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Jewish Studies Program

The Jewish Studies Program at San Diego State University is an interdisciplinary program serving the students of SDSU as well as the greater San Diego Community. We offer a major in Modern Jewish Studies and a minor in Jewish Studies and are dedicated to teaching a broad range of topics related to Jewish history, religion and culture from the biblical through the modern period. Courses offered through our program are open to all SDSU students. In addition, our faculty are actively engaged in teaching to the broader San Diego community. The program also houses the Lipinsky Institute, which supports our community outreach and annual visiting Israeli professorships.

Jewish Studies Program San Diego State UniversityGive a Gift to Jewish Studies

By supporting Jewish Studies, you are helping to ensure that we remain able to develop new courses, pursue original research, and provide thought-provoking public lectures, programs and outreach to the community.

Learn more about giving to Jewish Studies

Visiting Professors and Artists

Each year Jewish Studies hosts visiting Israeli scholars and artists to teach contemporary Israel Studies for students of all backgrounds. The program is supported by the Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative, which seeks to strategically promote, support and catalyze knowledge discourse and interaction on the modern state of Israel through scholarship, engagement and collaboration.

Meet Our Visiting Israeli Scholars for Fall 2025:

HISTORY
Erez Ben-Yosef
Erez Ben-Yosef, Ph.D.
Teaching:
HIST 442: People from the Past

History’s “dark matter”: The unexplored role of nomads in ancient times
HIST 500: Biblical Archeology and the Origins of Ancient Israel

HISTORY
Tal Elmaliach
Tal Elmaliach, Ph.D.

Teaching:

HIST 488: Modern Jewish History
From the Jewish Question to the Zionist Answer
HIST 582: Homeland and Diaspora

The State of Israel and the Jewish People

JOURNALISM AND MEDIA STUDIES
Roni Kuban
Roni Kuban

Teaching:
JMS 527: Advanced Topics in Journalism
Storytelling and the Art of the Interview
JMS 552: Media and Culture in Israel and the Middle East

ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LIT.
Dekel Shay Schory
Dekel Shay Schory, Ph.D.

Teaching:
ECL 527: Graphic Narrative
The Rapid Rise of the Israeli Graphic Novel
ECL 564: World Literatures
Trends in Contemporary Israeli Literature

Learn more about our visiting scholars and their classes.

Hillel College Guide

Hillel InternationalSan Diego State University is listed among the top 60 public universities in North America where Jewish students choose to attend according to the latest Hillel College Guide.

Resources for Faculty

Murray Galinson San Diego Israel InitiativeThe Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative seeks to strategically promote, support and catalyze knowledge discourse and interaction on the modern state of Israel through scholarship, engagement and collaboration.