(Courtesy of Center for Jewish History) On Sunday, May 18, 2025, the Center for Jewish History will host The End of an Era? Jews and Elite Universities, a daylong symposium examining the historic and contemporary relationship between Jews and elite American universities.
Prompted by a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents on campuses including Harvard, Columbia, and others, the symposium will bring together leading scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals to consider whether the longstanding relationship between American Jews and higher education is fraying—and what can be done about it.
Martin Peretz, Symposium Chair and longtime observer of American intellectual culture, says, “I’ve watched the rise—and now the erosion—of a historic bond between American Jews and the universities they helped shape. This gathering convenes some of our most serious and preeminent thinkers to make sense of what’s unraveling—and what must come next.”
The symposium is presented by the Jewish Public History Forum, an initiative of the Center for Jewish History dedicated to confronting urgent questions of Jewish identity, memory, and public discourse.
“Conversations like this are more than timely—they’re essential,” said Dr. Gavriel Rosenfeld, President of the Center for Jewish History. “We are witnessing a profound shift in the cultural landscape of higher education. As an institution committed to preserving and interpreting Jewish history, the Center has a responsibility to convene open, thoughtful, and rigorous dialogue. The stakes—for both the Jewish community and the future of our universities—could not be higher.”
Symposium Schedule:
10:00 – 10:30 AM
Welcome Remarks and Keynote Address
- Martin Peretz (Symposium Chair)
- Rabbi David Wolpe (Scholar in Residence, Maimonides Fund)
Session 1: 10:30 – 11:30 AM
Jews and Elite Universities: From Prejudice to Prominence
- Michael Walzer (Institute for Advanced Study, emeritus)
- Rebecca Kobrin (Columbia University)
- Paul Berman (Independent Scholar)
- Jeffrey Herf (University of Maryland, emeritus)
Session 2: 12:00 – 1:00 PM
The Current Campus Crisis: What Went Wrong?
- Jamie Kirchick (Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times)
- Susie Linfield (New York University)
- Eli Lake (The Free Press)
- Rachel Gordan (University of Florida)
Session 3: 2:00 – 3:00 PM
Columbia and Harvard: The Exception or the Rule?
- Steven Pinker (Harvard University)
- Rabbi Jason Rubenstein (Harvard University)
- Nicholas Lemann (Columbia University)
- Pamela Nadell (American University)
Session 4: 3:30 – 4:30 PM
Keynote Panel
The Future of Jews and Elite Universities: What Is to Be Done?
- Bill Ackman (CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management)
- Deborah Lipstadt (United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism (2022-2025) and Emory University)
- Leon Wieseltier (Editor, Liberties)
For nearly twenty-five years, the Center for Jewish History has been dedicated to preserving and mobilizing Jewish history. Through a robust array of public exhibitions, programs, and scholarship, the Center fosters a deeper understanding of Jewish life.
