Institute for Jewish
Philosophy and Religion

The Institute for Jewish Philosophy and Religion at Universität Hamburg was founded in May 2014 with the appointment of Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Veltri. In October 2016, it introduced a Master's degree course in Jewish Philosophy and Religion, the first of its kind in Germany. From 2014 to 2023, the Institute was part of the Department of Philosophy. Since February 2023, it has been part of the newly founded Department of Religions.
Academics at the institute work in teaching and in numerous research projects that are supported by third-party funding: The "Maimonides Centre for Advanced Studies" (DFG Kollegforschungsgruppe), the project "Emancipatio Rabbinica: The Position of Rabbinic Literature in Debates on the Status of Jews in Modernity (1600-1900) in the Italian, German and Eastern European Context" (DFG Emmy Noether Junior Research Group), the project "Hebrew Philosophical Manuscripts as Sites of Engagement / HEPMASITE" (ERC starting grant HORIZON), the project "Jewish Moralistic Literature (Musar) of the Early Modern Period" (DFG Emmy Noether Junior Research Group), the long-term project "Premodern Philosophic and Scientific Hebrew Terminology in Context / PESHAT in context" (DFG grant) and the project "Horror and Literary Manifestations of Fear in Early Modern Judaism" (DFG grant).
Students have the opportunity to gain initial experience of academic work in our research projects.
Scholars benefit from the well-equipped Hamburg libraries and our special collection on Jewish philosophy and Jewish studies.