Institute of Jewish Studies at University College London
Encyclopedia
The Institute of Jewish Studies at University College London is an institute located in London
, United Kingdom
dedicated to the academic study of all branches of Jewish history and civilization. It is a privately-funded institute within the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College London (UCL)
, the largest department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies in Europe
.
The Institute is located at the main UCL campus
in Bloomsbury
, close to the British Library, the Wiener Library
, the Warburg Institute
, Dr Williams's Library
, the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies
and the UCL Jewish Studies Collection, which houses the Moccatta Library, the Altman Collection and a substantial collection of unique Yiddish material. The staff and students are mostly Jewish, unlike other UK faculties for Jewish studies in the UK.
in Manchester
in 1954 as the Institute of Jewish Studies. In 1959, following the departure of Altmann as director, the Institute moved to UCL.
Altmann's justification for the activities of the Institute was given in a 1957 lecture to the Hillel Foundation
of London :
Victor Mishcon
became chairman of the Institute in 1959.
and the United States
communicate the results of their research to scholars, students and the public, thereby creating the opportunity for regular exchange of ideas and interests.
The Institute also hosts one or more major international conferences annually, which focus on significant themes relating to Jewish civilisation, and bring together eminent scholars from different countries working in the same or allied fields of research.
, Oxford University Press
, and the Littman Library of Jewish Civilisation.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dedicated to the academic study of all branches of Jewish history and civilization. It is a privately-funded institute within the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College London (UCL)
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, the largest department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The Institute is located at the main UCL campus
UCL Main Building
The Main Building at University College London, includes the Octagon, Quad, Cloisters, Main Library, Flaxman Gallery and the Wilkins building. The North Wing, South Wing, Chadwick Building and Pearson Building are also considered part of the main UCL building .- History :In 1827, a year after the...
in Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
, close to the British Library, the Wiener Library
Wiener Library
The Wiener Library is the world's oldest institution devoted to the study of the Holocaust, its causes and legacies. Founded in 1933 as an information bureau that informed Jewish communities and governments worldwide about the persecution of the Jews under the Nazis, it was transformed into a...
, the Warburg Institute
Warburg Institute
The Warburg Institute is a research institution associated with the University of London in central London, England. A member of the School of Advanced Study, its focus is the study of the influence of classical antiquity on all aspects of European civilisation.-History:The Institute was founded by...
, Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library
Dr Williams's Library is a small research library located in Gordon Square in Bloomsbury, London.-History:It was founded using the estate of Dr Daniel Williams as a theological library, intended for the use of ministers of religion, students and others studying theology, religion and...
, the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
and the UCL Jewish Studies Collection, which houses the Moccatta Library, the Altman Collection and a substantial collection of unique Yiddish material. The staff and students are mostly Jewish, unlike other UK faculties for Jewish studies in the UK.
History
The Institute was founded by Alexander AltmannAlexander Altmann
Alexander Altmann was an Orthodox Jewish scholar and rabbi born in Kassa, Austria-Hungary, today Košice, Slovakia. He emigrated to England in 1938 and later settled in the United States, working productively for a decade and a half as a professor within the Philosophy Department at Brandeis...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1954 as the Institute of Jewish Studies. In 1959, following the departure of Altmann as director, the Institute moved to UCL.
Altmann's justification for the activities of the Institute was given in a 1957 lecture to the Hillel Foundation
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
of London :
Victor Mishcon
Victor Mishcon, Baron Mishcon
Victor Mishcon, Baron Mishcon, QC, DL was a leading British solicitor and a Labour politician. His firm acted for Diana, Princess of Wales in her divorce...
became chairman of the Institute in 1959.
Events
The Institute organises public lectures, symposia and seminars throughout the academic year, where leading scholars from Europe, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
communicate the results of their research to scholars, students and the public, thereby creating the opportunity for regular exchange of ideas and interests.
The Institute also hosts one or more major international conferences annually, which focus on significant themes relating to Jewish civilisation, and bring together eminent scholars from different countries working in the same or allied fields of research.
Research
The Institute regularly sponsors research projects by postgraduates and scholars in important academic fields.Publications
The Institute sponsors the publication of its conference proceedings and other academic works in co-operation with publishers, including Cambridge University PressCambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the publishing business of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII in 1534, it is the world's oldest publishing house, and the second largest university press in the world...
, Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, and the Littman Library of Jewish Civilisation.