History of Judaism

wailing wall

The Ph.D. program in Judaic Studies prepares students for academic careers in teaching and research. The program offers three tracks:

  1. Late Biblical / Post-Biblical Judaism
  2. Rabbinic-Medieval Judaism
  3. Contemporary Judaism

Among the fields specifying these tracks are: Archaeology of Roman Palestine; Second Commonwealth Studies; Rabbinic/Talmudic literature; Hellenistic Judaism; and Medieval Jewish History, Philosophy, Mysticism, American Judaism and Zionism.

For more information regarding Judaic Studies programs and activities, visit the Center for Jewish Studies.

Convener: Laura Suzanne Lieber

Major Field Requirements

  • Course Work
    • 4 courses each semester for a minimum of 2 academic years
  • Languages
    • Classical language:
      • For students focusing in Late Antiquity, demonstration of reading fluency by 2 semesters of advanced course work in New Testament or Classical Greek or Syriac
      • For students focusing in the Medieval period, demonstration of reading fluency by 2 semesters of advanced course work in either Latin or Arabic
      • For students in Contemporary Judaism, demonstration of reading fluency by 2 semesters of advanced course work or exam in modern Hebrew or Yiddish
    • Modern language:
      • As demonstrated by exam and course work, reading competency in German and either French or a substitute modern European language
  • Responsible Conduct of Research Training
  • Preliminary Examinations
    • 4 written components: comprehensive, internal minor, external minor, and dissertation area
      • For students focusing in Late Antiquity, the Comprehensive Exam will cover the history of Jewish civilization from the Persian Period until the Arab conquest of Palestine
      • For students focusing in the Medieval period, the Comprehensive Exam will cover the history of Jewish civilization from the Maccabees until the expulsion from Spain in 1492
      • For students focusing in Contemporary Judaism, the Comprehensive Exam will cover the Enlightenment to the present
    • 1 oral component that reviews all four of the written exams
  • Dissertation

Inside Minor Requirements

  • 2 courses
    • Students are encouraged to select RELIGION 220 or RELIGION 221 as one of these courses

History of Judaism

David Orenstein: "A Contemporary Analysis of Shifting Contours of Jewish and Christian Identities." 2021. Co-advisors: Laura Lieber and Yaakov Ariel

Sean Burrus: "Remembering the Righteous: Sarcophagus Sculpture and Jewish Patrons in the Roman World." 2016. Co-advisors: Eric Meyers, Mary Boatwright

Alan Todd: "Feasts and the Social Order in Early Jewish Society (ca. Third Century B.C.E. - Third Century C.E.)." 2014. Advisor Eric Meyers

Benjamin Gordon: "Sacred Land Endowments and Field Consecrations in Early Judaism." 2013. Advisor: Eric Meyers