The field of Jewish Studies explores the rich heritage of the Jewish people. Using the methodology of different academic disciplines, it examines the experience of Jews in the many lands in which they have lived over the past four thousand years, as well as contemporary Jewish life in Israel, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Read more
Jewish Studies Program
About Jewish Studies
Mission Statement
The Jewish Studies Program teaches academic perspectives on Jewish history and on the diversity of Jewish experience. Though CSUN students are our primary responsibility, we also seek to provide knowledge and resources to others on campus and to the public at large. The goal of the Jewish Studies Program is to help people understand the past and respond to important contemporary issues that affect their daily lives, contributing to a more thoughtful and compassionate society for all. Read more
Event
11th Annual Maurice Amado Foundation Lecture in Jewish Ethics
Androgynes and Eunuchs: What the Ancient Jewish Past Teaches About Contemporary Trans Politics, Professor Max Strassfeld
The ancient world offers surprising insights into contemporary gender politics. Ancient Jewish texts describe a variety of sex and gender categories, which profoundly shaped Jewish ideas about law and gender beyond a simple binary. The flexible thinking in these texts shows us how to reassess our received narratives about the relationship between religion, gender, and law today.
Prof. Max Strassfeld, Associate Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Arizona, specializes in Rabbinic Literature, Transgender Studies, and Jewish Studies. His book, Trans Talmud: Androgynes and Eunuchs in Rabbinic Literature, won the 2023 American Academy of Religion Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion - Textual Studies.
Wednesday, March 13 - 12:30-1:45 p.m. PDT
In person: Ferman Presentation Room, University Library
Zoom registration
Androgynes and Eunuchs event flyer (PDF)
Co-sponsored by the Center for Civil Discourse and Social Change; the Pride Center; the University Library; the College of Humanities; the Departments of English, History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies; and the Queer Studies Program
Professor Jody Myers
We are sad to share the news that Professor Emerita Jody Myers passed away. As Director of the Jewish Studies Program for 34 years, Dr. Myers oversaw vibrant and unique programming that served students and the community. She created opportunities for students to travel to Central Europe, gain career skills in Jewish nonprofit organizations, and learn about Jewish environmental thought together with wilderness-survival skills. Community members enjoyed the Jewish Studies film series and public lectures that she offered. Her influence on CSUN students and the community beyond was deep and wide-ranging, and she will be profoundly missed. Her obituary appeared in the (Minneapolis) StarTribune on Oct. 25, 2022.