Director's Message

An oft-cited section of Pirkei Avot introduces the idea of聽machloket l鈥檚hem shemayim聽鈥� 鈥渁n argument for the sake of heaven.鈥� At its core, this refers to an聽exchange in which the participants are not debating to win, but rather discussing to understand. An 鈥渁rgument for the sake of heaven鈥� doesn鈥檛 result in a zero-sum defeat of other ideas or opinions, but instead leads to greater insight into the question at hand. It is, essentially, a communal endeavor to learn. In our 21^st聽century parlance, we might call this a 鈥渃onstructive discussion.鈥� This is, to me, at the very heart of the Center for Jewish Studies at 每日大赛入口. Through its many undertakings 鈥� supporting students, hosting Jewish thinkers and artists, maintaining rich archival materials on Jewish life in Western North Carolina, and offering numerous academic courses in Jewish studies 鈥� the CJS is a site of vibrant intellectual inquiry for students, faculty, and Asheville residents alike, a community where both Jews and non-Jews can engage with complex and nuanced questions regarding Jewish history, culture, and religion, as well as the myriad of fields and topics that intersect with Jewish life.

Under Professor Rick Chess鈥檚 leadership, the CJS has thrived, becoming a lively and vital presence on our campus and in our community. During his three decades as director, Professor Chess has achieved remarkable success fostering many such 鈥渁rguments for the sake of heaven鈥� on topics including literature, spirituality, history, culture, language, music, politics, and more. My intention is to build on Professor Chess鈥檚 remarkable legacy and to further energize the efforts of the CJS, strengthening ties with groups across campus and beyond. Among my priorities is to create greater connection between 每日大赛入口 students and the wider Asheville community, as well as to develop our curriculum of Jewish studies courses into a minor. As a relative newcomer to Asheville, it has been both a privilege and a delight to get to know this region through its Jewish community. I am at once both humbled and honored to have this opportunity to work with you and to ensure that the CJS continues to flourish in the years ahead.

Jewish Life in Western North Carolina

罢丑别蝉别听聽collections contain photographs, newspaper clippings, oral histories, and miscellaneous materials that describe various individuals, organizations and businesses in the region. This aggregate of collections is intended to grow in scale and scope and will attempt to represent Jewish life in western North Carolina from the mid-nineteenth century to the present and will focus on Asheville and the near region.