MEET OUR DIRECTOR

Dr. Steven Fine, director of the Yeshiva University Center for Israel Studies, is chair of the Department of Jewish History at Yeshiva College and professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University, where he focuses on the interrelationships between ancient Jewish literature, art and archaeology.

He received his doctorate in Jewish history from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, holds an MA in art history from the University of Southern California and a BA in religious studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dr. Fine’s unique understanding of a blend of history, rabbinic literature, archaeology and art is expressed in a broad range of publications. The author of academic monographs, museum catalogs, articles and even a book for children, Professor Fine most recently has published Art and Judaism in the Greco-Roman World: Toward a New Jewish Archaeology (Cambridge, 2005). He is an editor of the new journal, IMAGES: A Journal for the Study of Jewish Art and Visual Culture.

Professor Fine has lectured throughout the United States, Israel and in Europe, including presentations at the University of Haifa, Oxford University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Yale University, Hebrew Union College, UC Davis, Duke University and the Brooklyn Museum. Dr. Fine delivered the first Cecil Roth Memorial Lecture at the Jewish Museum in London.

His current projects include a textbook in Jewish art and visual culture, web-based learning portals at the Center for Online Jewish Studies and studies in Samaritan-Jewish relations during late antiquity.

» Download Dr. Fine’s CV (PDF)

» Download a YU Today profile of Dr. Fine (PDF)

» Promoting the Academic Study of Israel: A Conversation with Professor Fine (PDF)