Mission Statement
The Jewish Studies Program at Muhlenberg College offers students an opportunity to explore the history, literature, languages, traditions, and cultures that have comprised Jewish civilization from its Ancient Near Eastern origins to the present day. Our approach to the study of Jewish experience is inherently interdisciplinary. Our majors and minors take classes with faculty from the Departments of Religion Studies, History, English, Political Science, Theater and Dance, Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, as well as many others across the College. Our program stresses the diversity within and among Jewish communities, the interaction between Jewish cultures and those of the surrounding world, and the dynamism that characterizes the historical development of both modern and pre-modern Judaism. Our courses introduce students to crucial debates within the field of Jewish Studies, and to the critical study of classical and contemporary Jewish texts. Our students gain broad expertise in the areas of Jewish religion, literature, thought, language, and experience. Above all, they are challenged to grow as readers, thinkers, and writers, and learn to develop and pursue their own intellectual interests, through both thoughtful teaching and opportunities for independent research.
Program Goals
- Acquiring knowledge of Jewish experience and/or culture in a variety of historical andgeographic context
- Gaining and understanding of Jewish religion, history, and thought
- Developing the capacity to apply critical reading and thinking skills to topics connected to Jewish Studies
- Pursuing independent research in a particular subfield of Jewish Studies
- Advancing knowledge of Hebrew and/or another Jewish language.
