Department of Jewish Thought

Develop language skills in modern Hebrew for conversation and classical Hebrew to read ancient texts in their original language.

Graduate Program in Jewish Thought

6/30/23

Graduates of the Master of Arts in Jewish Thought program will contribute to the development of new ways of thinking in a truly interdisciplinary perspective, while rooting itself in the rigorous study of the Jewish intellectual tradition.

Take Your Education to the Next Level

3/5/18

A BA or Minor in Jewish Studies provides students with a comprehensive view of Jewish thought, history and life.

Attend Lectures and Community Events

3/5/18

Join us for one of our visiting scholar or community lecture series, as well as symposiums, seminars and more!

Conduct Research with Faculty Experts

3/5/18

Our faculty are widely published and internationally recognized for their work in the study of ethics, gender, history, literature, philosophy and politics.

The Levinas Philosophy Summer Seminars

4/30/18

The annual Levinas Philosophy Summer Seminars bring together scholars from across the globe for discussion of Emmanuel Levinas, one of the most original and important philosophers of the 20th century.

previous next

What is Jewish Thought?

Jewish Thought is for students from all walks of life.

MA in Jewish Thought

Prepare for advanced research in Jewish texts

BA in Jewish Studies

Dive deep into the Jewish intellectual tradition.

Minor in Jewish Studies

Complement a major in art, history, philosophy and more.

Scholarships and Awards

Undergrad and grad funding!

The Department of Jewish Thought is dedicated to studying Judaism as an intellectual, ethical and literary tradition, highlighting its importance to the development of Western civilization from antiquity until today. We work to foster inquiry and expand knowledge through scholarship and instruction that makes this tradition available to broader humanities.

Department News

Congratulations to our 2018 Outstanding senior: Jordan Einhorn
9/5/25
A ceremony on May 3, 2018 honored twenty-eight College of Arts and Sciences seniors for their noteworthy contributions to the College and their individual department or program. Congratulations, Jordan!
2018 Graduation Celebration
9/5/25
UB’s Department of Jewish Thought hosted its first graduation celebration for its graduates on Tuesday April 24, 2018 at 7 pm in the Samuel J. Friedman Library in Clemens Hall.
Vibrant discussions following “’Jews Won’t Replace Us’: Charlottesville Protest as a Challenge to Jewish Thought”!
9/5/25
With a packed room of community members and UB undergraduate and graduate students, Professor Noam Pines embarked on his discussion of “’Jews Won’t Replace Us’: Charlottesville Protest as a Challenge to Jewish Thought”
Gill Hoffman, chief political correspondent and analyst for The Jerusalem Post visits UB
9/5/25
On April 16, 2018 in the Department of Jewish Thought’s Friedman Library at UB, Mr. Gil Hoffman, a well-established Israeli media expert, shared his experiences as a journalist conversant with key figures in Israeli and Palestinian political leadership. He highlighted the importance of knowing the Israeli politics from “within” and on these grounds argued that the notion of “foreign correspondent” in Israel is outdated. Rather, at the age of global communication, journalism must be local and done by those with intimate knowledge of the constantly fluent and changing "now" of the political life, he argued.
David Blitzer Lecture series a success
9/5/25
Along with the large community and student turn out, the department was particularly pleased to welcome Ms. Helena Schwartz, Ms. Cheryl Stein and Mr. Irving Stein of the Blitzer family.

Next> <Previous

Apply Today

Meet Our Faculty

Experiential Learning

See Our Upcoming Events!

Loading events…

Mourning the loss of Gordon Gross