Jewish studies director recognized for offering leadership in difficult times
Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, Regents Professor of history, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism and director of Jewish studies at ASU. Courtesy photo
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University has announced Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, Regents Professor of history, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism and director of Jewish studies, as this year's recipient of the Gary Krahenbuhl Difference Maker Award.
The annual award was established to honor a faculty member who personifies the vision and spirit of Gary Krahenbuhl, a former dean of The College.
A Jewish intellectual historian, Tirosh-Samuelson’s interdisciplinary scholarship integrates several academic fields, including Jewish philosophy and mysticism, religion and science, religion and ecology, and feminist and gender theory. After joining ASU in 1999, Tirosh-Samuelson was appointed director of Jewish studies in 2008. Under her leadership, ASU Jewish studies became a nationally and internationally renowned program.
“I am very grateful for the formal recognition of my contribution to the vision and mission of ASU,” Tirosh-Samuelson said. “As director of Jewish studies, I seek to bring understanding of the richness and complexity of the Jewish experience through the ages; as an intellectual historian, I aspire to shed light on the interdependence of religious traditions, intellectual schools and scientific projects.”
Endorsing ASU’s commitment to public-facing scholarship, Tirosh-Samuelson has offered intellectual leadership to the ASU community and to the Jewish community in metropolitan Phoenix and beyond.
Her unique leadership was demonstrated in the days after Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Tirosh-Samuelson organized public programs that called for a historically grounded understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts. She endorsed fostering a safe and productive exchange of ideas rooted in deep humanitarianism and a commitment to peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians.
In a time when emotional reactions to world events have ripped communities apart, Dr. Tirosh-Samuelson has found ways to ensure that wide publics are better informed with deep historical knowledge, and thereby invited to listen and learn.
Jeffery CohenDean of humanities, The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Reflecting on her own leadership style at ASU, Tirosh-Samuelson said, “As a public-facing humanities scholar, I am committed to bridging the gap between the academy and the public to enhance the quality of our social, cultural and political life. In my scholarship, public outreach and teaching, I seek to make a difference in the life of the ASU community and beyond.”
Tirosh-Samuelson is also recognized for her outstanding scholarship and her distinctive contribution to the field of religion and science. In addition to making ASU a leader in this discourse, Tirosh-Samuelson was among the founding members of the Judaism, Science and Medicine Group, an international society that is committed to fostering constructive dialogue of religion and science within Judaism. Managing the society and organizing its annual conferences, Tirosh-Samuelson featured distinctive Judaic approaches to controversial issues, including biotechnology, artificial intelligence, climate change and sexual orientation.
Jeffery Cohen, dean of humanities at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who has opened several conferences of Judaism, Science and Medicine Group, said that Tirosh-Samuelson is “deeply deserving of recognition through the Gary Krahenbuhl Difference Maker Award. Her unwavering stewardship of Jewish studies research, public outreach and education for all has made a difference in the lives of many."
"In a time when emotional reactions to world events have ripped communities apart, Dr. Tirosh-Samuelson has found ways to ensure that wide publics are better informed with deep historical knowledge, and thereby invited to listen and learn,” he said.
In the letter to the selection committee, Tirosh-Samuelson was praised as being “among the most preeminent scholars of Jewish thought in the world today and one of the most effective leaders within the ASU community.”
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