The Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Religion announce three undergraduate awards for Excellence in Jewish Studies.
Entries for awards should be submitted to the Center for Jewish Studies (center@jst.ufl.edu) by April 25, 2025*.
*Papers/Projects from Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 are eligible for this year’s awards.
Academic Essay Category:
An award of up to $500 will go to the best academic essay (approx. 1000-1600 words) written by a current UF undergraduate (regardless of major) on any topic relating to Jews and Judaism, during the 2024-2025 academic year.
- Essays may come from any UF course
- Essays may be in the form of responses to classroom “prompts”
Creative Submission Category:
An award of up to $1000 award will go to the best creative submission by a current UF undergraduate (regardless of major) on any topic relating to Jews and Judaism, during the 2023-2024 academic year.
- Submissions may come from any UF course
- Submissions may be in the form of responses to classroom “prompts”
- Creative projects may include but are not limited to compositions of music, photography, video, visual arts, multi-media projects or exhibits, creative writing
Research Paper Category:
An award of up to $1000 award will go to the best research paper (approx. 1800-4000 words) written by a current UF undergraduate (regardless of major) on any topic relating to Jews and Judaism, during the 2024-2025 academic year.
- Research papers may come from any UF course
Samuel “Bud” Shorstein Writing Awardees 2024-25
- Research paper co-winner: Alex Boutin-Johnson
- Research paper co-winner: Megan Meese
- Research paper co-winner: Graycen Silver Schwartz
Shorstein Award winners
- Raanan Rein Joins the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish StudiesProfessor Raanan Rein of Tel Aviv University will join the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies as the Alexander Grass Chair in Jewish Studies in August 2025.
- Shorstein Center’s Roy Holler Presents at International Conference on Israel StudiesThis week, Professor Roy Holler will present mutual research conducted with fellow Shorstein Center Professor Iris Cohen at the 41st Annual Conference of the Association ...
- Shorstein Center Interim Director to Deliver Keynote Address at Prestigious International Conference on the Aftermath of the Second World WarDr. Natalia Aleksiun, the Harry Rich Professor of Holocaust Studies and Interim Director of the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies, will deliver the keynote ...
- Free Speech, Antisemitism, and campus Life: A Conversation with Dr. James LoefflerOn September 4, the Bud Shorstein Center for Jewish Studies will welcome Dr. James Loeffler, Professor of Modern Jewish History at Johns Hopkins University and ...
- How Charlottesville Changed AmericaThe 2017 White Supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia triggered a national debate about the limits of free speech. Less noticed at the time it also ...
- Jewish Studies at UF: a commitment to culture, history and community“Kehillah” is the Hebrew term for the organized Jewish community — a group with shared values, traditions and belonging. In Jewish civilization, community is a responsibility. Click to read the full article.