Center for Jewish Studies at UNC Asheville

03/03/2026

Join us at CBHT on 3/8/25!

02/13/2026

Thank you all for joining us at these recent wonderful events with the Jewish Food Society. We hope to see you all back soon!

02/02/2026

Preserving Your Family Recipes and Stories
with a tasting opportunity following the workshop

Participants will learn about the power of food to create deep connections, instill pride, and offer a space for potentially difficult conversations during this challenging time. The workshop explores what Jewish food is and builds on a range of examples from The Jewish Food Society archive and book to offer tools and to illustrate the process of interviewing and capturing family stories, developing and preserving family recipes, and documenting and sharing this information with others. Following the talk, you'll have a chance to sample Matzah Spinach Pie, Red Cabbage, Date and Beet Salad, Charoset Balls, and a Chilled Apple Drink with Rosewater.

Tuesday, February 10
7 PM

UNC Asheville Campus

Free. Registration Required

Co-sponsored by the UNC Asheville Center for Jewish Studies, Asheville Jewish Community Center, and Congregation Beth HaTephila Sisterhood

Registration link: https://operations.daxko.com/online/5151/ProgramsV2/Events.mvc/offering?guid=e21510a0-e0e5-11f0-99e0-005056924804

08/21/2025

Welcome to the new semester! Come join us this Friday, 8/22, at our annual ice cream social. Everyone is welcome, but if you are affiliated with UNCA you can show your ID at the door for a $5 certificate to use on either ice cream or bubble tea! As usual, it will be located at the Hop, 640 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. We hope to see you there!

03/17/2025

This Thursday, March 20, the Center is offering a public lecture by Dr. Orit Avishai on Q***r Judaism. 2025 Phyllis Freed Sollod Lecture.

The lecture will explore the experiences of Orthodox Jewish LGBTQ+ individuals in Israel, highlighting their efforts to reconcile sexual and gender identities within the framework of Orthodox Judaism.

Dr. Avishai will discuss how these individuals have created new modes of being Orthodox Jews, challenging and aligning with traditional practices, and offer insights applicable to American Jewish communities.

The event is scheduled for March 20 at 7:00 PM in the Highsmith Blue Ridge Room on the UNC Asheville campus.

This talk is free and open to everyone.

Parking information: https://parking.unca.edu/parking-permits/

Campus Map: https://maps.unca.edu/

Dr. Orit Avishai is a Professor of Sociology and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Fordham University, where she also serves as an ethnographer. Her recent book, "Q***r Judaism: LGBT Activism and the Remaking of Jewish Orthodoxy in Israel," was published by NYU Press.

03/16/2025

Be sure not to miss this years Phyllis Sollod Lecture! On March 20th at 7:00 PM we welcome Dr. Orit Avishai to explore and discuss the experiences of Orthodox LGBTQIA+ individuals in Israel, highlighting their efforts to reconcile sexual and gender identities within the framework of Orthodox Judaism.

This talk is free and open to everyone.

Parking information: https://parking.unca.edu/parking-permits/
Campus Map: https://maps.unca.edu/

03/05/2025

This exciting talk is this evening, be sure not to miss it!

Join UNC Asheville Professor, Dr. Duane Davis as he addresses the important work of three Jewish existentialists: Lev Shestov, Martin Buber, and Benjamin Fondane.

Existentialism is a popular course offered by many philosophy departments in the United States which asks poignant questions about the meaning of human existence. Existentialism is usually presented as a philosophical and literary movement involving both theistic and atheistic thinkers.

The theistic existentialists explored in such classes are frequently restricted to Christian thinkers, ignoring important work by some important Jewish existentialists. All too often, Jewish existentialists have been neglected in this way, or even written out of the history of existentialism altogether.
This talk will highlight three important Jewish existentialists. Each thinker offers significant and original contributions to philosophy and unique inquiries and insights that remain relevant and merit our attention.

March 5, 5:30 PM, Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
UNC Asheville Campus

Parking information: https://parking.unca.edu/parking-permits/
Campus Map: https://maps.unca.edu/

03/03/2025

Join UNC Asheville Professor, Dr. Duane Davis as he addresses the important work of three Jewish existentialists: Lev Shestov, Martin Buber, and Benjamin Fondane.

Existentialism is a popular course offered by many philosophy departments in the United States which asks poignant questions about the meaning of human existence. Existentialism is usually presented as a philosophical and literary movement involving both theistic and atheistic thinkers.

The theistic existentialists explored in such classes are frequently restricted to Christian thinkers, ignoring important work by some important Jewish existentialists. All too often, Jewish existentialists have been neglected in this way, or even written out of the history of existentialism altogether.
This talk will highlight three important Jewish existentialists. Each thinker offers significant and original contributions to philosophy and unique inquiries and insights that remain relevant and merit our attention.

March 5, 5:30 PM, Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
UNC Asheville Campus

Parking information: https://parking.unca.edu/parking-permits/
Campus Map: https://maps.unca.edu/

05/01/2024