Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies

Since 1938, the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Religious and Social Studies (LFI) has worked on issues at the intersection of religion and public affairs.

The institute's work consists of initiating academic conferences, public events, and symposia on topics relevant to an engaged citizenry. LFI provides a venue for advancing the dialogue on the place of religion in general, and Judaism in particular, in public life. It seeks to discern the wisdom of the Jewish tradition and apply it to the perplexing problems of our day. Its areas of activity include religion and public affairs, cross-cultural dialogue, and bioethics.

Conference topics in past years have included:

  • Current trends in the law of church and state
  • Faith-based initiatives in public policy
  • Issues in bioethics
  • Jewish-Christian and Jewish-Muslim relations

Consult the LFI website for information on upcoming events.