Bennett Center for Judaic Studies

The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies is an academic center whose mission is to enrich the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual dialogue at Fairfield University, and to engage the Greater Fairfield community through its series of inspiring lectures and cultural events.

Continuing the vision of Carl and Dorothy Bennett, the Center fosters learning experiences about and campus-wide awareness of Jewish history, ethical values, religious observances, and Israeli culture and politics. Looking forward, the Bennett Center aims to become the most active public-facing and academic center devoted to Judaic and Israel-related topics between New York and Boston.

The Bennett Center for Judaic Studies was founded in 1993 by a generous gift from Carl and Dorothy Bennett of Greenwich, Connecticut. Since the creation of the Chair in Judaic Studies that year, the Bennett Center has established a permanent and growing reputation in the Fairfield County community and beyond. Today, the Bennett Center continues to engage the nearly 100,000 Jewish residents and their neighbors in Fairfield, New Haven, and other nearby communities. Through the Center, Fairfield University has demonstrated its commitment to building a bridge of understanding between the Jewish and Jesuit traditions.

The Bennett Center works in collaboration with the Judaic Studies program, the Center for Catholic Studies, Campus Ministry, local Jewish community organizations, the Quick Center, and more.

Read the Most Recent Judaic Studies Newsletter

Thank You to Our Supporters

The Center receives financial support from numerous generous individuals and foundations. Your support helps us fund:

• Student scholarships and travel
• Events and programming for the Fairfield-area community and beyond
• Faculty and student research
• Jewish student life activities for Jewish students at Fairfield

Thanks to the generosity of many in our community, the Bennett Center has brought world-renowned speakers to the University, including Pulitzer Prize finalist Nathan Englander; The New York Times Op-Ed columnist and author, Tom Friedman; Rabbi and theologian Yitz Greenberg; lawyer and activist Khizr Khan; American diplomat and author Dennis Ross; American Jewish historian, Jonathan Sarna; former US Ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro; Meet the Press moderator, Chuck Todd; CBS News Editor-in-Chief and former Wall Street Journal review editor Bari Weiss; painter, sculptor, and photorealist, Audrey Flack; Former Israeli Knesset member and social-political activist Stav Shaffir; and Nobel Peace Prize winner and author, Elie Wiesel.

Your support matters! Even a small gift goes a long way in helping the Center grow, bring bigger names and engaging events to campus and the greater Fairfield region, and support our students. Give to the Bennett Center Today.

Community, Tradition, & Connection

From the establishment of the Chair in Judaic Studies to an annual service in remembrance of the Holocaust, the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies has established a permanent and growing reputation in the Fairfield County community – reaching out to its 70,000 Jewish residents and neighbors – as well as so many others. Through the Center, Fairfield University continues to be committed to building a bridge of understanding between the Jewish and Jesuit traditions.

A Welcoming Home for Students

Fairfield University offers a safe and welcoming home to Jewish students. Our Jewish student population is small but growing steadily. We offer a welcoming environment for Jewish students; a rabbi on campus and shabbat services; a Judaic Studies minor with courses on such pertinent topics as Jewish history, Israel, and the Holocaust; Hebrew language instruction (fulfils the university’s language requirement and counts toward the Judaic Studies minor); and most importantly: A safe, welcoming environment on a beautiful campus that is a convenient train ride from Manhattan.

While Fairfield does not (yet) have a Hillel, there is a very active Jewish undergraduate student group, Kadima, which organizes events – including around Jewish holidays and other special occasions – and serves as a home-away-from-home for our growing community of Jewish students. Kadima also offers Shabbat and holiday dinners several times a semester.

Lectures

All lectures and events are in-person and open to the public. For more information, contact the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at bennettcenter@fairfield.edu.

Recent Events On Demand

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Advisory Board

The Bennett Center’s advisory board, consisting of members of the community and Fairfield University faculty, is committed to the center’s mission, and meets regularly to advise and support the center’s operations.

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