Learn. Explore. Immerse yourself in Israel and Jewish Studies.

The Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies is Columbia University’s center for the academic study and discussion of Jewish life, history, and culture. Explore the length, breadth, and diversity of the Jewish experience with IIJS.

Upcoming Events
Zisl Slepovitch presents Jewish fiddle from Sofia Magid’s collection
Oct 15
Zisl Slepovitch presents Jewish fiddle from Sofia Magid’s collection

Join the Institute on Thursday, October 15, at noon for a presentation by Zisl Slepovitch on the Jewish fiddle in the pre-World War II southeastern Belarus from Sofia Magid’s collection.

"The Jews of Asia Minor, 214 BCE to 500 CE: Text and Materiality" — a book talk with IIJS Prof. Seth Schwartz
Nov 4
"The Jews of Asia Minor, 214 BCE to 500 CE: Text and Materiality" — a book talk with IIJS Prof. Seth Schwartz

We are pleased to welcome IIJS Professor Seth Schwartz for a discussion of his forthcoming book, The Jews of Asia Minor, 214 BCE to 500 CE: Text and Materiality.

Polly Zavadivker on "Vassily Grossman: expanding the European canon of Holocaust literature"
Nov 11
Polly Zavadivker on "Vassily Grossman: expanding the European canon of Holocaust literature"

Polly Zavadivker joins IIJS to discuss works of Vasily Grossman in the context of European Holocaust literature.

The Professor Dan Miron Lecture in Hebrew Literature with Shai Ginsburg
Nov 19
The Professor Dan Miron Lecture in Hebrew Literature with Shai Ginsburg

IIJS is pleased to welcome Shai Ginsburg for the fall 2026 Professor Dan Miron Lecture in Hebrew Literature: “From Timber to Text: Hebrew Culture and Class in Imperial Russia.”

Students

Teaching and training the next generation of students in the field, from expansive course offerings in the classroom to programs both on campus and abroad, and engaging students with new media technologies to explore.

Scholarship

Growing our faculty to increase scholarship, teaching, public conversations, and student training, while also supporting faculty and graduate students doing investigative academic research.

Community

Creating a vibrant and multi-dimensional public profile for intellectual conversation about Jewish and Israel studies for the broader Columbia community, from academic daytime lectures to Israeli film screenings and more.

IIJS@75: Celebrating the Past, Shaping the Future

Seventy-five years of scholarship, dialogue, and community come to life in this short film marking the Institute’s milestone anniversary. Through voices of students, faculty, and friends, IIJS at 75 honors our rich legacy while envisioning the future of Jewish Studies at Columbia and beyond.

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