Rebecca Kobrin

Rebecca Kobrin is the Russell and Bettina Knapp Associate Professor of American Jewish History at Columbia University’s Department of History and Co-Director of the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies. She specializes in modern Jewish migration, urban history, and diaspora studies.

Education:

• B.A. from Yale University (1994)
• Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania (2002)
• Blaustein Post-Doctoral Fellow at Yale (2002–2004)
• American Academy of Jewish Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at NYU (2004–2006)

Research Interests:

• International migration patterns
• Urban history and spatial demography
• Intersection of Jewish history and American capitalism
• Religious dynamics in diaspora communities
• Economic dimensions of Jewish history

Scientific Awards:

• Jordan Schnitzer Prize for Jewish Bialystok and Its Diaspora (2012)
• Lenfest Distinguished Faculty Award for teaching excellence (2015)

She co-leads the award-winning digital humanities project Historical NYC Project, which visualizes demographic and spatial changes in New York City (1850–1940).