The Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University

The CJS congratulates Sandy Cantave Vil, our Program Coordinator, for being recognized a 2026 Harvard Hero!
On June 11th, we were joined by Sandy’s family, friends and colleagues to celebrate the special moment. The Harvard Heroes program honors high-performing staff for the impact they have on the Harvard community based on criteria set by a University-wide advisory committee. President Garber congratulated each and every one of the 67 staff members who were recognized, to the raucous roars of a full Sanders Theater.

Sandy Cantave Vil: 2026 Harvard Hero! The CJS congratulates Sandy Cantave Vil, our Program Coordinator, for being recognized a 2026 Harvard Hero! On June 11th, we were joined by Sandy’s family, friends and colleagues to celebrate the special moment. The Harvard Heroes program  honors high-performing staff for the impact they have...

The CJS is proud to introduce the new cohort of Academic Visitors who will be joining us for the 2026-2027 Academic year.

Browse the Academic Visitors page to get acquainted with this wonderful group of Jewish studies scholars!

We will update this page over the coming months as more Visitors join the CJS at Harvard.

Academic Visitors 2026-2027 The Center for Jewish Studies sponsors Visiting Professors and Lecturers in a variety of academic disciplines to supplement our course offerings in Jewish studies. We also host several research scholars each year: This page will be updated as more Academic Visitors join us Visiting Professors &....

The CJS congratulates the 2026 Starr and Weinstein prize winners!
This year, the Center for Jewish Studies awarded one undergraduate students with the Harry and Cecile Starr Prize in Jewish Studies. The Prize is by faculty member nomination only, for an outstanding senior thesis in Jewish and Hebrew studies by a Harvard student.
The Selma and Lewis Weinstein Prize in Jewish Studies is awarded to the Harvard College student with the best essay on a Jewish theme.
Read about the students and their abstracts:

2026 CJS Student Prizes Awarded The CJS congratulates the 2026 Starr and Weinstein prize winners! HARRY AND CECILE STARR PRIZES IN JEWISH STUDIES This year, the Center for Jewish Studies awarded one undergraduate students with the Harry and Cecile Starr Prize in Jewish Studies. The Prize is by faculty member nomination only, for a...

The CJS welcomes its 2026-2027 Starr Fellows (Theme: Jewish Philosophy) and our Spring 2027 Silver Fellow.

Announcing our 2026-2027 Starr and Silver Fellows Please join us in welcoming our 2026-2027 Fellows. The Starr Fellowship this academic year is centered around the theme of Jewish Philosophy The Faculty co-hosts for this cohort are: Starr Fellows: The Silver Fellowship is awarded to an active member of the clergy who has demonstrated serious intell...

On May 14, Harvard hosted a full-day symposium on the topic of Antisemitism and Universities.
Read the recap in the Harvard Magazine:

Harvard Holds a Symposium on Antisemitism and Universities | Harvard Magazine Scholars discuss the paradoxes and challenges that Jews navigate on college campuses.

Publication Announcement | What is the Talmud? The State of the Question: The Proceedings of a Conference at Harvard University

The Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University and the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at the Harvard Law School are excited to announce this new publication.
ON SALE NOW!

Publication Announcement | What is the Talmud? The State of the Question Publication Announcement | What is the Talmud? The State of the Question: The Proceedings of a Conference at Harvard University The Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University and the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at the Harvard Law School are excited to announce a forthcomi...

The CJS congratulates Professor Marcus, Faculty Director of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and an active member of our Executive Committee, on her appointment as Harvard College Professor of the History of Science.

Hannah Marcus Named Harvard College Professor of the History of Science The CJS congratulates Professor Marcus, Faculty Director of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and an active member of our Executive Committee, on her appointment as Harvard College Professor of the History of Science. Professor Marcus is one of five faculty members that have been a...

The CJS congratulates Jessica Marglin on her appointment to the Jacob E. Safra Professorship of Jewish History and Sephardic Civilization at the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations @ Harvard.

Congratulations Jessica Marglin! Jessica Marglin appointed Safra Professor The CJS congratulates Jessica Marglin on her appointment to the Jacob E. Safra Professorship of Jewish History and Sephardic Civilization. Jessica Marglin joined the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations in 2025 at Harvard as a Visiting Prof...

The Judaica Division is pleased to announce the availability of a newly-created online resource: a detailed finding aid for the Seymour Rechtzeit and Miriam Kressyn Radio Programs Archive.

Harvard Judaica Division News: Yiddish Radio Programs Archive – Now Fully Searchable The Judaica Division is pleased to announce the availability of a newly-created online resource: a detailed finding aid for the Seymour Rechtzeit and Miriam Kressyn Radio Programs Archive. For further details see the Harvard Judaica Newsletter....

Congratulations Talia Kahan!
The CJS is proud to share that Talia Kahan has been awarded the 2025-2026 Hoopes Prize

Talia Kahan awarded 2025-2026 Hoopes Prize Congratulations Talia Kahan! The CJS is proud to share that Talia Kahan has been awarded the 2025-2026 Hoopes Prize From the estate of Thomas T. Hoopes, Class of 1919, Harvard received a fund from which to grant annual awards to undergraduates on the basis of outstanding scholarly work or research.....