New York scholar heads Judaic
Studies program
■ Because of a generous
donation, students interested
in Jewish culture are given
more opportunity to learn
By Brooke Ross
Oregon Daily Emerald
The year-old Judaic Studies de
partment welcomes a new director
this fall. Judith Baskin, a prominent
Judaic Studies scholar, has accept
ed the head position of the Univer
sity’s Harold Schnitzer Family Pro
gram in Judaic Studies.
“It’s an honor to be a part of the
program,” she said.
Baskin is interested in Judaic
Studies and has spent several years
teaching it. She is the author of
“Jewish Women in Historical Per
spective,” currently in its second
edition. The book is used to teach
students throughout North Ameri
ca and Israel.
Before coming to the University,
she taught at the State University of
New York at Albany for 12 years.
Baskin knows it will be different
teaching in Eugene because there is
less of a Jewish population in Ore
gon than there is in New York. An
other significant difference from
her previous teaching experience is
Courtesy Photo
Judith Baskin directs the new Judaic Stud
ies program, funded by a donation.
that SUNY’s program was state
supported, while the University’s
program is funded through a pri
vate endowment.
The University’s program was es
tablished in 1999 when Harold, Ar
lene and Jordan Schnitzer gave the
University $1.5 million from the
Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE
Foundation.“I think the Judaic
Studies program offers students a
richer opportunity to study in a va
riety of ways,” said Joe Stone, dean
of the University’s College of Arts
and Sciences.
Stone said he feels that the Juda
ic Studies program offers new
choices for students, such as study
ing modern and biblical Hebrew.
Before the program’s graduating
seniors think about caps and
gowns, they must complete a sen
ior project, which is focused on a
Judaic Studies topic of their choos
ing.
Other classes within the major
program include an internship and
a thesis project. Baskin will be
teaching Judaic Studies 201, Foun
dations of Jewish Thought, this fall.
One challenge in the program is
that the University does not have
its own Judaic Studies faculty,
Baskin said. One of her goals for the
Judaic Studies program is to work
more with other University depart
ments. There are several courses
outside the department that can be
used for the Judaic Studies major,
Baskin said.
German 399, Modern Yiddish
Literature, is just one of the classes
that tie in with the major. The class
gives a history of Eastern Europe
and the Holocaust, which is reflect
ed in Judaic Studies, said Jonathan
Skolnik, assistant professor of Ger
manic languages and literatures.
Judaic Studies majors should
find this class helpful because it of
fers a history about the origins of
Jewish culture.
“I think the class will offer stu
dents a window to east Jewish cul
ture of the 19th and 20th cen
turies,” Skolnik said.
Baskin feels that keeping close
connections with the community,
University faculty and other col
leges throughout the state is key to
the program’s success. Baskin has
already met with Judaic Studies
representatives from other Oregon
universities.
Over the summer, Baskin met in
Salem with associates from
Willamette University, Reed Col
lege, Portland State University, Pa
cific University and Lewis and
Clark College.
Baskin, who served as a speaker
at the meeting, feels that one good
way for Oregon Judaic Studies de
partments to work together is by
sharing guest speakers who travel
to the state. Other ideas she has in
clude fund raising and workshops.
The group hopes to meet once
every year to share ideas, but for
now Baskin is keeping contact es
tablished through e-mail.
Currently, the Yale graduate
serves as the vice president of the
National Association of Judaic
Studies, of which she has been a
member for 24 years. She enjoys
her involvement in the NAJS and
feels that the experience also helps
her in the classroom.
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