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
- Updated Spring 2025 Events at the Julis-Rabinowitz Program
Updated Spring 2025 Events at the Julis-Rabinowitz program on Jewish and Israeli Law, Harvard Law School. Thursday February 20 @ 12:15 pm Hauser Hall 101 “Rabbis, Law, and the Talmud in the Sasanian Empire: A New… - Eli Zuzovsky ’21 to speak at the Harvard Book Store
Eli Zuzovsky’s debut novel, Mazeltov, based on his Harvard thesis (which received a special citation at the CJS’s 2021 Weinstein Prize), is coming out in two weeks from Macmillan/Henry Holt. The Harvard Book Store selected the book for their New… - 2025 Student Funding application process now open
Attention Graduate and Undergraduate Harvard students! The CJS is pleased to announce that the application process for the following funding opportunities will open TOMORROW, 2.4.2025: Fund Type Summer 2025 Fellowships for Study and Research in Jewish…
Upcoming Events
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.
