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Jewish Studies Program

Academic Awards

2019-2020 Awards

Hannah Butcher ‘22

Hannah Butcher ‘22

The Rita Bornstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in Jewish Studies

"Jewish Studies at Rollins has played a huge role in supplementing my Jewish education. I am so happy that I met Dr. Greenberg, our Jewish Studies director; since day one, she has made me feel so welcome at Rollins, and under her expertise, I've learned so much about Israel, Hebrew, and Torah. The Jewish Studies program offers a variety of unique opportunities to students because of her, including exclusive discussions with rabbis and analyses of Middle Eastern conflicts. This minor promotes critical thinking and analysis, and I'm very excited to continue applying these secular topics to my individual religious study."
Gabrielle Heenan ‘21

Gabrielle Heenan ‘21

The Harriett Lake Award for Outstanding Achievement in Jewish Studies

“My journey through the Jewish Studies program has been the most rewarding aspect of my Rollins experience. First and foremost, Dr. Greenberg has inspired me and my path in so many ways. Her openness and bounty of experience has made my learning over the past four years fulfilling and transformative. My passion for religion and philosophy made the Jewish Studies minor a perfect fit for me. In this minor, I have taken countless classes that have enriched my perspective regarding culture, religion, language and politics. I love the interdisciplinary learning the minor has provided; each class has given me a different perspective and tool that can be applied in everyday life. Through my studies in the program, I have discovered my own personal passion in the Abrahamic religions, scriptural/textual analysis and, most surprising to me, the conflict between Israel and Palestine. I plan to use all I have learned within the religion and philosophy department in my postgraduate journey, as I hope to continue my education studying religion and its function within our society.”
Allison van Tilborgh ‘21

Allison van Tilborgh ‘21

The Barbara Alfond Award for Outstanding Achievement in Jewish Studies

”When I began this journey, I had no idea how personal this subject would become. I was somewhat oblivious to my family's Jewish history and knew virtually nothing about Modern Hebrew, synagogue services, religious festivals, and Rabbinic law. The Jewish Studies program has given me the tools to explore the complexities of this religion, culture, ethnicity, and identity on a personal level and an academic one. This has positioned me to recover the lost stories of the Jewish heritage I never knew I had. It's been rewarding sharing these stories with my family and honor our lost history: one marked by exile, diaspora, and radically affected by the Shoah.”