Jehuda Reinharz
Encyclopedia
Jehuda Reinharz is the former President of Brandeis University
, where he is Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History
and Director of the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry. On September 25, 2009 he announced his resignation as president; at the request of trustees he stayed on until his replacement, Frederick M. Lawrence
, assumed office on Jan. 1, 2011.
in what is now Israel
. He received his high school education in Germany
and immigrated to the United States as a teenager in 1961.
Reinharz earned concurrent bachelor's degrees - a B.S. from Columbia University
and a Bachelor of Religious Education
(B.R.E) from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
. He earned his master's degree in medieval Jewish history from Harvard University
in 1968, and his Ph.D. in modern Jewish history from Brandeis University in 1972.
in Ann Arbor
, where he created the interdisciplinary program that formed the basis for the University's Frankel Center for Judaic Studies http://www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic.
In 1982, he became the Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History in the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University. Two years later, he was named Director of the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry at Brandeis and eight years later founded the Jacob and Libby Goodman Institute for the Study of Zionism
and Israel. From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Reinharz served as Provost
and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
. During Reinharz's tenure, the university has undergone major physical changes including the construction of the Village Residence Hall, Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex, Shapiro Campus Center, Shapiro Science Center, Shapiro Admissions center, Mandel Center for the Humanities, and several other major capital improvements.
President Reinharz announced his resignation as President of Brandeis University at midnight on September 25, 2009 after serving the Brandeis community for over sixteen years. He stayed on as president until a successor was selected and ready to assume office. On January 1, 2011, Reinharz was officially replaced by Frederick M. Lawrence
.
in 1990. He was also elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1995.
In 1998, Reinharz was appointed by President Bill Clinton
to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States.
Dr. Reinharz is the recipient of honorary doctorates from Hebrew Union College
, the Jewish Theological Seminary
, Fairfield University
in Connecticut
, Ben Gurion University in Israel, the Weizmann Institute of Science
in Israel and Brandeis University
.
, the first president of Israel, has won many prizes in Israel and the United States and his book, co-authored with the late Ben Halpern, entitled Zionism and the Creation of a New Society, was published in 1998.
His two latest three are published in Hebrew. In October 2005 he co-edited the letters and documents relating to the life and times of Manya Shochat
, a remarkable pioneer of the Second Aliyah
. In September 2006 he published a book, co-authored with Yaacov Shavit
, analyzing the relationship of Jews to Europe from the 18th century to the present. His book Israel in the Middle East, co-edited with Itamar Rabinovich
, was published in 2007.
. This sparked fierce protests from students and other groups, and many have condemned Reinharz's role in the potential sale. The university later reconsidered the decision, and the museum did not close. When Reinharz announced his resignation he said that it was not due to the museum controversy.
During Reinharz's tenure as president, a professor at Brandeis named Donald Hindley was hounded and penalized by the administration for using the word "wetback
." Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
took up Hindley's case and criticized Reinharz for violating academic freedom.
at Brandeis University and also directs the Women's Studies Research Center and the Hadassah Brandeis Institute.
Jehuda and Shulamit are the parents of daughters Naomi and Yael Reinharz. Naomi attended Brown University
and Georgetown Law School. Yael attended Bowdoin College
and New York University
.
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, where he is Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History
Jewish history
Jewish history is the history of the Jews, their religion and culture, as it developed and interacted with other peoples, religions and cultures. Since Jewish history is over 4000 years long and includes hundreds of different populations, any treatment can only be provided in broad strokes...
and Director of the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry. On September 25, 2009 he announced his resignation as president; at the request of trustees he stayed on until his replacement, Frederick M. Lawrence
Frederick M. Lawrence
Frederick M. Lawrence is an American legal scholar and the President of Brandeis University.He is the third and youngest child of Brooklyn College sweethearts Joseph and Bea Lawrence . His father was a chemical engineer and his mother an educator. Lawrence attended Flower Hill Elementary School,...
, assumed office on Jan. 1, 2011.
Early life and education
Reinharz was born in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in what is now Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He received his high school education in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and immigrated to the United States as a teenager in 1961.
Reinharz earned concurrent bachelor's degrees - a B.S. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and a Bachelor of Religious Education
Bachelor of Religious Education
The Bachelor of Religious Education, or BRE, or B.R.E. is an undergraduate degree. It offers a broad education in the areas of scripture and theology. It differs from a BA degree in that approximately three quarters of the program is invested in studies outside of the liberal arts...
(B.R.E) from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
. He earned his master's degree in medieval Jewish history from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1968, and his Ph.D. in modern Jewish history from Brandeis University in 1972.
Career
He was the first professor of Jewish history at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, where he created the interdisciplinary program that formed the basis for the University's Frankel Center for Judaic Studies http://www.lsa.umich.edu/judaic.
In 1982, he became the Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History in the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University. Two years later, he was named Director of the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry at Brandeis and eight years later founded the Jacob and Libby Goodman Institute for the Study of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and Israel. From 1991 to 1994, Dr. Reinharz served as Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Presidency
He was announced as the University's seventh president in March 1994, succeeding Samuel O. ThierSamuel O. Thier
Samuel Osiah Thier is professor of Medicine and Health Care Policy at Harvard University.He previously served as the president of Brandeis University from 1991–1994 and the president of the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1994-97...
. During Reinharz's tenure, the university has undergone major physical changes including the construction of the Village Residence Hall, Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex, Shapiro Campus Center, Shapiro Science Center, Shapiro Admissions center, Mandel Center for the Humanities, and several other major capital improvements.
President Reinharz announced his resignation as President of Brandeis University at midnight on September 25, 2009 after serving the Brandeis community for over sixteen years. He stayed on as president until a successor was selected and ready to assume office. On January 1, 2011, Reinharz was officially replaced by Frederick M. Lawrence
Frederick M. Lawrence
Frederick M. Lawrence is an American legal scholar and the President of Brandeis University.He is the third and youngest child of Brooklyn College sweethearts Joseph and Bea Lawrence . His father was a chemical engineer and his mother an educator. Lawrence attended Flower Hill Elementary School,...
.
Awards and honors
Reinharz is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, such as the President of Israel Prize, awarded by the Israeli Parliament, KnessetKnesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
in 1990. He was also elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1995.
In 1998, Reinharz was appointed by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States.
Dr. Reinharz is the recipient of honorary doctorates from Hebrew Union College
Hebrew Union College
The Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is the oldest extant Jewish seminary in the Americas and the main seminary for training rabbis, cantors, educators and communal workers in Reform Judaism.HUC-JIR has campuses in Cincinnati, New York, Los Angeles and Jerusalem.The Jerusalem...
, the Jewish Theological Seminary
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
The Jewish Theological Seminary of America is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism, and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studies.JTS operates five schools: Albert A...
, Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Ben Gurion University in Israel, the Weizmann Institute of Science
Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science , known as Machon Weizmann, is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only graduate and post-graduate studies in the sciences....
in Israel and Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
.
Publications
Reinharz is the author of more than one hundred articles and twenty four books in various languages. His Jew in the Modern World is one of the most widely adopted college texts in modern Jewish history. His two-volume biography of Chaim WeizmannChaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
, the first president of Israel, has won many prizes in Israel and the United States and his book, co-authored with the late Ben Halpern, entitled Zionism and the Creation of a New Society, was published in 1998.
His two latest three are published in Hebrew. In October 2005 he co-edited the letters and documents relating to the life and times of Manya Shochat
Manya Shochat
Manya Shochat , née Wilbushewich / Wilbuszewicz, was Russian Jewish politician and the "mother" of the collective settlement in Palestine, the forerunner of the kibbutz movement.-Russia and early days in Palestine:...
, a remarkable pioneer of the Second Aliyah
Second Aliyah
The Second Aliyah was an important and highly influential aliyah that took place between 1904 and 1914, during which approximately 40,000 Jews immigrated into Ottoman Palestine, mostly from the Russian Empire, some from Yemen....
. In September 2006 he published a book, co-authored with Yaacov Shavit
Yaacov Shavit
thumb|right|200pxYaacov Shavit is a professor at the Department of Jewish History, Tel Aviv University. His main fields of study are the history of modern Israel and modern Jewish intellectual and cultural history...
, analyzing the relationship of Jews to Europe from the 18th century to the present. His book Israel in the Middle East, co-edited with Itamar Rabinovich
Itamar Rabinovich
- External links :* - an official page on the Israeli Embassy website.* , from Jewish Library.* at the Kennedy School of Government.* , NYU biography.* , Haaretz , November 2, 2007.* , another mini-bio....
, was published in 2007.
Controversy
Reinharz's presidency was not without controversy. In 2008, under Reinharz's watch, the university board of trustees declared that it might sell some works of art from the Rose Art MuseumRose Art Museum
The Rose Art Museum, founded in 1961, is a part of Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA. Named after benefactors Edward and Bertha Rose, it offers temporary exhibitions, and it displays and houses works of art from the Brandeis University art collections...
. This sparked fierce protests from students and other groups, and many have condemned Reinharz's role in the potential sale. The university later reconsidered the decision, and the museum did not close. When Reinharz announced his resignation he said that it was not due to the museum controversy.
During Reinharz's tenure as president, a professor at Brandeis named Donald Hindley was hounded and penalized by the administration for using the word "wetback
Wetback (slur)
"Wetback" is a person of any foreign nationality, the usual being a Mexican who are illegal immigrants in the United States. Generally used as an ethnic slur, the term was originally coined and applied only to Mexicans who entered Texas by crossing the Rio Grande river, which is the Mexican...
." Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is a non-profit group founded in 1999 and focused on civil liberties in academia in the United States...
took up Hindley's case and criticized Reinharz for violating academic freedom.
Family
His wife, Shulamit Reinharz, is a professor of sociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at Brandeis University and also directs the Women's Studies Research Center and the Hadassah Brandeis Institute.
Jehuda and Shulamit are the parents of daughters Naomi and Yael Reinharz. Naomi attended Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
and Georgetown Law School. Yael attended Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.