The Jewish Studies Program, established at SF State last spring, was developed to contribute to diversification of the curriculum, according to director Howard Eilberg-Schwartz.
"It's an academic unit that takes seriously these people and their culture. Our primary purpose is academic," Eilberg-Schwartz said.
Established through a private endowment fund, their mission is to reach out to both Jewish and non-Jewish students and faculty on campus.
The program has come under fire by some members of the campus community. Some feel that the study of religion has no place here at SF State, Eilberg-Schwartz said. He compares the program to Black Studies and La Raza.
"Jewish Studies is about studying all dimensions of a people. It is not focused on the religion. That's just one of the dimensions that goes with it."
One of the major challenges faced by the program has been getting more students into Jewish Studies. Eilberg-Schwartz said he hopes to get some classes listed as general education (GE) requirements which will increase enrollment. He feels that will draw a larger number of students into the program.
During the past year, the program has offered 10 courses and served a couple hundred students. Since the program is so new, and funding is limited, only a minor program is offered in Jewish Studies.
Another challenge has been figuring out which classes are successful. Next fall, five courses will be offered in Jewish Studies. Three are new to the curriculum--Spirituality and Jewish Tradition; Anti-Semitism, Misogyny and Racism: The Interconnections between Oppression; and 20th Century American Jewish Women Writers.
Plans for expanding the department are contingent on the growth of the endowment fund. Currently, Eilberg-Schwartz is the only full-time faculty member in Jewish Studies. Other professors are on loan from various departments within the university. He hopes to make contact with other departments and build a broad interdisciplinary system.
Some of the courses being offered are cross registered with women studies, history and humanities.
"We want to alert students to our presence," Eilberg-Schwartz said. "Making available to campus another perspective on who Jews are adds to diversifying the curriculum."
"By looking at the experience of the Jews, we understand the ways in which a group of people has struggled with its existence and the meaning of life. It opens up human experience in a very important way," Eilberg-Schwartz said.
One of the major obstacles that Jewish Studies faced this past year was campus politics. "The politics on campus was difficult for me," Eilberg-Schwartz said. "There is a great deal of complexity around the issue of Zionism. It's hard to hold onto middle ground."
He feels that finding a way for Jewish Studies to contribute is important. "We have to look at how Jewish Studies can contribute in a positive way to this issue on campus. Jewish Studies isn't a propaganda tool."
He hopes that students who take courses in Jewish Studies will feel like they've added a dimension of human experience by studying a particular group of people. He hopes their understanding of the world will be enriched.
"It's been an exciting year. I've found that people seem happy that we're around," Eilberg-Schwartz said. "We're contributing to the university and that's really gratifying for us."
The program is funded by a grant from the San Francisco Federation's Jewish Community Endowment Fund. According to Robert Woods, director of University Development, the gift was given about two years ago. "Right now the fund has about $100,000 in it" he said. Their goal is to raise $1.5 million to support the program.