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Donna Winkelman is a member of the Center for Jewish Studies advisory board and a dedicated member of the local Jewish community. Originally from Huntington Woods, Winkelman first moved to Ann Arbor while attending U of M--where she later met her husband, Tom. She became part of the CJS team after learning about it from friend and neighbor, Decky Alexander. Both strong supporters of the center, Winkelman and her husband developed the Donna Winkelman and Thomas Easthope Endowed Scholarship in Jewish Studies, which funds students taking travel courses. In this interview, she talks about finding community, her experiences in the Peace Corps, and why travel opportunities are important for students and non-students alike.
Cole Nelson is an EMU alum who earned a degree in political Science in 2022. During his time at Eastern he worked in the Center for Jewish Studies with founding director, Marty Shichtman. Nelson worked closely with Shichtman, helping with things like event planning and updating the website. In this interview, he talks about his experiences at EMU, being hired as Shichtman's assistant, and how the center stayed afloat at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Brad Axelrod is a clincical neuropsychologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Detroit area, and a member of the EMU Center for Jewish Studies advisory board. A Chicago native, Axelrod made his way to Ann Arbor while working on a degree in clinical psychology. Both he and his wife, Robin, engaged in the local Jewish community early on and formed stronger relationships once their children started Hebrew Day School. Axelrod has served on many different community boards across Washtenaw county, like the Jewish Community Center's film festival committee and the Partnership2Gether Program. He and Robin became involved with CJS shortly after its formal introduction in 2012, when Marty Shichtman invited them to join the advisory board. In this interview, Axelrod talks about his early Jewish upbringing and education, the most memorable CJS events he's attended, and the valuable education the Center provides to students, the university itself, and the community.
Pam Landau is professor emeritus, two time EMU alum, and Center for Jewish Studies advisory board member. Landau is a certified sex educator and therapist who taught classes in the Psychology Department from 1982 to 2023, and still serves as the faculty coordinator for the human sexuality minor. She is one of the earliest supporters of the Center for Jewish Studies and long-time board member, and is considered by founding director Marty Shichtman to be one of the program's anchors. In this interview, Landau talks about her career at EMU and most influential colleagues, what it was like when the Center was just beginning, and what she hopes their programming provides for Jewish and non-Jewish students alike.
Jeff Bernstein is a professor of political science and Director of the Faculty Development Center at EMU. Bernstein, alongside colleagues like Decky Alexander and Pam Landau, is another one of the Center for Jewish Studies' earliest supporters. He started teaching classes at EMU while working on a graduate degree from U of M and was later hired as a full time faculty member. Up until its move off campus, Bernstein served as a board member for Hillel, alongside CJS Founding Director Marty Shichtman. He was appointed director of the Faculty Development Center in 2021 and continues to serve on the CJS faculty advisory board. In this interview, Bernstein talks about the things that formed his Jewish identity, the changes in Eastern's Jewish student body over the years, and just how much work went into developing and maintaining the Center.
Sam Hirsch is Vice Chair of the EMU Foundation Board of Trustees and member of the Center for Jewish Studies advisory board. A retired pathologist from the University of Michigan, Hirsch first stepped into the EMU community while his daughter was a student here; and joined CJS in part because the founding director, Marty Shichtman, was her favorite professor. Since then, he's developed a greater appreciation for Eastern and the things that distinguish it from U of M. In this interview, Hirsch talks about his unexpected place at EMU as an outsider, what being on the advisory board means, and how he's seen the center's impact continue to grow.
Robin Axelrod is CEO of Axelrod Coaching and Consulting and a member of the Center for Jewish Studies advisory board. A licensed social worker and established leader in the Metro-Detroit area, she became part of CJS after first hearing about it while working at the University of Michigan. Axelrod's time with U of M has provided her with a unique insight to the experiences of Jewish college students, which she is able to bring forth into her work in the advisory board here. In this interview, she talks about the things that helped shape her Jewish identity, being one of the first graduates of Judaic Studies at U of M, and the opportunities CJS provides to EMU students and beyond.
Mary and Art Schuman are two of the most passionate members of the Center for Jewish Studies advisory board and became involved early on. They have been strong supporters of the program, contributing whatever way they can, financially or otherwise. They created the Art and Mary Schuman Endowment for Jewish Studies Lectures and Performances, and they also sponsor an annual lecture series on Eastern's campus. In Fall 2024 with the first-floor renovation of Halle Library and dedication of the Center's new space, the Schumans were honored with a plaque recognizing their dedication. In this interview, Art and Mary each talk about their different upbringings, the meeting where Art first heard about the plans for CJS, and why it's so important to them.
Jill Hunsberger is Associate Vice President for Advancement at EMU and a long time supporter and advisory board member of the Center for Jewish Studies. Since making her way here in 1999, Hunsberger has established herself as a dynamic and engaged community leader through her work with the EMU Foundation and the EMU Chapter of Women in Philanthropy. She became involved with the Center for Jewish Studies early on and helped to advance its inital growth and development. In this interview, Hunsberger talks about her deep rooted background in community service, developing university programs from start to finish, and how the Center can teach people what it means to be good community citizens.
Decky Alexander is a professor of drama and theater education and the Director of Engage@EMU. Alexander has become a well known community member across Washtenaw County through her theater education programs and work with organizations like the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor. She is the founder of CloseUp theater troupe and has been another long time supporter and board member of the Center for Jewish Studies at EMU. In this interview, Alexander talks about her Jewish upbringing in Chicago, the strengths of a good community network, and why having a center like this is especially important at EMU.
Bob Erlewine is the Director of the Center for Jewish Studies and professor of religious studies at EMU. In 2022, Erlewine left Illinois Wesleyan University and made his way to EMU as the newly appointed CJS Director. He is the second director of the center, taking over after Marty Shichtman's retirement. With a formal background in Jewish studies, he's been able to develop more academic curriculum and maintain strong community ties. In this interview, Erlewine talks about the things that eventually led him here, why having this center is particularly important at EMU, and where he hopes to guide it moving forward.
Martin "Marty" Shichtman is professor emeritus and the Founding Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at EMU. A professor of English and Literature for nearly four decades, Shichtman taught both graduate and undergraduate level courses in subjects like Arthurian literature and Jewish-American literature. During his tenure at EMU he introduced the first Jewish Studies class, which soon led to the creation of a Jewish Studies minor, and eventually the Center for Jewish Studies. Shichtman served as the center's director from its opening in 2012 to his retirement in 2022 and continues to be involved as a member of the advisory board. In this interview, Shichtman talks about growing up Jewish in Brooklyn, the establishment and growth of the Center, and how much he's seen the impact its had both on EMU students and himself.
