Letter from the Director

Welcome to the pages of HaTanin—the Hebrew Alligator!

It is my pleasure to invite you to explore the inaugural issue of the “HaTanin Journal.” The Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies proudly celebrates the revival of this student-led forum for thoughtful conversations about Jewish history, culture, religion and experience across a wide range of geographies and time periods. In doing so, it builds on the legacy of the Center’s earlier newsletter edited by Professor Jack Kugelmass.

We hope that both undergraduate and graduate students will find its contents engaging, illuminating and even surprising. This dynamic new platform welcomes authors and readers from within Jewish Studies as well as those just beginning to discover where Jewish topics intersect with their own academic or personal interests and journeys. In this issue, contributors explore diverse facets of Jewish belonging—a window into research projects, cultural expression and personal explorations.

We are deeply grateful for the work of the editors and authors, and we hope you enjoy the pages ahead.

Crossing fingers for HaTanin!

Natalia Aleksiun
Harry Rich Professor of Holocaust Studies/ Eastern European Jewry
Interim Director, Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies