Staff

About Michael Lynn: Since 2000, Michael Lynn has been advising undergraduates in the University of Colorado’s Department of Sociology, and is excited to join the Program in Jewish Studies team. He enjoys helping students to take a healthy, long-term approach their education as well as teaching them to “learn how to learn,” a valuable skill that can serve one for a lifetime. He also strives to connect students to opportunities...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Jewish thought, Moses Mendelssohn, Nachman Krochmal, Jewish-Christian relations, philosophy of religion, religion and politics, hermeneutics, and religious ethics Courses: God (FYSM 1000), Religion and Contemporary Society (RLST 2400), Judaism (RLST/JWST 3100), God and Politics (RLST/JWST 4170-5170), Is God Dead? (RLST/JWST 4180-5180), Love & Desire (RLST/JWST 4190-5190), Topics in Judaism: Bible in Judaism and Christianity (RLST/JWST 4260-5260), Introduction to the Academic Study of Religion...

Kathleen is pursuing a triple major in Jewish Studies, History, and Pre-Education, as well as a minor in Classics at the University of Colorado. Kathleen became attracted to Jewish Studies because of the program's focus on history and culture but "really fell in love" after meeting the professors, TAs, advisors, and students involved in the program. She is particularly interested in the evolution of Judaism, especially the Second Temple and...

Kris is currently a double major in Jewish Studies and Religious Studies. She first came to CU in 1979 and is now returning to the University to finish her studies after raising a family and working for many years at the University of Colorado. Kris first took JWST/HEBR2350 Introduction to Jewish Culture under the instruction of Professor Zilla Goodman which appealed to her interest in religious traditions and human cultures...

Shane Ball is in his final year at CU Boulder, where he studies Economics and History with minors in Jewish Studies and Leadership Studies. He appreciates the interdisciplinary and creative intellectual community within the Program in Jewish Studies. Shane has taken Jewish Studies courses and traveled to Israel/Palestine through a Jewish Studies Global Intensive course. His Economics Honors Thesis studies the educational and political effects of a family planning, maternal...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Development of the Hebrew Bible, early Jewish biblical interpretation, Jewish history through Late Antiquity, interactions between Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thinkers, and the study of Semitic languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Akkadian, Ugaritic, and Ethiopic). Courses: Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (JWST/RLST 2600); Magic in Judaism and Christianity (RLST 3820) About Prof. Boyd: Boyd is a scholar of biblical texts and the ancient Near...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Muslim-Christian-Jewish relations in the Pre-Modern Mediterranean Courses: Mediterranean Religion Before Modernity (HUMN 3850); Christian Traditions (RLST 3000); Medieval Spain: Religion, Culture and Ethnicity (RLST 4820/5820); Mediterranean Religion and Society (RLST 4820/5820) Recent publications: The Sea in the Middle: The Mediterranean World, 650-1650 and Texts from the Middle (University of California Press, 2022) Muslims of Medieval Latin Christiandom, c. 1050-1614 (Cambridge University Press, 2014)...

Intern with Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, 2014 Tova graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies and Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. During her time with Jewish Studies, Tova took advantage of the service learning opportunities offered through the Internship in Jewish Studies (JWST 3930) course. Tova served as an intern with Congressman Jared...

Youth Director at Temple Sinai in Denver Barry and Sue Baer Scholar , 2009 Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, 2012 Carly came to CU from Greenwood Village, Colorado. She graduated with distinction with Bachelor degrees in both Jewish Studies and International Affairs and a minor in Religious Studies. Carly is currently utilizing her degree in Jewish Studies from CU through her work as Youth Director at Denver's Temple Sinai...

About Calli: Calli Force, MLIS, is a Project Archivist in CU Boulder’s Special Collections & Archives where she stewards the Post-Holocaust American Judaism collections . She works closely with constituents from the Program of Jewish Studies and enjoys collaborating across departments and disciplines to provide users with a meaningful experience. Calli hails from a military family and spent much of her life living in various places around the globe. She...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Early modern Jewry, history of the Covenant, Turkish-Jewish history and culture, varieties of Jewish experience Courses: Global Seminar: Jews and Muslims: The Multi-Ethnic Diversity of Istanbul (JWST/IAFS/RLST 3530) Recent Publications: “”What about Peace?”: Cotton Mather’s Millennium and the Rise of International Law” in Law and the Utopian Imagination (Stanford Univeristy Press, 2014) About Prof. Goodman: Nan Goodman is the author of three books...

Courses: The Holocaust: An Anthropological Perspective (JWST/HIST 4580) Representing the Holocaust (JWST/GSLL 2502) About Prof Grobmeier: Dr. Gregory Grobmeier specializes in 20th century and contemporary European political thought, Holocaust Studies, post-Holocaust philosophy and theology, and the history of philosophy. Dr. Grobmeier is a Senior Term Professor in the Philosophy Department at Regis University, where he regularly teaches first-year courses and upper division seminars for the Regis College of Liberal Arts...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: History of Israel/Palestine, standardized testing in Israel and the Middle East, education and childhood in Mandate Palestine, religion and education in Israel. About Prof. Kalisman: Hilary Falb Kalisman holds a B.A. from Brown University and a Ph.D. from the University of California Berkeley. Her research interests include education, colonialism, state and nation building in Israel/Palestine as well as in the broader Middle East...

Ellie Landrum is our Events and Outreach Director for the student advisory board. She is a junior majoring in Integrative Physiology and minoring in Hebrew and Israel Studies. Before attending CU Boulder, Ellie spent a year living in Israel on a gap year program. There she was able to volunteer with their EMT service and learned about the culture, history and the Israel/Palenstine conflict. That year cemented her interest in...

Regional Accounts Coordinator with EF Educational Tours Minor in Jewish Studies, 2014 Sam graduated in 2014 with a BA in Sociology and a minor in Jewish Studies. Sam began taking Jewish Studies courses in order to fulfill his core requirements and elective courses. He enjoyed the professors and decided to declare a minor in Jewish Studies. Sam states, "As a Jewish student, it was amazing to get course credit while...

Zach Levey is the Israel Institute Visiting Professor at the University of Colorado. He completed his Ph.D. in 1994 at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, taught at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) until 1997 and has since then been on the faculty of the University of Haifa, where he served seven years as chair of the Division of International Relations. Professor Levey spent the academic years 2009-11 and 2015-16...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: The Jewish origins of early Christian texts and the Jesus movement; Second Temple Judaism; the use of Hebrew Bible/Septuagint and other Jewish literature in early Christian texts; Jewish reading and interpretational methods Courses: Women and Religion (RLST-WGST 2800) Paganism to Christianity (CLAS-RLST 2610-2614) Introduction to the New Testament (RLST 1910) Introduction to Jewish Culture (JWST/GSLL 2350) About Celene Lillie: Celene Lillie is a...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Jewish liturgical music, klezmer music, analytical approaches to world music, music and text, rhythm and meter. Courses: Music in Jewish Cultures (JWST/MUSC 4122), Music Theory I and II (MUSC 1101-1111); Tonal Analysis (MUSC 4061); Advanced Tonal Analysis (MUSC 5061); Song Forms (MUSC 5151); Schubert Seminar (MUSC 6801). About Prof. Malin: Yonatan Malin’s research areas include klezmer, Jewish liturgical music, cantillation, and German Lieder...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Contemporary American Judaism; Interfaith Marriage; the Jewish Family in the United States; Religion, Reproduction, and Politics; Judaism and Sexuality; Religious Diversity in the United States Courses: Jewish Feminisms: From Labor Marches to Women’s Marches (WGST 3702-002), Religion and Reproductive Politics in the United States Recent Publications: God Bless the Pill: Contraception and Sexuality in Tri-Faith America (under contract with UNC Press) The Racism...

Community Coordinator for Gay Men's Health Crisis , New York Minor in Jewish Studies, 2014 2014 Jacob Van Ek Scholar Chelsea graduated Jewish Studies Valedictorian in 2014, earning a Minor in Jewish Studies in addition to a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a certificate in Digital Arts and Media. She is currently the Community Coordinator for Gay Men's Health Crisis in Manhattan as part of the AVODAH fellowship...

Felicia Naranjo Martinez has joined the Program of Jewish Studies staff to provide high level budgetary, financial, policy, and administrative support to the unit. She manages the day-to-day operations of the program including finances, human resources, public programs, curriculum and student outreach, and faculty affairs. In her tenure at the University of Colorado Boulder, she has served as Executive Director of the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence, worked with...

Professor Pegelow Kaplan specializes in Holocaust studies, modern German-Jewish history, histories of violence, language, and culture of Central Europe, and transnational history. Professor Pegelow Kaplan teaches courses at the undergraduate and graduate level on the Holocaust, modern Jewish history, Central European history, historical methodology and theory, and transnational history. These classes include "Global History of Holocaust and Genocide," "Jewish History Since 1492," "Antisemitism: Concepts, Discourses, Practices," "Nazi Germany and the...

Intern at the Boulder County District Attorney's Office Intern for Defense Attorney's Office in Parker, CO Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, 2013 Tristan graduated in May 2013, earning a Bachelor of Arts in both Jewish Studies and Sociology. During his time here at CU, Tristan completed a Capstone project which analyzed victim's rights in Israel and the United States. His primary focus was the comparison of how each country...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Hebrew language and literature, Israeli culture, Jewish music, Israeli-Palestinian peace work Courses: Beginning Modern Hebrew I & II (HEBR 1010/1020), Intermediate Hebrew I & II (HEBR 2110/2120), Third Year Hebrew I & II (HEBR 3010/3020), Internship in Jewish Studies (JWST 3930) About Eyal Rivlin: Born and raised in Israel, Rivlin began teaching as an instructor in the Israeli military in 1993. He graduated...

Rosenau's Professional Portfolio

Gigi Saad is a Junior from Orange County, California currently majoring in Jewish Studies and minoring in Hebrew & Israel Studies. Gigi has always exhibited an investment in Jewish education, anticipating a Jewish Studies major prior to undergrad. She is passionate regarding the education of Israel/Palestine and hopes to pursue a graduate degree which allows her to facilitate difficult discussions concerning this topic. Gigi is beginning the process of her...

Courses: Beginning Modern Hebrew I & II (HEBR 1010/1020), Third Year Hebrew I & II (HEBR 3010/3020) About Rona Schank: Rona was born and raised in Israel and has a wide and diverse range of teaching experiences. She began teaching as an instructor in Israeli youth groups and in the Israeli army in 2002. She graduated Cum Laude from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem majoring in Law and Psychology. Combining...

Paul Shankman is a cultural anthropologist who specializes in Samoa, economic anthropology, political anthropology, theory, and Margaret Mead. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1973 and has been a faculty member at the University of Colorado Boulder since then. He has conducted fieldwork in Samoa since 1966 and has also worked with Pacific Islanders in the United States. For the past few decades, he has been involved in...

Professor David Shneer (1972 - 2020) I’m writing with the devastating news that our beloved friend and colleague, Professor David Shneer, passed away on the morning of November 4th after a long battle with cancer. David was many things – a groundbreaking scholar, a visionary leader, a passionate activist, and a devoted teacher. For so many members of this community and the Jewish Studies world across the globe, though, David...

Damian Sonsino is a Junior at CU Boulder, majoring in Biochemistry and Classics with a minor in Hebrew and Israel Studies. He has traveled to Israel with Birthright and is considering moving there after graduating. Damian is currently working in an organic chemistry research lab on the CU Boulder campus, and when he is not in the lab or in class, he enjoys running, playing and watching basketball, and making...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: German-Jewish and Italian-Jewish literature, Franz Kafka, Jewish art historians and philologists, Aby Warburg Courses: Kafkaesque (GRMN/HMN2601) Jewish/German Writers (GRMN/JWST 3501) Representing the Holocaust (GRMN/JWST 2502) About Prof. Stimilli: Davide holds degrees in philosophy from the University of Pisa and a PhD in comparative literature from Yale University. He is the author of “Fisionomia di Kafka” and “The Face of Immortality: Physiognomy and Criticism,”...

Emergency Medical Technician Jewish Studies Valedictorian, 2013 Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, 2013 Josh came to the University of Colorado Boulder from Denver, Colorado. Josh earned a major in Jewish Studies and was not only the valedictorian of his graduating 2013 class but also graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Department of History. Josh's degree in Jewish Studies culminated in a Capstone project which focused on a close reading...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Sephardic Jewish culture and history, Mediterranean Jewish communities, Early Modern History, Converso Jews in Colonial America Courses: Introduction to Jewish Culture (JWST-GSLL 2350), Women, Gender & Sexuality in Jewish Texts and Traditions (JWST-RLST-WGST 3202), Modern Jewish Literature (JWST 2551), Representing the Holocaust (JWST-GRMN 2502), Jews in the American West (JWST 3130), Jews of Spain & Portugal (JWST-HIST 4524) Recent Publications: Rabbis and Refugees:...

About Megan Welsh: Born and raised in upstate NY, Megan comes to CU with a Bachelor’s degree in Religion and Classics (focused on Christianity and Judaism) and minors in Ethics and History from the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY. Though far from the East Coast, Megan fell in love with Colorado as a student at the University of Denver, where she graduated with her Master’s degree in Library and...

Areas of research related to Jewish Studies: Bible as Literature; Religion and Culture Courses: Bible as Literature (ENGL/JWST 3312)