Welcome to the New Posen Library
Now Available!
Jewish Studies Curriculum Initiative
Ready-to-use undergraduate teaching modules, curated by leading scholars. Each unit includes primary sources, expert interpretation, and supplementary resources for both students and instructors.
Featured Sources
Text and image sources now available on the site cover the biblical and rabbinic periods (through the year 600) and the early modern to contemporary periods (1500–present).
Before Your Shining, Full Eyes
This evocative love poem was written by Esther Raab, the first modern woman Hebrew poet born in the land of Israel.
Ardashir-nāmah (The Tale of Esther)
A fourteenth-century Judeo-Persian retelling of the book of Esther includes a romance on a hunting expedition between a son of Vashti and a Chinese princess.
To Bigotry No Sanction: George Washington and Newport’s Jews
George Washington’s 1790 letter to Newport’s Jewish congregation affirmed liberty of conscience for all—a cornerstone of American religious freedom.
Just Published!
Volume 2: Emerging Judaism, 332 BCE–600 CE, edited by Carol Bakhos, covers Jewish life as it evolved in the centuries following the biblical period. These years laid the groundwork for the rich tapestry of Jewish identity that would continue to develop throughout history.
Our Curated Collections
On this site you can explore our curated collections, which demonstrate how our text and image sources can be used to illuminate, inspire, and engage, providing unique opportunities to create conversations about Jewish history and culture across time and geography. Register for free access to the sources in these collections.
Jewish Gauchos in South America’s Pampas
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the help of philanthropic organizations, many Jews escaping persecution in Russia made new lives for themselves in the South American pampas.
Gender Roles
Engage with the gendered dimensions of Jewish life and discover lost voices of Jewish women.
Jewish Resistance and the Holocaust
From armed confrontation to religious defiance, Jews fought back against the perpetrators of the Holocaust.
Jewish Perspectives on Reproductive Rights
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022, abortion’s political, religious, and social impact has been at the forefront of political debate in the United States.
Passover across Jewish Time and Space
Passover is the most celebrated holiday for American Jews. Yet, few appreciate the historical evolution and diversity of its key themes and messages.