Annual Commencement Prizes
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Prize in Arabic
This prize is given yearly to recognize excellence in the study of Arabic.
- 2022 - Anjay Stone
- 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.
- 2022 - Juliana Sherer
- 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.
2022
- Bar Guzi for the dissertation, "Insisting on God: The Varieties of Naturalistic Jewish Religiosity in Twentieth-Century America"
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.
- 2022 - Harrison Rosengard
- 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.
- 2022 - Max Friedman
- 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.
- 2022 - Nathan Ashner & Sarah Kosowsky
- 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.
- 2022 - Emily Farbowitz & Maya Klareich
- 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.
- 2022 - Hadassah Stanhill
- 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.
- 2022 - Abigael Good
- 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.