Prizes and Awards

Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Prize in Arabic

This prize is given yearly to recognize excellence in the study of Arabic.

2021 - Henry Wudl
2020 - Xaveria Mayerhofer
2019 - Yujiao Su
2018 - Youssef Fahmy

Henrietta and David Chassler Prize

This prize is given yearly to recognize an outstanding junior in NEJS.

2021 - Harrison Edward Carter Rosengard
2020 - Ariella Gentin
2019 - Jonathan Mohr
2018 - Rebecca Hersch

Nahum and Anne Glatzer Endowed Prize in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

This prize is awarded to student/s (usually PhD) for outstanding achievement in NEJS.

2021

Esther Brownsmith for the dissertation, "Inconspicuous Consumption: Conceptual Metaphors of Women as Food in the Deuteronomistic History"
Tina Sherman for the dissertation, "A Prolific Vine: Metaphorical Construction of National Identity in Prophetic Condemnations"

2020

Eric Harvey for the dissertation, “Sing to the Lord a New(-ish) Song: The Psalms of the Egyptian
Hallel across Two Thousand Years"
Benjamin Steiner for dissertation, “The Jewish Marriage Contract: A Window into Jewish Social
History"

2019

Celene Ibrahim for the dissertation, "From Hawaa to Huris: Female Figures in the Qur'an"

2018

Mostafa Hussein for the dissertation, "Hebrew Scholarship on Islam 1894 - 1950"
Golan Moskowitz for the dissertation, "Wild, Outside, in the Night: Maurice Sendak, Queer American Jewishness, and the Child

Ruth Nessel Gollan Prize in Hebrew Language or Literature

This prize is awarded to student/s who have exhibited high scholastic achievement, completed at least one semester of Hebrew study and plan to enroll in any of the following: A fall or spring semester Hebrew program at an accredited university in Israel, an accredited university summer program in Israel or in the U.S. such as the School of Hebrew at Middlebury College, or at any accredited online Hebrew program.

2021 - Aaron Gordon & Yael Trager
2020 - TBD
2019 - Chelsea Todtfeld
2018 - NA

Eli and Mollie Goodstein Prize in Hebrew

This prize is awarded annually to student/s demonstrating excellence in Hebrew.

2021 - Ilan Hascal & Chelsea Todtfeld
2020 - Erin Chambers & Yuchen Tan
2019 - Hannah Cook, Sherry Ianne, Joseph Silber
2018 - Yael Jaffe & Sigal Sax

Morris Homonoff Prize in Yiddish

This prize is awarded annually to student/s who excel in the study of Yiddish literature, language, or culture.

2021 - Rebecca Weiss & Adeline Skovronek
2020 - Shoshana Finkel & Gabriel Freiman
2019 - Benjamin Shaiman
2018 - Gabriel Weinstein

Samuel and Jennie Raucher Prize

This prize is awarded yearly to student/s who excel in Hebrew or Judaic Studies.

2021 - Leah Trachtenberg
2020 - Nicole Zador
2019 - Rebecca Hersch & Ezra Cohen
2018 - Jared Kraay

Ezra Z. Shapiro Endowed Family Prize

This prize is awarded yearly to the outstanding student/s concentrating in NEJS who have demonstrated commitment to community service.

2021 - Rachel Ordan & Ariella Gentin
2020 - Talia Goodman
2019 - Max Silverstone
2018 - Isaac Kurtz

Rose and Joseph Weissman Prize in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

This prize is awarded to an outstanding senior in NEJS.

2021 - Shari Boiskin & Rebecca Marcus
2020 - Liat Fischer
2019 - Zachary Narin
2018 - Joseph Barr

Elsie Witt Award in Jewish Studies

This award is presented to a graduating senior who excels in Jewish Studies.

2021 - Lily Morris
2020 - Jonathan Mohr
2019 - Leah McNeil
2018 - Yael Jaffe

Doris Brewer Cohen Award in the Humanities

This award is given yearly to recognize an outstanding senior thesis or essay. For more information, please see the Doris Brewer Cohen Award page.

Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies