Department/College/UnitHumanities Division

TitleDistinguished Professor and Baumgarten Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies
Director of the Center for Jewish Studies

AffiliationFaculty

Other UCSC Campus AffiliationHistory of Consciousness Department
Jewish Studies
Literature Department
Stevenson College

Primary Office LocationHumanities Building 1
331 Humanities 1

Office HoursWinter 2025: Tuesdays, 11:30pm to 1:30pm, email in advance to set up in-person or Zoom meeting during office hours

Mail StopHumanities Academic Services

Biography, Education and Training

Ph.D. University of Chicago

Summary of Expertise

Modern Jewish history; Hasidism; History of Religions, African American Islam; history of eugenics in the United States; Gnosticism

Research Interests

Haredi Judaism; Zionism; Human evolution and culture

Awards, Honors and Grants

Guggenheim Fellow

National Jewish Book Award

Saul Viener Book Prize

Jordan Schnitzer Book Award

Honorable Mention, Merle Curti Award