Jonathan Schorsch

Jonathan Schorsch serves as Professor of Jewish Religious and Intellectual History and Managing Director at the School of Jewish Theology, University of Potsdam since October 2015. His leadership shapes one of Europe's pioneering institutions for Jewish theological education within a public university framework.

His research traverses early modern Sephardic intellectual networks, examining intersections of slavery and religious identity, ecological dimensions of Jewish thought, celestial hierarchies in angelology, and visual culture in Jewish contexts. Schorsch's interdisciplinary approach bridges religious studies, historical anthropology, and cultural analysis to illuminate marginalized narratives in Jewish diaspora history.

Prior appointments include Associate Professor (2008-2012) and Assistant Professor (2003-2008) at Columbia University's Department of Religion, Associate Research Scholar at Columbia's Institute for Israel & Jewish Studies (2012-2013), and Visiting Deputy Professor at Potsdam's School of Jewish Theology (2014). He held visiting positions at Dartmouth College as Harris Distinguished Visiting German Professor (2022) and Sarah Lawrence College (2013).

As executive director, Schorsch oversees institutional partnerships including the Abraham Geiger College, Zacharias Frankel College, and rabbinical training seminaries. His administrative responsibilities encompass academic coordination, international collaborations through Erasmus programs, and development of digital research platforms like the Encyclopedia of Jewish-Christian Relations.