Jewish Studies

Laurence J. Silberstein, professor emeritus of religion, culture and society and the founding Philip and Muriel Berman Professor of Jewish Studies at Lehigh University, died July 30, 2026, at the age of 89. An internationally respected scholar, Silberstein helped establish Jewish Studies at Lehigh and was known for his influential research on religion, philosophy and Israeli culture, as well as his decades of dedicated teaching and mentorship.

How a vision for Jewish studies transformed a community and inspired generations.

The Berman Center for Jewish Studies will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024. Lehigh spoke with Berman Center director Jodi Eichler-Levine, as well as former director Hartley Lachter and history professor Nitzan Lebovic, about the milestone and the center’s vision going forward.