Ambivalence and Interdisciplinarity: The Future of Jewish Studies

Laura Levitt writes a response to the articles in a special issue of Shofar entitled “New Approaches to Teaching Jewish Studies.” She notes that the collection of articles is presented in the spirit of collaboration and better practices. Considering the current situation in Jewish Studies as “the best and worst of times,” Levitt examines the range of new and ever more sophisticated and nuanced studies of Jewish literatures, cultures, histories, ethnographies, languages, music, performance, and ritual practices against the backdrop of the precarious situation for scholars and Jewish Studies at today’s universities. She speculates on how Jewish Studies might fit into a new interdisciplinary environment.