We engage students of all backgrounds through a rich and flexible curriculum and our Minor degree program. And we serve the greater Portland area through a range of community partnerships.

An undergraduate Major Degree is currently in the planning stage. Click here to read about what Vanguard, PSU's daily newspaper, is saying about the upcoming Major.

Please use this website to learn about our course offerings in Judaic Studies and Hebrew language, upcoming lectures and symposia, Minor degree, research tools and library holdings, community partnerships, special programs, and participating faculty. We encourage you to join our weekly jsmail list, which announces Portland area courses, lectures, films, and events of interest to Judaic Studies.

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Read our Winter 2012 Newsletter

Make Portland a City of Knowledge

What is Judaic Studies?

To read the previous newsletter and see how far we've come since 2009, click here

Click here to see upcoming events in Portland's Jewish community!

BREAKING NEWS: STAMPFER PROFESSOR OF ISRAEL STUDIES TO JOIN PSU.

 _{Prof. Nina Spiegel}

PSU Professor Natan Meir comments on eyewitness accounts of the Holocaust in last Sunday's Oregonian. Click here to read the full article.

News of Jay Michaelson's book talk at Portland State University was picked up by the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland! Click here to read about it!

See what the media are saying about Judaic Studies...

The 3rd annual Lorry I. Lokey Lecture on April 24th, 2012 featured Prof. Gershon Hundert of McGill University. Click here to learn more.

The lecture was also featured on The Oregonian! Click here to read more!

Sandy Cardin, president of the Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, speaks about 'The Jewish Community of Tomorrow' on Feb. 23, 2012, as the 7th annual Gus & Libby Solomon Memorial Lecture guest.

Rob Shlachter, a Judaic Studies supporter, discovers a link to his ancestral hometown in the PSU Library. The following is Rob's Yizkor book story.

We are called "The Harold Schnitzer Family Program in Judaic Studies," and we bear that name proudly. The Schnitzer name symbolizes a family's firm and ongoing commitment to our program, as well as to Portland State University, greater Portland and the region at large. With the support of the Harold Schnitzer family, our program has experienced tremendous growth, both in our student population and that of our donors, like you. We teach  more than 500 students every year; soon, we will welcome the Pacific Northwest's only professor of Israel Studies and offer a Major degree.

The Harold Schnitzer family gave us our start -- indeed, created a legacy -- and your generosity ensures that legacy exist today and into the future. Thank you for considering a gift today, for tomorrow.