The Brandeis Difference
Founded in the year of Israel’s independence, Brandeis is a secular, research-intensive university that is built on the foundation of Jewish history and experience. Brandeis is dedicated to Jewish values such as a respect for scholarship, critical thinking, and making a positive difference in the world.
Brandeis is home to one of the oldest and largest Jewish studies programs outside of the State of Israel, as well as many related centers and institutes. Our library houses one of the best collections of Hebraica and Judaica in the nation.
As a Hornstein student, it's all at your fingertips.
Jewish Centers and Institutes at Brandeis University
Hornstein students have access to the nation's leading Jewish Studies centers and institutes at Brandeis, including:
Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies
The Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies is dedicated to conducting scholarly work that can enhance understanding of the Jewish community. The Center is a multi-disciplinary research institute and an integral part of Brandeis University's distinguished programs in Jewish studies and communal service. Research conducted at the Center focuses on studies of American Jewry and Jewish institutions and is widely disseminated.
Crown Center for Middle East Studies
The Crown Center for Middle East Studies, inaugurated in April 2005, is committed to a balanced and dispassionate approach to the Middle East through scholarship and its application to understanding the real and everyday issues that affect the contemporary Middle East.
The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute develops fresh ways of thinking about Jews and gender worldwide by producing and promoting scholarly research and artistic projects. The institute carries out this mission through its extensive publications (including the books in the Brandeis Series on Jewish Women; an academic journal, Nashim; and 614: The HBI e-zine), scholar-in-residence and internship programs, grants to researchers and artists and the HBI Project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law, whose mission is to foster creative approaches to negotiating the tension between women's equality and practices justified in terms of cultural and religious traditions.
View the full list of the university's Jewish Studies centers and institutes.
University Resources
Whether you're pursuing a degree that's on campus or online, you'll have access to university resources that will enhance your student experience. View a full list of student resources.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Founded by the American Jewish community as a nonsectarian institution in 1948, when exclusionary practices prevented equal access to some of the nation's best schools, Brandeis University has always welcomed talented students and faculty of every ethnicity, religion and cultural background.
Today, Brandeis is a community of scholars and students united by their commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and its transmission from generation to generation. As a research university, Brandeis is dedicated to the advancement of the humanities, arts and social, natural and physical sciences. As a liberal arts college, Brandeis affirms the importance of a broad and critical education in enriching the lives of students and preparing them for full participation in a changing society, capable of promoting their own welfare, yet remaining deeply concerned about the welfare of others. Learn more about the university's commitment to diversity.