Jewish Studies Program
About the Program
Jewish Studies at Queens College is an interdisciplinary undergraduate program dedicated to the unrestricted inquiry into all aspects of the Jewish experience. It seeks to familiarize students with past and present Jewish civilization in the broadest context of world affairs. It appeals to those with a particular attachment or professional interest in the field, as well as those interested in exploring a culture not their own as part of an enriched liberal arts education
Program courses, therefore, appeal to a broad spectrum of students of every disparate ethnic and religious backgrounds. This diversity of student population enriches class discussions by ensuring the airing of multiple perspectives. 4-Year Academic Plan
The Program offers a major and a minor degree. The Program’s curriculum features a broad array of introductory and advanced courses representing the spectrum of Jewish imagination and experience, including courses in Bible, rabbinic literature, history, philosophy and Jewish thought, Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim relations, Holocaust studies, Zionism and modern Israel, Hebrew language and literature, Sephardic Studies, music, and sociology.
Scholarships for Jewish Studies
The Jewish Studies Program offers a range of scholarships to support students pursuing academic study in Jewish history, culture, language, and religion. Awards are available to both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as those with a demonstrated interest in Jewish studies. Scholarships may be based on academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement, helping to make meaningful educational opportunities more accessible.
Elissa Bemporad
Meet Our Endowed Professorships
Queens College is home to the Jerry and William Ungar Professorship in Jewish Studies, established through the Ungar family’s generosity to support faculty work in Holocaust studies and tolerance — and to foster serious intellectual exchange across ethnic and religious communities, both on campus and throughout the borough of Queens.
Elissa Bemporad is a historian specializing in East European Jewish history and the Holocaust. She serves as the Jerry and William Ungar Professor at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. Her research focuses on Russian and Eastern European Jewish history, as well as gender and genocide studies. She holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and an M.A. from the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Read more about Elissa’s work.
Jewish Studies Major
The Major consits of 42 credits.
Jewish Studies Minor
The Minor consits of 18 credits.
Hebrew Studies
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