About the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies
The Carolina Center for Jewish Studies, an interdisciplinary academic program in the College of Arts and Sciences, promotes a deeper understanding of Jewish history, culture and thought through its teaching, research and community outreach initiatives. Established in 2003, the Center recently celebrated five years of rapid growth and achievement.
Academics
The Jewish Studies program offers courses in departments across the humanities and social sciences. Two academic minors – Jewish Studies and Modern Hebrew – continually attract a diverse group of Carolina students, and more than 1,000 Carolina students enroll in Jewish Studies courses each year. The number of Jewish Studies courses offered to Carolina students has grown to 30 in just five years.
The number of Jewish Studies faculty members has doubled in the Center’s first five years. In the 2008-09 academic year, 12 faculty members will teach and conduct research in Jewish Studies at Carolina and funding is in place for three more faculty positions. Faculty members are based in seven different academic departments.
Students have the opportunity to pursue Jewish Studies through study abroad programs in Israel, Czech Republic and several other countries. Students may also participate in archaeological excavations in Israel.
Public Programs
The Center hosted nearly 50 free, public lectures in its first five years, bringing an array of international experts to the campus community and general public. The Speaker’s Bureau, an educational outreach program coordinated by the Center and held throughout the state, brings the excellence of our academic program to all North Carolinians. Each year, the Center co-sponsors programs with other Carolina departments, Duke University, and community organizations such as the Triangle Jewish Film Festival, to further enrich the student experience and expand community outreach efforts.
Community Support
The Center depends on private support in order to fully realize its mission of teaching, research and community outreach. Generous donations have established six endowed faculty chairs for the Center, helping recruit and retain renowned faculty at Carolina. Private support has also underwritten dynamic public programs, allowing the Center to bring experts to campus and likewise have the university’s own faculty meet with groups throughout the state. The Center’s Advisory Board, comprised of alumni and community leaders, helps guide the Center’s growth and assists with raising private support.
Future Vision
The Center’s global focus and comprehensive scope of study, coupled with Carolina’s national reputation as a student-focused research university, make the program truly unique among its peers. Looking ahead, the Center plans to further develop its undergraduate program to include an academic major, and to expand its public programs. Future plans promise to establish Carolina as the leading institution for Jewish Studies in the American south and as a prominent source of research with an international reputation.
