Introducing Brandeis University’s new website, The Jewish Experience, devoted to exploring Jewish history, culture and traditions, all informed by the knowledge and experience of Brandeis faculty, researchers, alumni and students.

On the site now: 

• “Why ‘Zoom Judaism’ Will Never Work” by Eric Yoffie, former president of the Union for Reform Judaism.
• “Why I can’t stop apologizing” by Emmy-award-winning comedy writer Josh Gondelman ’07.
• A line-by-line breakdown of the Rosh Hashanah Amidah by Professor Reuven Kimelman, one of the world’s leading experts on Hebrew liturgy.
• Kapparot: The Yom Kippur Tradition of Chicken Twirling.
• “It is the Great Day of Atonement with the Jews,” an excerpt from the first literary American Jewish novel, recently discovered by historian Jonathan D. Sarna.

In the coming weeks, we will have stories on the unearthing of a mass grave at a former Latvian concentration camp, a new initiative to transform Hebrew instruction across the country and Sephardi and Mizrahi music.

Jewish values are a source of enduring vitality for Brandeis. The Framework for the Future, which lays out a vision for the university in the years ahead, states: “Brandeis, as the only secular American university founded by Jews, remains fully committed to supporting the Jewish community, in all its diversity, and Jewish traditions.” 

The Jewish Experience reflects that commitment.  

We hope you will continue to visit the site, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter.