A Message from the Director of the Jewish Studies Program

Welcome to the Jewish Studies program at Penn! Our program reflects the full range and diverse dimensions of the Jewish experience as well as different approaches to studying Jewish life and culture.

We welcome students of all backgrounds to take our courses and participate in our programs. Our introductory courses are ideal for students with little or no background in Jewish Studies and we also offer intermediate and advanced classes. Jewish Studies courses offer students the opportunity to explore Jewish history, literature, texts, and traditions and the ways that they have evolved in the context of various civilizations. Take our courses as electives in order to deepen your understanding and investigate your interests, or become a major or minor (in any one of four different Jewish Studies tracks) and acquire a thorough knowledge of your field of Jewish interest.

Our courses fulfill General Requirements for the College and we offer language programs in Hebrew and Yiddish that satisfy the language requirement. Consult our list of courses and you will find a class for you!

In addition to formal courses, the Jewish Studies program offers a host of opportunities outside the classroom. Feel free to attend one of the many lectures and public programs we offer throughout the year or become a Jewish Studies intern and plan your own program.

Penn is home to a premier library collection in Jewish Studies and we also bring the most renowned scholars in the field to campus each year through the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies.

Enroll in a course. Attend a program. Come join us!

Beth Wenger