Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies Year In Review
Revel Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies
Year in Review 2025–2026
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
Historically, Revel has always offered advanced Jewish Studies scholarship to students with strong proficiency in Hebrew and classical Jewish texts through master’s and doctoral programs. Prior to 2020, annual enrollment typically ranged from approximately 55 to 65 degree students. The enforced transition to Zoom during the COVID pandemic allowed us to recruit students nationally and internationally for the first time, and the nature of our classes meant that online participation had minimal effects on the quality of instruction. As a result, we have continued to offer classes remotely, while also restructuring our MA program to create pathways for students without extensive Jewish Studies backgrounds, and introducing new programs including our Advanced Certificate and our Hebraic Studies Program for Christian students. All of this means that while humanities departments in universities are
shrinking around the world, Revel, in contrast, has been through a period of sustained growth, leading to record enrollment of 158 degree students in Fall 2025. In addition, both as a result of this growth and the support of new donors, Revel is also on a firmer financial footing than at any time in its history. The reason for highlighting all of this is that it played a significant role in our having made three new tenure-track faculty appointments in academic Jewish Studies, the first such appointments to have been made at Yeshiva University in almost 20 years. I am delighted to announce, therefore, that in Fall 2026, together with the undergraduate units, Revel will be welcoming to the faculty Dr Shira Weiss as Assistant Professor of Jewish Philosophy, Dr David Sclar as Assistant Professor of Jewish History, and Dr Zvi Stampfer as the new Dr. Dov and Nancy Friedberg Chair in Geonic and Geniza Studies. These exciting new appointments take their place alongside the initiatives noted above, and the conferences and events that present our scholarship to the wider public. All of these serve to further strengthen Revel’s historic leadership in advanced Jewish Studies, while also extending Yeshiva University’s educational mission to new domestic and international audiences. It is an honor to serve as Dean of the school, and as we look forward to another exciting year ahead, I hope you enjoy reading about some highlights from the academic year we have just completed. With all best wishes,
Daniel Rynhold, PhD Dr. Mordecai D. Katz Dean
2
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
About every four years, barring war or pandemic, scholars gather in Jerusalem for the World Congress of Jewish Studies. Consistent with its somewhat pretentious name, this academic conference encompasses the world of Jewish Studies, in geographic terms, because it brings together researchers from across the globe, as well as in terms of its wide disciplinary scope, with lectures on everything from pre-biblical archeology to contemporary anti-Semitism. I first attended as a starstruck undergraduate; my sister compared me to people who go to Hollywood to see popular actors. Last August, some thirty years later, I was privileged to be part of Yeshiva University’s impressive representation at the nineteenth Congress, where the program included not only talks by me and my colleagues, but also by two of our doctoral students, Akiva Koenigsberg, who presented a talk entitled, “Between Mishnah and Talmud: An Investigation into the Develop- ment of the Mishnah and the Babylonian Talmud,” and Yaakov Taubes, who
gave a lecture entitled “Search and Find: On the Changing Use of Indexes in the Age of Print.” Towards the end of December, 2025, at another world-class gathering, the 57th annual convention of the U.S.-based Association of Jewish Studies (AJS) in Washington, D.C., the schedule also featured lectures by two of our students, Noam Kornsgold (“Private Acts and Public Optics: Revisiting Marit Ha-‘Ayin in Medieval Halakhic Discourse”) and Miriam Zami (“Between Laughter and Tears: Rabbinic Responses to Incongruity”). Our students made their mark elsewhere, too. Jacob Matulia, who returned to our Ph.D. program after a year earning an M.Phil. in Cambridge, England, attended the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Boston, where he spoke about “Biblical Quotations in the Mishnah: Morphological Features and Diachrony.” And, in May, Avishag Damari presented a paper entitled “Metaphor as a Pedagogical Tool Between Imagination and Intellect in Maimonides” at the conference “Wisdom from the Middle Ages: Philosophical Contributions from the Abrahamic Traditions” at the University of New Brunswick, in Canada. Even as our students bring their research to the world, senior scholars from around the world come to Washington Heights to share their latest work with them at our Ph.D. lunch series. This year, we hosted presentations by Shira Billet (JTS), Kimmy Caplan (Bar-Ilan University), Yossi Chajes (Bar-Ilan University) and Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah (University of Groningen). We are especially proud to celebrate our two newest graduates who defended their dissertations during the 2025-2026 academic year. Raizy Gruenebaum-Chechik wrote “The Limits of Hybridity: An Intellectual Biography of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Don Yihyeh,” under the guidance of Professor Joshua Karlip. Yaakov Taubes, wrote “To Find What One Seeks: The Evolution of Search Tools in Medieval Jewish Books,” guided by Professors David Berger and Ephraim Kanarfogel. It makes me especially happy to note that both will continue their careers in service to Yeshiva University. With best wishes,
Shalom E. Holtz Professor of Bible Director of the PhD Program
3
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
I am pleased to report another successful year for both the Hebraic Studies Program and the Hebraica Veritas: Korean Jewish Fellowship Program. Both programs seek to make the academic study of Judaism accessible to a broader audience, especially students and professionals seeking a deeper understanding of Judaism and its relationship to Christian thought and history. The Hebraic Studies Program, which offers a carefully curated MA program for students interested in exploring the historical relationship between Judaism and Christianity, has continued to attract talented students. Although our longtime partner in this endeavor, the Philos Project, has unfortunately ceased operations, we remain committed to the program and are actively pursuing new partnerships to ensure its continued success. One highlight of the past year was the capstone course, Reflections on Jewish-Christian Relations. Team-taught by Revel faculty and visiting scholars, the course
culminated in outstanding student papers on the history of Jewish-Christian relations. Under the capable leadership of Dr. Jeong Mun Heo, the Hebraica Veritas: Korean Jewish Fellowship Program has continued to flourish. The program offers a four-course certificate in Jewish Studies for Korean-speaking students and has seen growing interest and participation. Among the new offerings this year was Intro- duction to Zionism, taught by Revel doctoral student Avishag Damari. The course provided students with an overview of the intellectual, cultural, and political history of Zionism. We are also delighted to announce that, with the assistance of YU Global, we will launch Hebraica Veritas’s first asynchronous courses this coming fall, expanding access to additional students. Finally, we are proud to announce that, in partnership with Gratz College, BRGS is launching a new Path to Chaplaincy Program. This initiative will prepare students for service as chaplains in hospitals and other community settings. We look forward to sharing additional details in the coming months. Together, these initiatives demonstrate the growing reach and impact of BRGS, and we look forward to building on their success in the coming year..
Jonathan V. Dauber, PhD Associate Professor of Jewish Studies Director of External Programming
4
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
Events
MAR. 9, 2026
The Fate of Moses Cordevero’s Autograph Manuscripts: From Sixteenth-Century Safed to Twentieth-Century Jerusalem Presented by Prof. Eugene Matanky (Hebrew University)
SEP. 2, 2025
East European Immigrant Rabbis Lecture for PhD students Presented by Prof. Kimmy Caplan (Bar-Ilan University)
APRIL 26, 2026 Reflections on the Life and Impact of Rabbi Jacob Emden on the Occasion of his 250th Yahrtzeit Presented by Profs. Sid Z. Leiman and J. J. Schachter WATCH HERE https://youtu.be/EPLpje3H5Ms?si=RQy1xy- Am8kOIepWr
NOV. 23, 2025 Maimonides and Science Conference in memory of Prof. Ron Birke WATCH HERE (https://youtu.be/0B0ec4ZiljU)
APRIL 28, 2026
Between Bombay, Baghdad, and Britain: Flora Sassoon and the Making of Jewish Modernity Lecture for PhD students Presented by Prof. Sasha Goldstein- Sabbah (University of Groningen)
DEC. 18, 2025
Prophecy and the Biblical Prophets in Modern Jewish Thought Lecture for PhD students Presented by Prof. Shira Billet (Jewish Theological Seminary)
MAY 17, 2026 Year End Reception with keynote address Written out of History: The Widow Romm and the Vilna Shas presented by Dr. Raizi Gruenebaum- Chechik, PhD ’26
FEB. 19, 2026
Philosophy, Pedagogy, Prophecy, and the Enigmatic Origins of Ilanot Lecture for PhD students Presented by Prof. Yossi Chajes (Bar-Ilan University)
5
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
Publications
Kanarfogel, E. (2025). ‘Olamam shel Ba`alei ha-Tosafot [The World of the Tosafists]. The Research Authority of Herzog College. Kanarfogel, E. (2025). R. Jacob b. Meir Tam: The virtuoso teacher of the Tosafists. In C. S. Popa (Ed.), Teaching and learning the norms of life and faith: Pedagogues, educators, and their heritage in the Abrahamic religions (pp. 111-122). Mohr Siebeck. Kanarfogel, E. (2025). Review of the book in this land: Jewish life and culture in late medieval Provence, by P. Roth. Speculum, 100(2), 586-587. READ HERE https://repository.yu.edu/server/api/core/ bitstreams/db8c1769-b97c-4180-8f79-b66c95aba4a4/ content RONNIE PERELIS Cassen, F., & Perelis, R. (2025, June). Jews were barred from Spain’s New World colonies—but that didn’t stop Jewish and converso writers from describing the Americas. The Conversation. READ HERE https://doi.org/10.64628/AAI.jddv9jps9
JONATHAN DAUBER Dauber, J. (2025). Mysticism and rationalism.
In D. Rynhold & T. Goldschmidt (Eds.), The Routledge companion to Jewish philosophy (pp. 161-172). Routledge. READ HERE www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/ edit/10.4324/9781032693859-19/mysticism-rational- ism-jonathan-dauber Dauber, J. (2025). Reconsidering the emergence of Kabbalah: The role of Isaac the Blind. Jewish Studies Quarterly, 32(1): 55-77. READ HERE https://doi.org/10.1628/jsq-2025-0004
SHALOM E. HOLTZ
Holtz, S. E. (2025). 26:1–11, The farmer’s declaration. In D. Arnovitz (Ed.), The Koren Tanakh of the land of Israel: Deuteronomy (p. 226). Koren Publishers Jerusalem.
Perelis, R. (2026). Psalm 10: Between the lines: A Jamaican Jew wrestles with God and the inquisitors. In S. Trapedo (Ed.), The soul’s refuge: Meditations on the Psalms (pp. 57-62). Maggid Books/ Yeshiva University Press.
Holtz, S. E. (2025). Appoint judges and officials. In D. Arnovitz (Ed.), The Koren Tanakh of the land of Israel: Deuteronomy (pp. 155–156). Koren Publishers Jerusalem. Holtz, S. E. (2025, September 11). Deuteronomy and the Buddhas of Bamiyan. Jewish Educational Leadership, 24(1). READ HERE www.lookstein.org/journal-article/f_25/deu- teronomy-and-the-buddhas-of-bamiyan/ Holtz, S. E. (2025). Massartu, Mišmeret and duties in temples: A contextual parallel. In J. L. Cooley & R. I. L. Thelle (Eds.), Jehu’s tribute: What can biblical studies offer Assyriology? (pp. 152–165). Eisenbrauns. Holtz, S. E. (2025). Oral and written in Israelite legal life: Analogues from Mesopotamia. In S. Jacobs (Ed.), The dynamics of early Judaean law: Studies in the diversity of ancient criminal, civil and communal legislation (pp. 37–49). De Gruyter. EPHRAIM KANARFOGEL Kanarfogel, E. (2025). Ashkenaz. In W. Homolka, R. Kampling, A. Levine, C. Markschies, P. Schafer, & M. Thurner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian relations. De Gruyter.
DANIEL RYNHOLD
Rynhold, D. (2025). Repentance. In D. Rynhold & T. Goldschmidt (Eds.), The Routledge companion to Jewish philosophy (pp. 133-46). Routledge. READ HERE https://doi. org/10.4324/9781032693859-16
Rynhold, D. and Goldschmidt, T. (Eds.) (2025). The Routledge companion to Jewish philosophy. Routledge. READ HERE https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032693859
6
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
Revel graduates celebrate at the Annual Year End Reception with Dean Rynhold.
MALKA SIMKOVICH Simkovich, M. Z. (2025). Chosenness: A 2,500 year old problem. Sapir, 18(2), 52–61. READ HERE https://sapirjournal.org/chosenness/2025/a- 2500-year-old-problem/
JOSHUA D. ZIMMERMAN Zimmerman, J. D. (2025). Jews and the struggle for Polish freedom, 1794-1989. In J. S. Micgiel (Ed.), Poles, Polania, and the quest for liberty (pp. 39-59). Routledge. READ HERE https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003594642 Zimmerman, J. D. (2025). On the origins of the Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków: Conversations with Janusz Makuch. In H. Filipowicz & J. J. Bukowczyk (Eds.), Pole/Jew: History, Literature, identity, future (pp. 299-314). Ohio University Press. Zimmerman, J. D., & Brzeziecki, A. (2026). Piłsudski was a democrat: An exchange between Joshua Zimmerman and Andrzej Brzeziecki. In Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry, 38, 429448. READ HERE https://doi.org/10.3828/polin.2026.38.429 Of Note Dr. Shalom Holtz (Bible, Hebrew, and Near Eastern Studies, Yeshiva College) has been vested with the title of David A. and Fannie M. Denenberg Chair in Biblical Studies at Yeshiva College
SHIRA WEISS
Albo, J. (2025). Joseph Albo: Collected writings (S. Weiss, Ed. & Trans. (The Library of the Jewish People/Koren. (Original work published 1425)
Weiss, S. (2025). Introduction. In J. Albo, Joseph Albo: Collected writings (pp. 3-16). The Library of the Jewish People/Koren. Weiss, S. (2026). Introduction. In S. Trapedo (Ed.), The soul’s refuge: Meditations on the Psalms (pp. xvii-xxi). Maggid Books/Yeshiva University Press.
7
YEAR IN REVIEW | BERNARD REVEL GRADUATE SCHOOL OF JEWISH STUDIES | SCHOLARSHIP • TORAH • WISDOM • THOUGHT
Profiles
JONATHAN STRAUS
I live in Toronto. I have always wanted to return to school for formal studies in Jewish Philosophy. Revel’s online option provided the flexibility I need to be able to fit coursework into my schedule without any compromise on the quality of education. While I expected the faculty to be incredible scholars,
NETI PENSTEIN
I currently live in Washington Heights but am originally from Bergenfield, NJ. I am studying Jewish Philosophy at Revel. When I worked on my under- graduate thesis, I engaged with the work of the Revel Dean, Dr. Daniel Rynhold. I was very excited, therefore, to have the opportunity to take his courses,
I was surprised by how generous they were with their time and how invested they were in my success. They were available to discuss ideas, read drafts and provide invaluable guidance as I progressed through my studies. Thanks to their advice and encouragement I decided to continue my studies and will be attending the doctoral program at Revel this upcoming semester.
and work on my dissertation with him. One thing that I particularly appreciate about Revel, is that the small class size gives us the opportunity to have lively in-class discussions and to build relationships with professors.
Congratulations to our new PhD
WENDY SHINAR
I’m a wife, mom, entrepreneur, and music educator from San Diego, California. After years of studying sacred scriptures in their original languages on my own, I decided to formalize my training and pursue answers to my many questions. I am fascinated by how meaning and theological significance are embedded
DR. RAIZI GRUENEBAUM-CZECHIK
The Limits of Hybridity: An Intellectual Biography of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Don Yihyeh
in language itself and tie Scripture together in a beautiful tapestry. I appreciate the diverse backgrounds of my classmates and the openness of my professors to my questions and perspectives. My MA in Jewish Studies at Bernard Revel is the next step in my longer journey of research and curriculum development in the Jewish- Christian space. This last year has been very fulfilling and has confirmed that I am in the best environment for my unique curiosities.
Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies Furst Hall, 500 West 185th Street New York, NY 10033
yu.edu/revel 646.592.4270
8
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease