What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet.

William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene 2

Grau, teurer Freund, ist alle Theorie,

Und grün des Lebens goldner Baum.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, Kapitel 7: Studierzimmer

The Department of Jewish Art at Bar-Ilan University serves as a vibrant hub for exploring the intricate and multifaceted world of Jewish visual culture. It offers a dynamic approach to studying the visual dimensions of Jewish civilization and Israeli culture, advancing scholarly study and academic teaching across historical eras—from early textual references to contemporary expressions. The Department's scope includes the art and architecture of ancient Jewish societies, cohesive communities of medieval and modern eras, and diverse works of emancipated individuals within the modern and contemporary Jewish Diaspora and Israel.

Positioned at the intersection of art history and Jewish studies, the discipline operates both as a specialized area of art history within broader universal contexts and as an extension of Jewish studies. It critically examines the visual dimensions of Jewish history, religion, liturgy, material culture, literature, folklore, and languages.

The Department's mission encompasses several key components: delivering rigorous academic instruction, ensuring effective dissemination of knowledge to advance learning and intellectual growth, promoting innovative and impactful scholarly research, and cultivating a vibrant professional community that encourages open exchange of knowledge, ideas, and collaboration. This fosters an environment of intellectual engagement and mutual development.

Recognizing its unique role among art history departments in Israel and globally, the Department maintains a commitment to ongoing analytical and critical engagement with its evolving academic domain. As the fields of culture, art history, and Jewish studies undergo significant transformations, the Department continually adapts to ensure its contributions remain relevant and impactful, with a forward-thinking approach to the study and teaching of Jewish art.

A key development in Jewish art studies at Bar-Ilan University has been a critical revisiting of conventional understandings and interpretations of what is often broadly labeled as "Jewish" art. This re-evaluation spans traditional scholarship, artistic practices, curatorial work, and connoisseurship.

In alignment with advancements in contemporary art history, humanities, communication studies, social sciences, and psychology, researchers adopt a comprehensive approach. They explore any image or object created to convey meaning or evoke emotion, often favoring the more inclusive term "visual culture" over the historically narrower concept of "art." This reflects a commitment to expanding the scope of inquiry and fostering a deeper understanding of visual expressions within diverse contexts.

Contemporary studies of Jewish art have diverged from Hegelian essentialism, which sought to associate visual creativity with an intangible folk Geist defining the distinct formal traits of national art. Drawing on postmodern perspectives in Jewish history and historiography, scholarly research and academic teaching deliberately refrain from pursuing a universal definition of "Jewish" as it pertains to art and culture. Instead, they focus on the variety and flexibility of both individual and collective Jewish self-identification throughout the ages, within the continuity of Jewish civilization, its values, ethical codes, shared historical narratives, and collective memories.