The Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library and the Duke Center for Jewish Studies offer fellowships with awards of $1500, to support researchers whose work would benefit from access to the Judaica materials held by the Rubenstein Library, the Duke Divinity School Library, and/or Perkins Library.
Who is eligible?
- Faculty members, graduate or undergraduate students and independent scholars
- All applicants must reside beyond a 100-mile radius of Durham, N.C., and may not be current Duke University students or employees.
What kind of Jewish Studies materials do you have?
The Jewish Studies collections at Duke Libraries include a wide variety of resources — from current publications, films and videos to rare and unique manuscripts and archival material. The Rubenstein Library hosts an impressive collection of Pesach Haggadot that spans more than 1,000 years of history, represents five continents, is written in several different languages and has a variety of specific purposes. Many of these Haggadot are part of the Abram and Frances Pascher Kanof Collection of Jewish Art, Archaelogy and Symbolism, which also has an exceptional collection of unique art books by Jewish and Israeli artists and has Jewish ceremonial art pieces. The Rubenstein Library's Southern Jewish History collections include the personal papers of prominent Jewish families and individuals in the region. In addition, the Rubenstein Library's Human Rights Archive holds the personal papers of the distinguished Jewish rabbi and human rights activist Marshall T. Meyer and those of Jewish philosopher and theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Duke University Libraries also holds a growing collection of modern Hebrew literature — both in the original Hebrew and in translation — as well as modern Jewish history, Zionism, the history and society of Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The microform collection includes Testaments to the Holocaust from the Wiener Library, the Guenzburg Collection of Hebrew Manuscripts in the Russian State Library and historical Hebrew newspapers, to name but a few. The Divinity School Library holds our collections of ancient and medieval Jewish history, Biblical studies, Ancient Near East archeology and cultures and Rabbinic literature.
- Guide to Jewish Studies Materials in the Rubenstein Library
- Guide to Jewish Religious Materials in the Rubenstein Library
- Guide to Jewish Studies resources at Duke University Libraries
- Questions? Contact Rachel Ariel, librarian for Judaica/Hebraica
What expenses does the grant cover?
Grant recipients will receive up to $1,500 per week for funding, plus airfare.
How do I apply?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Research topics must be strongly supported by Judaica collections held by the Rubenstein Library, the Duke Divinity School Library and/or Perkins Library. We encourage each applicant to discuss his or her research project and the materials that might support it with Rachel Ariel, librarian for Judaica/Hebraica, before submitting an application. Applicants who speak with a staff member about their projects often produce stronger applications.
- Download and complete in English an application form (Word document).
- E-mail your completed application and C.V. as attachments (Word document or PDF) to rachel.ariel@duke.edu. We will send you an e-mail confirming that we received your application.
- Graduate students must ask a faculty advisor to write a letter of recommendation. We will not consider an application complete until we receive the recommendation.
- Advisors may submit a letter of recommendation as an e-mail attachment to rachel.ariel@duke.edu or send a hardcopy by postal mail to:
Jewish Studies Fellowship Program
Attn: Rachel Ariel
Librarian for Judaica/Hebraica
Box 90195
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0185
USA
