IUB's Jewish Studies Program celebrating 25th

By Susan Voelkel

If visitors to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., were asked to name where the largest Jewish Studies Program between the East and West coasts is located, probably only a few would pinpoint the state of Indiana, which is home to only 20,000 of the country's 5.5 million Jews.

But the program is here at Indiana University and celebrating its silver anniversary. A great deal has happened in the 25 years since the program was established at the Bloomington campus.

Rosenfeld

"Indiana's program is among the biggest in number of participating faculty members, courses and students. What exists here is probably unrivaled in this part of the country, and it's hard to match anywhere," said Alvin Rosenfeld, director of the program.

"The genesis of the Jewish Studies Program at IUB began with Henry Fischel, professor emeritus of Near Eastern languages and cultures," said Carolyn Lipson-Walker, who is assistant director for programming and academic adviser. Fischel pioneered the teaching of Jewish subject matter at IU more than 30 years ago. The Lilly Endowment gave IU a grant in 1972-73 to develop a Jewish Studies Program.

"Rosenfeld has gathered in Bloomington a truly outstanding group of Jewish Studies professors," Lipson-Walker said. "This group of talented, much-honored faculty has made IU a national center for high-level Jewish teaching, learning and research," Lipson-Walker said.

Rosenfeld pointed out that "an interdisciplinary approach is the best way to view the kaleidoscope that is Jewish life and culture." Thus Jewish studies is a program rather than a department.

The program draws students from all over the country and the number of majors has far outrun predictions. The Jewish studies degree, which was begun five years ago and requires a double major, has already been bestowed on 30 students.

The celebration runs throughout the year. Public events include lectures at IUB by Professors Moshe Rosman of Bar-Ilan University (Nov. 20), Ronnie Po-Chia Hsia of New York University (Dec. 1) and David Roskies of the Jewish Theological Seminary (March 23-24). There are also programs planned at IUPUI, including a series in January, February and March on "Searching for Our Roots in Judaism."

Call 812-855-0453 or E-mail iujsp@indiana.edu for details.