Program History

1978, Fall

S. Daniel Breslauer is hired in Religious Studies to teach Jewish studies. He retires in 2003.

1987-1993

Rabbi Morris Margolies offers courses in Jewish history in the History Department.

1987-2003

Professor David Katzman (American Studies) oversees the Jewish Studies Committee.

2002, Fall

A minor in Jewish Studies is available to students for the first time, offered within Religious Studies.

2003, Sept

The Robert M. Beren Foundation of Wichita gave $500,000 to the Kansas University Endowment Association to create the Beren Professorship; a matching $500,000 gift was provided from the Hall Family Foundation of Kansas City, Mo. Beren is owner and chairman of Berexco Inc., an oil and gas exploration company based in Kansas and is chairman of Beren Corp., an oil and gas production and securities investment company. His foundation provides grants in higher education, human services and Jewish organizations, among others.

2005, Fall

Jonathan Boyarin becomes the Robert M. Beren Distinguished Professor in Modern Jewish Studies, Religious Studies.

Sari Havis hired to supervise Hebrew Language Program.

2007, Fall

Jonathan Boyarin leaves to take a position at UNC

2007-2010

Sergei Dolgopolski is hired by Religious Studies to teach Jewish texts, traditions and thought

2007-2008

Cheryl Lester, Chair of American Studies, is acting director

2008, Fall

Molly Zahn becomes Lecturer in Religious Studies

2008, Fall to Fall 2010

Lynn Davidman is appointed as the Robert M. Beren Distinguished Professor in Modern Jewish Studies (joint appointment, Religious Studies and Sociology) and Director of Jewish Studies; she was a professor of Judaic Studies at Brown

Renee Perelmutter is hired with Posen grant money to teach Yiddish (appointment is in Slavic Languages & Literatures)

2010, April 3-4 (Su-Mo)

Conference on “Narratives of Jewish Life and Jewish Studies” at the Hall Center, six speakers and a keynote address, “Freud, Jewishness and the Development of Psychoanalysis” by Eliza Slavet, University of California, San Diego.

2010, August 1

Sari Havis leaves - Shelley Rissien hired as her replacement

Sergei Dolgopolski takes a position at SUNY Buffalo

2010, October to June 2011

Henry Bial, interim director

2010, Fall

Molly Zahn appointed to tenure track in Religious Studies

2011 Fall

Lynn Davidman, Director of Jewish Studies

2012, Spring to Fall

no director of Jewish Studies

2012, Fall

Program shifted to the Center for Global & International Studies (CGIS)

Nimrod Rosler is Schusterman Visiting Assistant Professor, funded by American-Israeli Cooperative Institute (to Spring 2014)

2013, Jan 1

John Younger, Professor of Classics, becomes Associate Director of CGIS for Jewish Studies

Study Abroad programs to Israel for KU students approved

Paul Nahme hired by Religious Studies

Paul Nahme takes a position at Brown University

Sam Brody hired by Religious Studies

Gal Levy (Sociology, Open University, Israel) is Schusterman Visiting Assistant Professor, funded by American-Israeli Cooperative Institute (to Spring 2015)

A major in Jewish Studies is approved

Younger becomes Director of Jewish Studies and Jewish Studies becomes an independent unit

Eric Welch is a hired as Visiting Assistant Professor in Jewish Studies

JS hosts the 27th annual conference of the Midwestern Jewish Studies Association (Oct 18-19)

Renee Perelmutter, Associate Professor of Slavic Languages & Literatures, moves .25 of her teaching line to Jewish Studies

Renee Perelmutter, Associate Professor of Jewish Studies and of Slavic Languages & Literatures, becomes Director of Undergraduate Studies for JS

JS hosts a one-day symposium on "Jews in the Midwest" (Nov 12)

Eric Welch takes position at University of Kentucky

Rami Zeedan hired as Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies and Political Science

JS hosts a one-day writing workshop and symposium called "Writing Jewish: Midrash, Myth and Miracle" (Oct 21)