Robert Holmstedt will offer a class on Early Judaism next semester, potentially followed by expansion of Jewish-focused curriculum. Courtesy | University of Toronto
The college is currently discussing ways to increase Jewish studies in its curriculum and facilitate a stronger Jewish community on campus, administrators said.
These discussions are preliminary, but they include plans for creating classical Jewish studies opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels and better accommodation of Jewish faculty and students.
In spring 2023, Hillsdale welcomed Robert Holmstedt, professor of the Hebrew Bible and West Semitic language at the University of Toronto, as a visiting professor. Holmstedt taught a one-week-upper-level religion course called “Reading Genesis with the Rabbis” and will be teaching another course this spring on early Judaism.
“He is a very skilled scholar,” Associate Professor of Classics Joshua Fincher said. “Having him here is a wonderful thing because he’s very knowledgeable and has an excellent body of secondary work.”
Fincher himself has taught Hebrew grammar classes, upper level Hebrew reading classes, and various religion and classics classes at Hillsdale that explore the Rabbinic tradition. He said that Hebrew language classes are essential to an in-depth study of Judaism.
“The history of the process of Jewish interpretation of Scripture is very complicated, and Hebrew is inextricably bound up with these Jewish studies and Jewish identity,” Fincher said.
Associate Vice President for Curriculum David Whalen has been a part of these discussions for increasing Judaic studies at Hillsdale and said College President Larry Arnn has led the plans.
“Dr. Arnn is at the heart of all thinking about the possible amplification of Jewish presence on campus and possible initiatives regarding future academic programs,” Whalen said. “He’s been thinking about this kind of thing for many years.”
Arnn said in an email statement that Hillsdale has always been welcoming to Jews, and reading more Jewish literature can enrich Hillsdale’s study of the story of humanity. The college’s possible plans include hiring more Jewish faculty to teach this Jewish literature.
“Reading the classic Jewish literature from the Bible to the moderns more deeply can only be good,” Arnn said. “There are Jewish teachers who can enrich our understanding of that literature.”
Fincher said having knowledgeable and skilled instructors would be essential to teaching Judaism properly.
“My biggest concern is for the Rabbinic tradition to be taught with authenticity,” Fincher said. “Because it is different from Christian tradition, I would like to see those differences reflected rather than being papered over.”
College Chaplain Reverend Adam Rick said studying Judaism can help Christians better understand their faith.
“It’s good for Christians to engage with the Jewish roots of our faith,” Rick said. “Jesus was a Jew. All the disciples were Jews. All the authors of the New Testament books were Jewish except Luke, and so the influence of the Jewish patrimony on the formation of Christian faith is major.”
Assistant Professor of Religion Don Westblade said he hopes to see Judaism practiced, expressed, and better understood on campus.
“Jerusalem’s in our mission statement, and I don’t think it gets the attention that Athens gets here,” Westblade said. “Having a Jewish presence on campus is going to help us. Part of the complication is that we just don’t have the infrastructure for Jewish life.”
Westblade said practical accommodations like a synagogue and a kosher kitchen would make it easier for Jewish students to find a home at Hillsdale.
“Anything that will elevate the profile of Jerusalem is worth supporting,” Westblade said. “I like to see Jerusalem get its fair share of our time.”