Northeastern University Spring 2012 : Page 21P O V Today, Northeastern students can minor in Jewish studies, or pursue a combined major in religious studies and Jewish studies. The depth of experience these scholars enjoy is augmented by the university’s international focus. The Jewish community spans the globe. Students are encouraged to develop cross-cultural perspectives, which “help them become well-rounded and well-informed citizens of the world,” says Lefkovitz. She is excited about developing a new Dialogue of Civilizations offering that will send students to Israel, and hopes to develop programs abroad in which stu-dents get deeper insight into Jewish life in the former Soviet states and in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Closer to home, Lefkovitz is working to strengthen relationships with Jewish agencies in Boston, to offer a range of co-ops in such fields as Jewish education and special needs, and to develop collaborations with local institutions, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. But it’s not just experiential education that sets North-eastern’s Jewish studies program apart, Lefkovitz says. She points to the fact that the program’s faculty have excep-tionally varied expertise in Jewish culture and the arts. Jacobson, for instance, offers a course called “Music of the Jewish People.” Associate professor of journalism James Ross teaches “Modern Jewish Diaspora,” and Stephen Sadow, professor of modern languages, exam-ines the art of Jewish communities in Latin America. Historian and associate director of Jewish studies Jennifer Sartori specializes in modern Jewish history and teaches a class on women in Jewish culture. What’s more, to spur the number of Northeastern students engaged in Jewish studies, scholarships have been funded by the Ruderman family and Betty Brud-nick, who with her late husband cofounded Northeast-ern’s Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict. “The Jewish studies program at Northeastern is key to the fabric of the humanities and to the intellectual vitality of the university,” says Georges Van Den Abbeele, founding dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, which houses the program. “Its role in helping students better understand the Jewish story, past and present, is thoroughly in line with Northeast-ern’s mission as a global institution of higher learning.” Jewish studies is a rewarding choice not just for those who have a Jewish heritage, says Jacobson, but for stu-dents of all backgrounds. The program’s interdisciplinary richness leads to an unusually broad and deep education. It also, he adds, offers a valuable education in com-passion and social justice. WHY JEWISH STUDIES? Three students on how the program at Northeastern has enriched their education. Emili Kaufman, senior, communication studies major, Jewish studies minor As the 2011–2012 Gideon Klein Scholar, Kaufman traveled to Germany and Belgium to study the work of German surrealist painter Felix Nussbaum, who died at the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. As part of this study, Kaufman will also cre-ate an original piece of art. “When I first read about Nussbaum, I was intrigued that he had managed to escape from the Nazi labor camp in Saint-Cyprien, in southern France. I decided to dig deeper. Once I saw Nussbaum’s artwork, I was hooked.” Jillian Hinderliter, senior, history major (PlusOne BA/MA program), Jewish studies minor Hinderliter’s senior project, conducted with associate Jewish studies director Jennifer Sartori, looks at the involvement of American Jewish women in the feminist movement from the 1960s to today. Hinderliter is examining writings and other archival materials from Jew-ish feminist activists. “Jewish studies gives me the opportunity to participate in courses that are challeng-ing intellectually, yet highly applicable to how we live every day. Topics range from gender relations to religion, music theory to politics. Class discussions are never dull, and always challenge the way I think.” Eli Lippman, senior, digi-tal communication major, Jewish studies minor Lippman’s family is Jewish, but not particularly observant. To his surprise, the Jewish studies minor deepened his faith and led him to travel to Israel with fellow members of Northeastern Hillel. “The program has made me think about the history of the Jewish people, what Jews have endured through the ages in different parts of the world. I’ve really gotten a sense for the past of my people, and I’ve learned how lucky I am to be a Jewish person in America in 2012.” Spring 2012 Northeastern Magazine 21 Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
