Jewish Studies Program

Welcome to Jewish Studies

The field of Jewish Studies explores the rich heritage of the Jewish people. Using the methodology of different academic disciplines, it examines the experience of Jews in the many lands in which they have lived over the past four thousand years, as well as contemporary Jewish life in Israel, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

For most of their history, Jews have been a minority within a larger, non-Jewish society. Jewish literature, art, religious thought, history, and social attitudes and behavior are expressions of a distinctive perspective that draws from the surrounding cultures.

Students of all religions and ethnic backgrounds are welcome to enroll in individual Jewish Studies courses. The Jewish Studies Program offers a Minor in Jewish Studies (21 units), and a Major in Jewish Studies (30 units).

Mission Statement

The Jewish Studies Program teaches academic perspectives on Jewish history and on the diversity of Jewish experience.  Though CSUN students are our primary responsibility, we also seek to provide knowledge and resources to others on campus and to the public at large.   The goal of the Jewish Studies Program is to help people understand the past and respond to important contemporary issues that affect their daily lives, contributing to a more thoughtful and compassionate society for all.

Jewish Studies courses include scholarly, experiential, and practical learning that prepares students for the demands of the workplace and civil society.  Students taking Jewish Studies courses and interacting with JS faculty learn how Jews and Judaism are both part of and distinct from the cultures that surround them, and they see how the experiences of Jews over time and in different places parallel and diverge from those of other minority groups.