We asked our alumni how their Judaic Studies degree helped them in their career. Here's what some of them had to say.
"My education gave me many tools that I use in my day to day practice as a doctor/neurologist. While seemingly unrelated, a big part of practicing medicine is communication, and even history, and that was gained by my studies at the Frankel Center at U-M."
"While taking courses through the Judaic Studies department at U-M, I was continuously awe-struck not only by the content I was learning, but also by just how proficient my professors and GSIs were in presenting information and providing us students with opportunities to evaluate our own learning. These skills that I've acquired have translated incredibly well into my role as an educator, and I am so grateful that I am able to pass down such skills -- and even fit a Judaic Studies unit -- into my 7th grade classroom full of young, curious individuals."
"When I entered rabbinical school... I felt that I had an incredible Jewish education that propelled me forward in my studies and in my career. The overview of Hebrew, Jewish history, and biblical studies that I achieved at the Frankel Center provided me with a foundation for lifelong learning."
"My Judaic Studies and history courses taught me how to take in information from different points of view, analyze and synthesize it and the present my findings. Those are all tasks that I do every day as a reporter."
"I see much of the Talmud as policymaking. Studying with the Frankel Center was the first time I really opened the Talmud alone, sat down, and felt like I was spending time with the historical rabbis over the centuries discussing and reforming the best way for the Jewish people to live both individually and collectively. Examining the rabbis’ debates alongside critically analyzing the texts with my classmates truly sharpened my critical thinking."
"All the classes that I look through the Frankel Center centered on writing and critical thinking. These have probably been the two most consistent and important requirements of my work over the past 20 years."
"My Judaic Studies education was vital in introducing me to the ethical challenges plaguing the medical profession. The standard ethics education that medical schools teach is severely limited given both time constraints and the challenges of unveiling our own inherent biases. Having previously been taught about physicians’ roles during an ethically egregious period in history, I have found great interest in researching multiple perspectives in evaluating complex ethical issues, acknowledging my own susceptibility to falling victim to facilitating injustices, and aiming to be a part of a community of professionals dedicated to confronting modern ethical concerns."
"Psychiatry work consists of connecting with patients. I have found that education about cultures and backgrounds has fostered by ability to connect with others."
"In my job, I am required to think outside of the information in front of me, and to communicate that new perspective to others. Courses through the Frankel Center helped me to find confidence in my ability to communicate new ideas to a larger group of people."
