Hear from our Jewish Studies Students:

"I have chosen to pursue a minor in Jewish Studies, in tandem with studying History, not only to bring further historical context and personal significance to my understanding of these stories, which define my identity as a German-Jew, but to also guide and inspire my future academic and professional work in the fields of genocide prevention, historical and contemporary studies of refugee issues, and eventually, studying Jewish and Holocaust History at the graduate level. The opportunities, both academic and personal, which the Jewish Studies program has already allowed me to experience, exemplify the ways in which the study of Jewish history and related subjects have and continue to contribute to my education."
Micah Lesch, History major with a minor in Jewish Studies, Jewish Studies Scholarship Recipient 2018
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​"The Jewish Studies minor has proven to be invaluable to my education as I delve deeper into the aspects of the Jewish experience. My enrollment in courses such as Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and the History of Modern Israel have provided me with a greater understanding of the issues related to modern Jewish life. The Biblical Hebrew series offered here has encouraged me to pursue my aspirations of eventually translating my own biblical texts."
Sierra Pecknold, Religious Studies major with a minor in Jewish Studies, Jewish Studies Scholarship Recipient 2017

"I hope someday to attend law school, and the amount of legal codes carried over from the Jewish patriarchs through early Christianity and again contained in Islam can be more fully understood by studying the sources. I myself am a secular student of Jewish Studies, from ancient times to modernity. I do not ascribe any right or wrong to the teachings, but instead have gained priceless insight to the backbone of our modern world."
Alejandro Berrera, History major with a minor in Jewish Studies, Jewish Studies Scholarship Recipient 2017
 
"The Jewish Studies classes were a welcome break from my traditional premed coursework and allowed me to deepen my understanding of Jewish History. The History of the Holocaust classes stood out as some of the best courses I took while at UC Davis. The minor introduced me to a new historical lens through which to approach Judaism and conflicts in the Middle East and was a great experience at UC Davis."
Josh Rushakoff, UCD Class of 2013, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology major, with a minor in Economics & Jewish Studies, Don Kunitz Award Winner 2014 & UCSF Medical School, Fall 2014
 
"Jewish Studies courses were some of the highlights of my undergraduate experience at UC Davis. At a large university, where it can often be challenging to connect coursework that changes every 10 weeks, Jewish Studies courses gave me continuity. Finding the Jewish Studies program at Davis was one of the greatest surprises and blessings of my undergraduate experience."
Maya Makker, UCD Class of 2013, History major with a minor in Jewish Studies, Don Kunitz Award Winner 2011 & Graduate Student in Museology, University of London

"I wanted to thank you again for choosing me as a recipient this year for a Don Kunitz Award. It is such an honor and I'm so grateful to have been selected based on my creative composition entry. I will be putting the award money toward my graduate school tuition at Tufts University this fall, where I will be studying to become a pediatric occupational therapist. I hope to carry that creativity with me throughout my graduate studies and into my career."
Hannah Goldner, UCD Class of 2013, Don Kunitz Award Winner 2013 & Graduate Student in Physical Therapy, Tufts University