Administration and Staff

Jeffrey Rubenstein is Chair of the Skirball Hebrew and Judaic Studies and Ethel and Skirball Professor of Talmud and Rabbinic Literature in the Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University. He received his B.A. in Religion from Oberlin College, his M.A. in Talmud from the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also received rabbinic ordination, and his Ph.D. from the Department of Religion of Columbia University. He has taught at Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Jewish Theological Seminary in addition to New York University. Dr. Rubenstein has written numerous books and articles on the festival of Sukkot, Talmudic stories, the development of Jewish law, and topics in Jewish liturgy and ethics.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

53 Washington Square South, Room 108

212-998-8978

Lawrence H. Schiffman is the Judge Abraham Lieberman Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at New York University and Director of the Global Network for Advanced Research in Jewish Studies. He has served as Chair of NYU’s Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies Between 2011 and 2014, he served as Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Judaic Studies at Yeshiva University. He received his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. from Brandeis University and specializes in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Judaism in Late Antiquity, and Talmudic literature. His publications include From Text to Tradition: A History of Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism (1991); Reclaiming the Dead Sea Scrolls (1995); The Courtyards of the House of the Lord: Studies on the Temple Scroll (2008); Qumran and Jerusalem: Studies in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the History of Judaism (2010), and a new edition, translation and commentary, The Temple Scroll (2021), and over 200 articles on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Rabbinic Judaism. He co-edited the Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls (2000) and Outside the Bible: Ancient Jewish Writings Related to Scripture. He is featured in documentaries by PBS Nova, CNN, A&E, and Discovery and advised museum exhibits on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other subjects.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

53 Washington Square South, Room 209

212-998-8985

Born in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Gennady Estraikh later lived in Moscow, where he turned to writing in Yiddish and worked as Managing Editor of the Yiddish literary journal Sovetish Heymland from 1988 to 1991. In 1991-2002, he lived in England, where he worked at the Oxford-based Institute of Yiddish Studies and the London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies. In 1996, he received his doctorate from the University of Oxford. His fields of expertise and publications center around Jewish intellectual history, Yiddish language and literature, and Soviet Jewish history. 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

53 Washington Sq South, Room 106

Phone: (212) 998-9059

Jennifer is the department administrator, and started at NYU in Fall 2022. She is responsible for managing the department budget, and providing administrative support to faculty and students.  She has an MPA from Fairfield University and enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors. 

Contact Jennifer with questions regarding

Reimbursements

Faculty Resources

Class Scheduling

CONTACT INFORMATION:

53 Washington Square South, Room 102

212-998-8989

Dr. Figueroa has been administrator for the Taub Center for Israel Studies since September 2009. Prior to that, she served as Department Assistant for the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies from 2002-2009. She is responsible for managing all events as well as facilitating the administrative processes for the Taub Center's faculty, graduate students, and visitors. Dr. Figueroa holds an MA in Humanities and Social Thought and a Ph.D. in Food Studies.

Contact Shayne with questions regarding

Taub Center Events

Taub Center Administration 

Israel Institute and Taub Postdoctoral Fellowships

Visiting Scholar Process, Visiting Professors Process, and Fellows

CONTACT INFORMATION:

14A Washington Mews

212-992-9797