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2022 Aaron Scholar on His Interest in Biblical Studies

Matthew Thompson is a senior from Austin majoring in Jewish Studies with a minor in Classical Greek. Matthew has received several prestigious scholarships in support of his studies. Most recently he was named the 2021-2022 Aaron Scholar as the recipient of the Dawn and Todd Aaron Endowed Presidential Scholarship.

What drew you to the Jewish Studies major at UT?

I want to attend graduate school to study the Hebrew Bible. The Jewish Studies program at UT made the most sense for preparing to apply to graduate programs. The interdisciplinary aspect of the program has allowed me to take classes that focus on portions of the Hebrew Bible and has really provided the foundations for a historical-critical understanding of the Hebrew Bible.

Can you describe a favorite course?

My favorite course is the course that has most significantly shifted my view of the Hebrew Bible. “The Five Books of Moses,” with Dr. Philip Yoo, has permanently changed the way I think about and understand the origins of the Torah. In reading Richard Elliott Friedman’s The Bible with Sources Revealed, the students were introduced to the documentary hypothesis. Sourcecriticism changed not only my view of the Torah, but initiated the construction of the foundations of a mental framework with which to understand the Hebrew Bible like a scholar. Since then I have fallen into the worm hole of biblical criticism. As a result, both my academic career and personal life, I believe, will never be the same.

How has being a Jewish Studies major affected other parts of your experience at UT?

Being a Jewish Studies major has allowed me to discover my personal strengths. Pairing the major with a minor in Classical Greek, I have discovered a passion and an ability to learn languages. I transferred to the College of Liberal Arts from the College of Natural Sciences. Transferring to Jewish Studies has allowed me to excel because I am able to utilize my strengths. At the same time, the Jewish Studies program challenged me and caused me to improve in my information retention, my writing, and my language acquisition.

Is having a Jewish Studies program important at a university? Why? Should more universities offer this major or a similar one?

I believe that having a Jewish Studies program is vital for any university, especially when one considers the extent to which (1) Jewish people have been historically oppressed and (2) Judaism and Christianity have shaped history. I believe that education is power, and if we are to improve society and prevent repeating history’s violence towards Jews, members of society must have access to specialized education concerning Jewish history. The state university is where our society looks for authoritative research and information in any area, and Jewish Studies are especially relevant given the religious climate of today's world.

Undergraduate Student Selects Jewish Studies Major Before Arriving on Campus

Simon Gerst is a junior from Houston majoring in Jewish Studies and German, with a minor in History. He was a 2020-2021 Aaron Scholar as the recipient of the Dawn and Todd Aaron Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Jewish Studies. He recently won a college-wide competition for an Unrestricted Endowed Presidential Scholarship.

What drew you to the Jewish Studies program at UT?

I decided to major in Jewish Studies after a single afternoon on the Forty Acres. I had toured Jewish Studies departments at several other schools during my senior year of high school, and UT ended up being my last tour. I audited Dr. Jonathan Kaplan’s course on the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the caliber of the course’s students and material impressed me. The students asked really thoughtful questions about complex concepts, and I could tell that Jewish Studies would provide me with the rigorous intellectual environment that I so badly wanted in a university. I also met with Dr. Tatjana Lichtenstein, and our conversation solidified my findings from Dr. Kaplan’s class. Dr. Lichtenstein talked to me about the variety of courses I could take as a JS major, the scholarships I could earn, and the places I could go with a background in Jewish Studies. I left our meeting confident that SCJS was the place I needed to be. I committed to the University only a few minutes after walking out of the conference room with Dr. L, and I am so glad I did.

What are your specific interests within this interdisciplinary major?

My primary interest within Jewish Studies is the Holocaust and World War II. From a young age, the Second World War fascinated me. My grandfather, Oles, was a Holocaust survivor from Warsaw. Like many other survivors, he remained silent about his experience in Poland for his entire life. For as long as I can remember, I tried to learn more about him, the world he left behind, and the events which precipitated my existence. I asked my mother questions for years, but I could never construct a picture of the past that satisfied me. My fascination led me to the Normandy Scholars Program on World War II (NSP). Through NSP, I studied the causes, conduct, consequences, and contemporary representations of the Second World War from multiple national perspectives. I left the program with a better grip on my family’s past and the world birthed by the Allies’ victory in 1945. The Eastern Front and the war of annihilation fought between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union really captivated me, but I’m still figuring out what exactly I want to focus my research on within the broader field of WWII.

Can you describe a favorite course?

Dr. Lichtenstein’s “Introduction to Holocaust and Genocide Studies” was a particularly impactful class for me. The course examined the Holocaust and the phenomenon of genocide at practical and ideological levels from the perspectives of victims, perpetrators, witnesses, and scholars. The course allowed me to engage intellectually, emotionally, and academically with the subject matter which drew me to Jewish Studies, while also providing me with a nuanced insight into my own background and identity.

How has being a Jewish Studies major affected other parts of your experience at UT?

Being a Jewish Studies major hasn’t affected my experience at UT; it has defined it. JS is responsible for my academic path; it has connected me with my mentors and friends; and it has shown me the possibilities for my future. I developed into the person and student I am today because of my time in Jewish Studies. It is because of the support and attention I have received from SCJS that I know I can achieve my full potential, regardless of the obstacles I face. I am confident my decision to be a Longhorn was the right one, and my experience in Jewish Studies is a big reason why.

Is having a Jewish Studies program important at a university? Why?

When I tell people I major in Jewish Studies, they often ask, “What does that mean?” I think the beautiful thing about Jewish Studies is that it can mean whatever you want it to. You have the freedom to study religion, history, philosophy, and so much more, all because they intersect in the world of Jewish Studies. There seems to be a misconception that Jewish Studies