Congratulations to the 2025–2026 Paula Hyman Memorial Mentorship Program participants:
• Anastasiia Strakhova (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) with mentor Michal Raucher (Rutgers University)
• Nicolette van den Bogerd (Indiana University) with mentor Jessica Roda (Georgetown University)
• Emilie Amar-Zifkin (McGill University) with mentor Sharon Koren (HUC/NY)
• Ranana Dine (Catholic Theological Union) with mentor Ruth Langer (Boston College)
• Erin Faigin (Washington University in St. Louis) with mentor Rachel Kranson (University of Pittsburgh)
• Nathalie Ross (independent scholar) with mentor Laura Shaw Frank (AJC)
To support the Hyman Mentorship Program, you can make a donation.
The deadline to apply for the current cycle has passed.
The Paula Hyman Mentorship Program invites applications for its 2025–2026 academic year cohort. The program was established in 2014 in memory of Professor Paula Hyman (1946–2011), a pioneering scholar of Jewish history and a dedicated mentor to women in Jewish Studies.
The program pairs emerging scholars with experienced mentors, while also building a strong network among the cohort through group workshops. Further, the program focuses on professional development for early career scholars from underrepresented genders. This can include cis women, trans women, trans men, non-binary people, and those who are otherwise marginalized for their gender identity.
Our primary programming this year will take place in-person on December 16–17, 2025 immediately after the AJS Annual meeting. There will also be at least four required Zoom meetings in the 2025–2026 academic year, one in the fall and 3 or 4 in the spring.
Applications are due May 11, 2025.
Please direct any questions about the program to Dr. Sara Ronis at sronis@stmarytx.edu or Dr. Laura Yares, at yareslau@msu.edu.
Qualifications
Applicants must:
• be a current AJS members
• have received or will receive a PhD between January 1, 2019 and August 30, 2025
• be available to attend the in-person workshop taking place December 16–17, 2025
We are committed to making conference attendance possible for everyone. If you have concerns relating to the cost of attendance or dependent care obligations, know that we will do our utmost to make it financially feasible for you to attend.
Application Instructions
• a CV
• a two-page cover letter including 1) a description of current research and publications, 2) a statement about why you would like to participate in this specific mentorship program, and 3) an
explanation of why participation in the program this year would meet your current professional goals; and 4) Optional: a list of up to three more senior scholars in Jewish studies who might serve as mentors. They need not be in the same subfield
as the applicant.*
* Please do not contact potential mentors. The program’s steering committee will reach out to these mentors and often looks for matches beyond the suggestions it receives.
• Contact information for two academic references
Additionally, the Hyman Mentorship Program will be offering a virtual workshop Friday, April 25th at 8am PST/10am CST/11am EST/5pm Central European Standard Time with Dr. Allison Schachter on how to prepare a strong application to the program. Attendance is not required, but this workshop will offer helpful strategies for applying to this and other fellowships. The workshop will be recorded.
You can register for the workshop here. The Zoom link will be sent to those who register.
