Association for Jewish Studies 2025

For seventy years, the Leo Baeck Institute has been a link between the past and present – a bridge between generations, but also between disciplines, across the Atlantic, and increasingly around the globe.

Our work has transformed immeasurably since 1955, when intellectual giants like Buber, Scholem, and Arendt first envisioned a scholarly institution that would collect, preserve, and write the history of German-speaking Jews.

What has not changed is our commitment to advancing critical scholarship in the best tradition of the Wissenschaft des Judentums. Beyond the preservation, cataloging, and digitization of millions of primary sources, how are we supporting scholarship in our eighth decade?

Academic Conference

Call for Papers for 2026 Conference: The LBI is accepting proposals for papers to be presented at its 2026 conference Between Revolution and Reaction: German-Speaking Jews and the Ideas, Politics, and Cultures of the Right.

Beyond the liberal imaginary of Jews at the vanguard of progress, there is still work to be done to understand the full breadth of Jewish political consciousness and action. This especially so for Jewish political engagements that prioritized “tradition”, “order”, or “conservatism” – the key values of the right. This conference aims to broaden and deepen our consideration of how German-speaking Jews positioned themselves with respect to the cycle of revolution and reaction that advances history and informs our mental maps of ideology. We are seeking papers that explore Jewish responses to conservatism that ranged from rejection to attraction.

Public History

Connecting Scholarly Voices with Broad Publics

In each episode of the podcast Exile, Mandy Patinkin tells the stories of both luminaries and ordinary people based on deep archival research. In addition to Patinkin’s narration and dramatic readings of primary sources by actors, each episode features context and commentary from historians and other experts.

LBI’s public programs also link our vast collections, new scholarship, and critical analysis of today’s world. Our 2025 series on Seven Decades of German-Jewish Historiography provides an indispensable guide to the state of the field.

Fellowships

LBI offers a range of fellowships, including the Gerald Westheimer Career Development Award. The flagship fellowship offered by LBI is a personal grant to a scholar or professional in an early career stage, e.g. before gaining tenure in an academic institution or its equivalent. Apply by March 3.