• Research
• BRANDEIS HOME

Fresh Ways of Thinking About Jews and Gender Worldwide

The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute develops fresh ways of thinking about Jews and gender worldwide by producing and promoting scholarly research, artistic projects and public engagement.

The world's only academic center of its kind, the HBI provides research resources and programs for scholars, students and the public. The Institute publishes books and a journal, convenes international conferences and local programming, and offers competitive grant and internship programs.

We invite you to explore our website and experience the impact of the HBI.

Getting the Get

Books with HBI Ties Win National Jewish Book Award

HBI proudly announces that five books with deep connections to HBI have won the prestigious National Jewish Book Award announced on January 15.

Educating in the Divine Image: Gender Issues in Orthodox Jewish Day Schools Chaya Rosenfeld Gorsetman and Elana Maryles Sztokman, published Brandeis University Press in the HBI Series on Jewish Women won in the category of Education and Jewish Identity. HBI Co-directors Shulamit Reinharz and Sylvia Barack Fishman are editors of the series. An incisive look at gender inequities in Jewish day school education, Educating in the Divine Image draws on studies in education, social science, and psychology, as well as personal interviews.
Ballots, Babies, and Banners of Peace: American Jewish Women's Activism, 1890-1940 Melissa R. Klapper, published by NYU Press, won in the category of Women’s Studies. Dr. Klapper was a scholar-in-residence at HBI in 2007. Her research for this book at HBI focused on American Jewish women's pre-World War II activism in the suffrage, birth control and peace movements. The book explores the social and political activism of American Jewish women from approximately 1890 to the beginnings of World War II.
Becoming Soviet Jews: The Bolshevik Experiment in Minsk Elissa Bemporad, published by Indiana University Press won in the category of Writing Based on Archival Material. The author received a HBI research award in 2007 for this project.
Embodying Hebrew Culture: Aesthetics, Athletics, and Dance in the Jewish Community of Mandate Palestine Nina S. Spiegel, published by Wayne State University Press, was a finalist in the category of Writing Based on Archival Material. Dr. Spiegel, was a scholar-in-residence in 2011 for the HBI seminar on Jewish Women in the Arts.
Gender and Timebound Commandments in Judaism Elizabeth Shanks Alexander, published by Cambridge University Press, is a finalist in the category of Women's Studies. Dr. Alexander received a research award from HBI in 2009 for this book.

For other winners, visit
http://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/awards/2013-national-jewish-book-award-winners

What our former scholars say about their HBI experience:

Haim Sperber, Israel, Helen Gartner Hammer Scholar-in-Residence, summer 2013

"My stay at the HBI as the Helen Gartner Hammer Scholar-in-Residence was most fruitful for my research. It provided me with using the important resources at Brandeis but as important was meeting with Brandeis scholars. I have now a different perspective. I hope I have contributed to HBI at least partially from what I received." 

Carlotta Ferrara degli Uberti, Italy, Helen Gartner Hammer Scholar-in-Residence, fall 2013

"Here, I found a different atmosphere than in Italy, with dialogue and feedback from scholars involved in Jewish studies departments. The setting changes the way you look at these problems. In Italy, these issues are set in the context of Italian history, but here I was able to research in the context of Jewish studies, Jewish perspectives and how it fits into the gender, culture, religion and law setting.

Orian Zakai, Israel/US, Helen Gartner Hammer Scholar-in-Residence, fall 2013

"Besides the wonderful space, I had really fascinating dialogues with other scholars. Specifically the group really had a sense of collegiality and support with interesting feminist conversations. Our topics are different, but we talked over dinner about issues and it was really great to meet the other scholars. I love that this is a space for women."

HBI in the News

Dr. Keren McGinity, former HBI scholar-in-residence and member of the Academic Advisory Council on Jewish women and intermarriage, is quoted in the Forward's "Jewish Woman Is New Face of Intermarriage, Pew Study Data Reveals."

Elana Sztokman, co-author of Educating in the Divine Image: Gender Issues in Orthodox Jewish Day Schools, was interviewed in Vox Tablet's episode "Talmud for Boys, Challah-Making for Girls—Gender Imbalance in Orthodox Day Schools."

National Jewish Book Award winner Melissa R. Klapper interviewed in the Sisterhood's "Untold Story of Jewish Feminist Pioneers."

The Jewish Advocate covered our National Jewish Book Award winners in "Gender issues, feminism booked for glory."

Brandeis NOW highlights our recent National Jewish Book Award winners in "Brandeisians win recognition for Jewish Literature."

Emily Sigalow, HBI Graduate Advisory Committee member and former intern raises important points about gender in Jewish children's books in "Do Jewish Children’s Books Have a Problem With Gender?" published in Tablet Magazine.

HBI proudly announces that five books with deep connections to HBI have won the prestigious National Jewish Book Award announced on January 15.

Marriage and Divorce in the Jewish State: Israel's Civil War by Susan M. Weiss and Netty C. Gross-Horowitz was featured in "A Divorce Made in Heaven: Don’t Reform Israel’s State Rabbinate. Shut It Down.," published on The Daily Beast.