About Us

First Hebrew Language Class was Offered in 2005

Under the direction of Dr. Rami Zeedan, Israel Studies is housed in the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Kansas. The first Hebrew language class was offered in 2005 and expanded in 2010 with the appointment of Shelley Rissien as the Hebrew Coordinator. Currently, Jewish Studies offers beginning, intermediate, advanced, and independent study courses in Hebrew. 

Visiting Assistant Professorship was Established in 2012

In 2012, with the support of the Schusterman Foundation, a Visiting Assistant Professorship was established, and several Israel Studies courses were introduced. Dr. Nimrod Rosler (Tel Aviv University), Dr. Gal Levy (The Open University of Israel), and Dr. Eric Welch (The University of Kentucky) were among the first to serve as VAP’s for Israel Studies. 

Establishment of First Tenure Track in 2018

In 2018, a grant from the Israel Institute assisted in the establishment of the first tenure track position in Israel Studies. That Fall, following an international search, Dr. Rami Zeedan was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor, in the Spring of 2023, he was promoted to Associate Professor, and in the Summer of 2023, became Acting Director of the Jewish Studies Program. Dr. Zeedan has grown the Israel Studies program, expanding course offerings which fulfill several KU Core requirements.

Dr. Noa Balf Selected to Join Jewish Studies in 2021

The Israel Institute continues to support efforts to expand the offerings in Israel Studies. In the Fall of 2021, after a national search, Dr. Noa Balf (Indiana University) was selected to join the Jewish Studies faculty as the Visiting Assistant Professor and Israel Institute Teaching Fellow. Dr. Balf taught an introduction to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as courses on gender, politics, and society in Israel. She held several talks and presentations, including most recently a 2023 Spring collaborative panel discussion on democracy in Israel with Dr. Marie Grace Brown (History) and Dr. Zeedan, titled the "Democratic Erosion(?): The Impact of Judicial Reform in Israel”. Dr. Omri Senderowicz (The University of Michigan) will join the Israel Studies program in Fall 2023 as the next Visiting Assistant Professor and Israel Institute Teaching Fellow. 

This Website Created in 2023

This website was created by Dr. Rami Zeedan in Spring 2023 to focus on Israel Studies scholarship, teaching, and events at KU. At first, the website will be the platform to publish podcast episodes about Israel that undergraduate students produced in various courses. 

Dr. Omri Senderowicz Selected to Join Jewish Studies in 2023

Dr. Omri Senderowicz joined us in the Fall 2023 as the VAP in Israel Studies for 2023-2025. Omri is a historian and anthropologist with a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, focusing on the Israeli kibbutz and its transition from socialism to capitalism. His research and scholarly interests intersect with the history of socialism, anthropology of ethics, and Israel Studies. Omri was selected for the job, which is supported by the Israel Institute, following a  competitive international search.

The content on this webpage is in the draft version. If you find an error, please contact us. This website was last updated on December 1, 2023.