Jewish Studies at Elon University

The Jewish Studies program at Elon explores the historical and contemporary experience of the Jewish people. Jewish Studies courses consider Jewish history, language and literature and the diversity of Jewish religious, cultural, philosophical, and political traditions. These courses help students to understand the distinctive ideas and practices of Jewish communities, the ways in which Jewish ideas have influenced and have been influenced by other civilizations, the conditions under which Jews have been the victims of persecution, and the significance of the establishment of the State of Israel in the 20th century. The program encourages the study of Hebrew at Elon, and it offers a range of study abroad and internship opportunities.

Jewish Studies at Elon offers a variery of thematic approaches.  Students can focus on one of these or combine them based on personal and academic interests.

Hebrew Language

Imagine a language brought back to life! That’s the story of Hebrew. Elon’s Jewish Studies minor offers a  comprehensive exploration of this linguistic phenomenon through a series of Modern Hebrew courses.

Holocaust Studies

Since the establishment of the program, Jewish Studies at Elon University has included high quality academic programming in Holocaust studies.

Israel Studies

Israel themed/focused coursework focuses on the modern state of Israel and its emergence (from the advent of Zionism, the pre-state era to the present day), and explore a multitude of topics pertaining to Israel from a multidisciplinary perspective.

Jewish Literature

Elon offers several courses in different disciplines that use literature to teach about different aspects of Jewish Studies.

Judaism in the Ancient World and the Middle Ages

In courses on the history of Judaism in the Ancient world, students learn how Jewish traditions emerged in parallel with Mediterranean polytheism and developed alongside, and sometimes in competition, with the monotheistic traditions of Christianity and Islam.

Modern Jewish Religion, Ethics, and Politics

Elon offers a wide range of courses that explore modern Jewish religious, ethical, and political ideas.