How a Vision for Jewish Studies Transformed a Community and Inspired Generations
In 1984, Lehigh Valley philanthropists Philip and Muriel Berman wanted to bring a center for Jewish studies to the region they called home. They envisioned a place in which scholarly research and discussion would take place, and where learning and understanding could flourish. They knew academic centers like this existed in big cities, but they wanted something closer. In 1984, the Bermans made a financial contribution to Lehigh University, establishing what was then called the Lehigh Valley Jewish Studies Center. In 1989, the center was renamed the Philip and Muriel Berman Center for Jewish Studies.
Forty years later, the center continues to flourish and provide an important resource for Jewish studies at Lehigh and beyond. It’s the hub of Lehigh’s Jewish Studies minor and draws internationally renowned speakers and leaders in the field. The program is growing and now includes an additional teaching position whose effort is split between Lafayette College and Lehigh. Past invited speakers include authors Chaim Potok, Michael Chabon, and Michael Twitty. The center hosts major interdisciplinary conferences at Lehigh, and for nearly a decade it collaborated with Oxford University and Bar-Ilan University to co-sponsor the Oxford Summer Institute in Modern and Contemporary Judaism, which assembled an international interdisciplinary group of scholars to address themes and questions in modern Jewish studies.
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