ABOUT | mjh-uc-huc

Strengths of the program:

The strengths of the program are in the American Jewish Experience & Modern Jewish History in both Europe and the Mediterranean basin.

Students will have access to the distinguished Jewish Studies and history faculties of both institutions as well as the world- class and unique resources of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and the Klau Library.

What is exceptional about the faculty and training in our joint program?

The distinguished Jewish Studies faculty of HUC-JIR-Cincinnati and the high research profile of the UC History Department offer the combined excellence of two successful Ph.D. programs. These faculty resources are augmented by select HUC- JIR faculty of the Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York campuses who often undertake cross-campus teaching or mentoring, and by UC faculty in the Judaic Studies Department, the Center for Studies in Jewish Education and Culture, and other academic units with recognized expertise in Modern Jewish Studies.

Our faculty have published widely and earned prestigious fellowships and awards for their publications. Together these entities provide a rarity: in-depth preparation in broader Jewish history and the wider field of Jewish Studies.

Which students will be attracted to

this program?

We are looking for high-achieving students with excellent prior academic training. Ideally, this includes coursework in Jewish history and culture and an MA degree in History, Jewish Studies, or a closely related field. Our admissions process will be highly competitive. We anticipate admitting 2-3 students per year.

What fields will be particular strengths of this program?

The program’s combination of faculty and academic resources supporting the study of the American Jewish experience is truly exceptional. In addition, we have considerable strength in Modern Jewish History in both Europe and the Mediterranean basin. Faculty are prepared to train students in a range of subject areas, such as Jewish politics, Zionism and Israel, religious thought, migration, and relations between Jews and non-Jews. Major strengths in fields such as Jewish thought, Jewish education, rabbinics, and broader American, European, and colonial history will deepen students’ training in all these areas.

What local resources make our

program exemplary?

HUC-JIR is home to two world-class collections of Jewish historical material: The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, the largest free-standing repository of primary source documents on American Jewish History, and the Klau Library, the largest Judaica collection outside of Israel. This amalgam of on-site research resources is unparalleled and our faculty are well positioned to offer cutting-edge training in Modern Jewish History and American Jewish History in global perspective.

How will we ensure student success?

By offering the breadth and depth of training in both Jewish Studies and History, our students will receive the wide-ranging graduate education most desired by universities today. This training will give our graduates the tools needed to secure positions in a highly competitive job market and eventually to become noted leaders in their fields.