & Asian Languages & Cultures
  • Izabella Taler Jewish Studies Bibliographer Benjamin Rosenthal Library
  • Adam Mintz History
  • Samuel Heilman Sociology
  • Martin Pine History
  • Kristina Richardson History
  • David Richter English
  • Alan Rosenberg Philosophy
  • Mark Rosenblum History
  • Naftali Rottenstreich English
  • Imanuel Rybakov History
  • Arthur Shippee Philosophy
  • John O’Brien History
  • Rabbi Moshe Shur History
  • Leo Hershkowitz History
New Professorships And Teachers
  • The Jerry and William Ungar Professorship in Jewish Studies Endowment, supported by Jerry* and William Ungar: Dr. Elissa Bemporad
  • The Joseph and Oro Halegua Professorship in Greek and Sephardic Jewish Studies, supported by the Pearl and Nathan Halegua Family Foundation: Dr. Francesca Bregoli
  • The Pearl and Nathan Halegua Family Professorship in Ethics and Tolerance, supported by the Pearl and Nathan Halegua Family Foundation: Dr. Abigail Doukhan
Visiting And Adjunct Professorships

Dean Ernest Schwarcz Visiting Eminent Professorship in Jewish Philosophy, supported by the Ernest and Marta Schwarcz Endowment Fund and by Queens College

The Rabbi Israel and Libby Mowshowitz Adjunct Professorship in Politics and Religion, supported by the Mowshowitz Endowment Fund

The Jerry and William Ungar Adjunct Professorship in Holocaust Studies, supported by the Jerry* and William Ungar Endowment Fund

Rose & Morris Danzig Visiting Professor in Jewish Studies, established by Carole and Arthur Anderman

Faculty Programs
  • The Faculty Reading Group in Jewish Civilization
  • The Jewish Studies Faculty Colloquium
Student Awards And Prizes
  • Center for Jewish Studies Award, supported by the Jewish Studies Program
  • Jewish Studies Academic Excellence Prize, supported by the Jewish Studies Program
  • Stefa Berger Communal Service Award, supported by Eva and Lenny Zimmerman
  • William Fenster Memorial Scholarship, supported by the Fenster Family Endowment Fund
  • Morris Flatow Memorial Scholarship, supported by the Flatow Family Endowment Fund
  • Ruth Hollander Award, supported by Ruth Hollander
  • Jan Sinnreich Award for Writing Excellence, supported by Leonore Sinnreich
  • M. Hratch Zadoian Essay Prize in Holocaust/Genocide Studies, endowed by M. Hratch Zadoian