معرفی
Dr. Jonathan D. Sarna is University Professor and the Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, where he chairs the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies. He previously taught at Hebrew Union College and Harvard, leading the Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program for over a decade. His work bridges academia and public history, serving as Chief Historian for the National Museum of American Jewish History and the 350th anniversary of American Jewish life.
Education: Earned his Ph.D. in History from Yale University (1979), with prior studies at Brandeis, Boston Hebrew College, and Merkaz HaRav Kook in Jerusalem. His research focuses on American Jewish history, religious life, and institutional evolution.
Research Interests: Explores American Jewish communal structures, religious adaptation, and interfaith dynamics. Notable projects include studying Jewish responses to civil religion, the Civil War’s impact on Jewish identity, and the evolution of synagogue practices. His award-winning book American Judaism: A History remains a foundational text in the field.
Publications & Recognition: Authored over 100 articles and 30 books, including Lincoln and the Jews and When General Grant Expelled the Jews. Honors include American Academy of Arts and Sciences membership and multiple Jewish Book Awards. His work often highlights marginalized figures like Cora Wilburn, uncovering overlooked narratives in Jewish history.
Awards: Recognized for contributions to scholarship and public history, including the Saul Viener Prize and Weinberg Judaic Studies Prize. His analyses of Jewish-Christian relations and institutional leadership have shaped contemporary discourse on Jewish continuity and identity.
Leadership: Served as President of the Association for Jewish Studies and chairs the Academic Advisory Board of the American Jewish Archives. His writings address challenges facing American Jewry, from intermarriage to the role of Israel in communal identity.
