The Talented Dr. Finkelstein: His Initiatives, Allies, and Critics
Date: May 18, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Location: Online
Category: America at 250: Jewish Ideas and the American Experiment Online Learning
The Talented Dr. Finkelstein: His Initiatives, Allies, and Critics
Part of Our Summer 2026 Learning Series, America at 250: Jewish Ideas and the American Experiment
Monday, May 18, 2026
Online
1:00–2:15 p.m. ET
With Dr. Jack Wertheimer, Joseph and Martha Mendelson Emeritus Professor of American Jewish History, JTS
If you have previously registered for another session in this series, your registration admits you to all sessions in the series, and you may attend as many as you’d like.
Within the first decade of his JTS presidency, Rabbi Louis Finkelstein energetically launched a broad range of new initiatives. His efforts garnered widespread attention and even an adulatory cover story in Time magazine. They also prompted sharp public challenges from some of his closest colleagues.
This session examines his distinctive leadership style, the debates he provoked, and the reasons his legacy might be ripe for reconsideration. Dr. Jack Wertheimer, Emeritus Professor of American Jewish History, will present research from his forthcoming biography of Finkelstein.
About the Series
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, our Summer 2026 Learning Series explores the rich and surprising intersections between Jewish thought and American life. From baseball and youth culture to constitutional law, storytelling, and democratic theory, leading scholars reveal how Jewish ideas, texts, and experiences have shaped—and been shaped by—the American experiment.
