This past weekend, UVA Jewish Studies celebrated its 25th anniversary with a series of events for faculty, students, alumni, and friends of the program.

On Friday, October 31st, UVA Jewish Studies professor emeritus Peter Ochs and UVA alumnus and Drew University Jewish Studies professor Emily Filler led a workshop for participants on Textual Reasoning: a form of reading of Jewish scripture and rabbinic sources in a group setting, where learning from each other’s perspective is emphasized. Later that evening, Jewish Studies hosted the first ever Shabbat service in the Rotunda, led by alumni who are now rabbis. A welcome dinner followed in the Rotunda Dome Room, where a documentary film of the last 25 years of UVA Jewish Studies was premiered. 

On Saturday, November 1st, Professor Asher Biemann sat down for a conversation with UVA alumni who are now Jewish Studies professors. Samuel Brody (University of Kansas), Rachel Gross (San Francisco State University), and Jessica Kirzane (University of Chicago) discussed their time at UVA, memories of classes and professors, and explained how their time as undergraduates in the program prepared them to become Jewish Studies scholars. After a small reception, Professor Caroline Kahlenberg welcomed five UVA Creative Writing and Jewish Studies alumni to present their work: Laura-Eve Engel, Alexa Luborsky, Erika Meitner, Gahl Pratt Pardes, and Raisa Tolchinsky. These events were livestreamed and are available to watch on the UVA Jewish Studies YouTube channel.

That night, a gala was held, featuring live music by a Jewish Studies faculty band, as well as a performance of two movements from a string quartet by Fanny Mendelssohn, granddaughter of Jewish philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. During the dinner, the UVA Jewish Studies $25 Million for 25 Years Campaign was announced; it aims to make the Jewish Studies Program even more vibrant by creating new professorships, graduate fellowships, and programs. If you're interested in contributing to the capital campaign and supporting UVA Jewish Studies, click here.

The weekend concluded with a fascinating Charlottesville Jewish history tour, led by emeritus history professor Phyllis Leffler.

(photo credit: Stephanie Gross)