Southern California – August 16, 2024 – The Community Scholar Program (“CSP”, www.occsp.net), marking its 24th year as a leading Jewish education non-profit, is thrilled to name Professor Marc Michael Epstein as this year’s recipient of the “CSP Maimonides Award for Excellence in Jewish Learning.”

Arie Katz, the founder of CSP, remarked, “Each year, we seek to honor educators who transcend traditional boundaries. Marc’s unparalleled expertise in Jewish visual and material culture has brought the richness of Jewish history and art to life for our community and beyond.”

Marc is no stranger to the CSP community. He has presented over 50 times, including serving as CSP’s 12th annual one-month scholar in residence. Marc’s diverse topics, such as “People of the Image: Jewish Identities, Politics & Theology via the Arts, “People of the Image: How Jews Made Art in Spite of the Second Commandment—and Why It Matters,” “Eros and the Jews: Reading the Rabbis in Bed,” “Inside the Jewish Mind,” “Jesus the Jew,” and “Jesus Back by Popular Demand,” have captivated global audiences and enriched CSP’s educational offerings.

Marc’s background is as rich and varied as his scholarship. He is the winner of the 2015 Jewish Book Award in Visual Arts for Skies of Parchment, Seas of Ink: Jewish Illuminated Manuscripts. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, as the product of a “mixed marriage” between the scions of Slonimer and Lubavitcher Hassidim and Romanian socialists, Marc has channeled his unique heritage into a deep and nuanced understanding of Jewish culture. Currently, he is Professor of Religion and Visual Culture on the Mackie M. Paschall (1899) & Norman Davis Chair and Director of Jewish Studies at Vassar College, where he teaches courses on medieval Christianity, religion, arts and politics, and Jewish texts and sources. In these difficult times, however, a significant part of his mission on campus is to support and nurture Jewish students, which he does both in the classroom and around his living room table along with his wife, Professor Rabbanit Ági Vető, who teaches courses in Jewish Studies at Vassar and coordinates Vassar’s Hebrew Language program, and their family.

Marc’s influence extends beyond the classroom. During the 1980s, he served as the Director of the Hebrew Books and Manuscripts division of Sotheby’s Judaica department. He continues to consult for libraries, auction houses, museums, and private collectors worldwide, including the Herbert C. and Eileen Bernard Museum at Temple Emanu-El in New York City and the Fowler Museum at UCLA. Additionally, he is the Director of Beit Venezia, the home for International Jewish Studies in Venice, Italy.

Past recipients of the Maimonides Award include Rabbi Charlie Savenor, Executive Director of Civic Spirit, known for his advocacy for civic education, Dr. Rachel Korazim, a Jewish education consultant specializing in Israel and Holocaust education curriculum development, and Gila Fine, a renowned educator whose intertextual interpretations have brought Talmudic tales to life.

On receiving this honor, Marc Michael Epstein responded, “This award from CSP is deeply meaningful to me. I am profoundly grateful to Arie Katz—impresario and mensch— for his vision in creating a vibrant community dedicated to Jewish learning and to the CSP community for their enthusiasm and engagement. It’s a true delight to teach students at a formative period in their lives, but it is similarly great joy— and moreover, an honor—to teach and learn from adults with a vast array of life experiences. Teaching for CSP has been among the most rewarding experiences of my life, and I look forward to many more years of collaboration.”

CSP stands proud in its tradition of celebrating leaders in Jewish learning and remains committed to advancing this cause with unwavering enthusiasm.