• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
• BRANDEIS HOME

Courses

HRNS 229a — Jewish Polity and Organizational Life
Amy Sales
Examines the structure and functions of the organized Jewish community, with special attention to key issues such as leadership, decision-making, organizational culture, and the relationship among the many elements of the community. Primary focus is on the North American Jewish community with some attention to Israel/overseas organizations and other Diaspora communities.

HRNS 237b — Organizational Behavior in Jewish Nonprofits
Mark Rosen

Integrates contemporary management theories, case studies, experiential exercises, and traditional Jewish teachings to provide frameworks and skills that help students to understand, predict, and influence individual and group behavior in Jewish nonprofit organizations. Topics covered include motivation, trust, ethics, group dynamics, decision-making, power, conflict, influence, negotiation, lay-professional relations, leadership, organizational culture, and organizational change.

HRNS 239b — History and Philosophy of Jewish Philanthropy and Fundraising
David Mersky

Utilizing classical texts to illuminate the history and values of tzedakah, this course explores different presentation techniques employed in the contemporary Jewish communal setting. Students learn how to bring enduring Jewish values to bear upon the different tasks involved in the process of fundraising and development in Jewish organizational life.

HRNS 240f — Advocacy and Intergroup Relations
Larry Sternberg
Examines relationship of the Jews in U.S. society and advocacy by Jewish agencies on issues of concern to the Jewish community. Case studies focus on assessing and combating anti-Semitism, Israel advocacy, and Jewish values and politics. 2-credit, elective course module.

HRNS 241a — Skills and Techniques in Jewish Fundraising and Philanthropy
David Mersky
Provides a conceptual framework and develops a community organizing approach to implementing fundraising campaigns for Jewish communal enterprises. Core course: required for all first-year students.

HRNS 243b — Financial Resource Development for the Nonprofit Agency
David Mersky
Explores the strategic approach to funding the nonprofit agency with an emphasis on major gifts management. Students learn the process of planning, developing and soliciting leadership support through readings, lectures, guest speakers, case studies, simulations, and role plays.

HRNS 246a — Statistics for Jewish Professional Leaders
Ben Phillips
Provides an introduction to statistical thinking and analytical methods. Focus is on understanding statistical reasoning and interpreting analyses. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics applied to understanding survey research, evaluation, and policy studies relevant to Jewish organizational leadership. 2-credits.

HRNS 247f — Evaluation for Jewish Professional Leaders
Len Saxe
Provides participants with an understanding of the basic concepts of evaluation research and their application to Jewish communal policy. Emphasizes methodological issues and their application to social interventions and program delivery using exemplars from the Jewish communal sphere. 2-credit course module.

HRNS 260a — Jewish Community and Identity
Amy Sales
This course approaches an understanding of Jewish identity from a social science perspective. It considers the role of Jewish identity in developing notions of peoplehood and community. Along with exploring socio-psychological theories of identity development, it considers the question of who is a Jew, the formation of Jewish identity at the individual and group level, the forces that promote or detract from strong Jewish identification, and the measurement of Jewish identity. The goal of the course is to develop a complex understanding of identity and its implications for Jewish communal work.

HRNS 297a - Professional Field Experience
Staff
Students work 125-250 hours under the mentorship of a leader in a Jewish nonprofit organization. Placements are carefully designed to advance professional leadership skills and match students' interests and career goals. Each student is advised by a faculty member and by Hornstein's Manager of Fieldwork and Alumni Relations.

HRNS 350a — Foster Seminar in Israel on Contemporary Jewish Life
An intensive examination of contemporary issues in Israeli society and its relationship with Diaspora communities. Held in Israel during winter break.

HRNS 380a— Proseminar: Issues, Structure and Perspectives of the American Jewish Community
Joe Reimer
This seminar provides entering students with an introduction to key issues in American Jewish communal life.  The course provides students with the basic background, major themes, and shared readings that serve as a foundation for Jewish professional life.

The Hornstein Jewish Leadership Seminar
Jonathan Sarna and invited guests
Meets monthly with national and local guest speakers focusing on leadership of the contemporary Jewish community. Required co-curricular seminar for all students.

NEJS 145A — History of the State of Israel, Zionism to the Present
Ilan Troen
This course examines the development of the State of Israel from its foundation to the present time. Israel’s politics, society and culture will be thematically analyzed (prerequisite for Seminar in Israel).

NEJS 162a — American Judaism
Jonathan Sarna
American Judaism from the earliest settlements to the present, with particular emphasis on the various streams of the American Judaism. Judaism’s place in American religion and comparisons to Judaism in other countries.

NEJS 168b — Jewish Leadership: Innovators and Visionaries
Yehuda Kurtzer
An examination of the history of Jewish leadership through a series of case studies; both a history and a leadership course, it considers the characteristics of, and challenges facing extraordinary and transformative Jewish leaders. Special one-time offering, Fall 2009.

Back to top