Hasidic Relics
This fellowship opportunity is for students participating full time in the Pardes Year/Semester program. The Hasidism Research Fellow will work together with Levi Cooper on the editing and production of his forthcoming book: Hasidic Relics.
This book will complement Levi’s first two books Relics for the Present on Talmud and will be a further volume in the growing Pardes faculty library that has successfully showcased the Torah of our thriving Beit Midrash.
Like Relics for the Present, this volume will be made up of short essays (800-1000 words each) that address different aspects of Hasidic thought, culture, or history. Each chapter will be accessible for a general Jewish readership. The chapters will be historically accurate and academically honest so that a scholarly audience will also be able to appreciate the volume.
Unlike Relics for the Present, this volume will not track a Talmudic tractate but will follow Hasidic themes. In addition, images of rare Hasidic documents and title pages will illuminate the pages.
Between 2010 and 2020, Levi has authored approximately 150 newspaper articles on Chassidus. These articles have been (and continue to be) published in The Jerusalem Post, and sent out via Pardes’ Elmad portal to over 1000 subscribers. These articles will form the basis of the forthcoming Hasidic Relics.
The move from newspaper articles to a book requires selection (and discarding), editing, and filling in the gaps. The Research Fellow’s work will focus on this process with the goal of producing the book from the existing material.
Skills of Hasidism Research Fellow
- Language and editing skills
- Writing and/or editing experience
- Organization capabilities
- Index preparation
- Ability to see the larger picture of a book project
- Capacity to see a project through to the end
- Interest in Hasidism
- A rudimentary understanding of Hasidism – preferable
Specific Fellowship Requirements:
- 6 hours/week (Sunday and Tuesday, 2-5). Most of the work would be completed in the Pardes Beit Midrash, with visits to the National Library as per the dictates of the project.
- Weekly meeting with the faculty advisor
- Participation in Hasidut course (Sunday and Tuesday, 5:15-7 PM)
All fellows will receive a guaranteed living expense grant ranging from $200-$600/month (exact amount determined by financial need) AND receive highly subsidized Year Program tuition: $3,000 discount for those not eligible for Masa Israel Journey funding, and $2,000 discount for those eligible for Masa funding.
A letter of recommendation from a supervisor who can speak to the candidate’s relevant community experience and potential growth and contributions through the fellowship is required. This may be one of the two letters of recommendation required for the Year Program application, or an additional recommendation. The letter must be submitted along with the Fellowship Application and the 2023-24 Pardes Year Program application.
Applications are due by May 15
