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.
Give 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.
Outstanding Graduating Senior
Congratulations to this year’s Outstanding Graduating Senior in Jewish Studies, Ariel Butbul! A passionate student of Jewish Studies and Judaism, Ariel is hoping to obtain an M.A. in Jewish Education, and then become a teacher in Judaic Studies and Hebrew.
Ariel’s Most Influential Faculty Member is Dr. Amos Nadan, who was a Visiting Israeli Scholar in fall 2023 (supported by the Murray Galinson
San Diego-Israel Initiative). Dr. Nadan is the Director of the Moshe Dayan Center
for Middle Eastern and African Studies, Tel Aviv University, and a faculty member
of the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at the University. Congratulations
to Dr. Nadan!
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 2024:
Giora Goodman, Ph.D.
Historian
Teaching:
HIST 436: Modern Jewish History in Feature Films
HIST 574: Arab-Israeli Relations, Past and Present
Maya Negev, Ph.D.
Climate and Health Researcher
Teaching:
GEOG 573: Population and the Environment
Tom Shoval
Filmmaker
Teaching:
ECL 577: Techniques of Screenwriting
ECL 594: Israeli TV and Cinema from 1950
Hillel College Guide
San 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
The 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.