What We Do
The Center for Jewish Studies serves as an umbrella organization, encompassing and coordinating the many academic and extra-curricular programs in Jewish Studies at Harvard University.
CJS Director: Derek Penslar
Derek J. Penslar is William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at the Department of History.
Read more about our Faculty Leadership
Academics
Fellowship Opportunities
The Center for Jewish Studies supports a number of fellowships and prizes for qualified undergraduate and graduate Harvard students, as well as an exchange program for graduate students in Jewish studies with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
We are also pleased to support and host research scholars, Visiting Professors and Lecturers in Jewish studies from outside Harvard.
Recent News
- “The Jewish Problem, Then and Now: Rethinking Louis Brandeis’s Liberalism” | A Symposium
“The Jewish Problem, Then and Now: Rethinking Louis Brandeis’s Liberalism” a symposium sponsored by theJulis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at the Harvard Law School *September 16, 2025* 2025 marks the 110th anniversary of Louis Brandeis’s… - Upcoming Events at the CJS
Mark your Calendar | Upcoming Events The CJS will host some exciting events in the fall of 2025. We look forward to sharing more details with you as they become available… - Welcome to our Fall 2025 Academic VisitorsPlease join us in welcoming our Fall 2025 academic visitors. Visiting Faculty Susannah Heschel, Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies, Dartmouth College Joseph Engel Visiting Professor (Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations/Harvard Divinity School), academic…
Giving to the CJS
The Center for Jewish Studies is very grateful to our donors for their generosity in supporting our endeavors. Those pursuing Jewish studies at Harvard University may benefit from a number of endowment and current use funds established over the years. New funds are formed continuously to support students and scholars in their pursuit for greater knowledge and achievement in this field. These may also support publications, events, other activities and administration at the Center for Jewish Studies.
Our Newsletter
Our office proudly presents annual or biannual Newsletters with comprehensive accounts of current work done at the CJS.
