Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation

The Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program at Brandeis University announces a competition, open to creative thinkers of every kind, to produce a major work in the English language that aims to change the way Jews think about themselves and their community.

The winner will be awarded two years to develop his or her idea as the Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation at Brandeis. Competitive salary, benefits, and research assistance will be awarded to the winner of the competition.

The winner of our competition will be expected to teach one course each semester at Brandeis, and to deliver lectures or seminars based on his/her project. The bulk of the chair holder’s time, however, is set aside for research and writing. To the extent possible, the chair holder is to be free from administrative and outside responsibilities. The book that results from the chair holder’s project will be published and promoted by Brandeis University Press.

The following are the terms of the Charles R. Bronfman Visiting Chair in Jewish Communal Innovation:

1. The incumbent of the Visiting Chair will serve for two years and is expected to live in reasonable commuting distance of Brandeis University.
2. The incumbent of the Visiting Chair will be expected to teach one course each semester, to be determined by the Director of Hornstein in consultation with the Chair of the Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies.
3. The incumbent of the Visiting Chair is expected to deliver periodic lectures and/or seminars based on his or her work in progress.
4. The bulk of the time of the incumbent of the Visiting Chair is intended to be devoted to research and writing. To the extent possible, the incumbent shall be free from administrative and outside responsibilities.
5. The salary of the incumbent of the Visiting Chair will be set at a competitive level, and includes those benefits normally provided to full-time faculty. The incumbent will be provided with the research assistance of a graduate fellow, and will also have access to a research fund and additional funds to defray lecture and administrative expenses.
6. Each incumbent of the Visiting Chair will be expected to submit a first draft of his or her manuscript by the end of the two-year appointment, and a final draft no more than twelve (12) months later.
7. Brandeis University Press will publish and promote each work, subject to its normal acquisitions and editorial procedures. An award of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) will be available to assist in the publication and promotion of each incumbent’s manuscript.

Proposals, not to exceed 5 pages, should discuss the proposed project, its intended audience, its relationship to communal issues and debates, its likely impact, and the larger vision that underlies it. Priority will be given to applications received by November 30, 2007. A symposium for finalists will be held in February/March.

Please send proposals, as well as a resume including a listing of professional accomplishments and teaching experience, and two recommendations to Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna, Chair, Bronfman Chair Search Committee, either by e-mail (sarna@brandeis.edu ) or c/o Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program, MS 037, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454-9110.

For information concerning the Hornstein Program, see http://www.brandeis.edu/jcs/. Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse intellectual community and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities.

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