In General
Hello and welcome to my website.
I am a Lecturer in the Department for the Study of Religion and the Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto. Trained in continental philosophy generally and in phenomenology specifically, I have maintained an interest in Jewish philosophy since my undergraduate studies. I first came to UofT in 2009 as the Senator Jerahmiel S. and Carole S. Grafstein Postdoctoral Fellow in Jewish Philosophy, and then held an appointment as a Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy for the following two years. In 2012 I joined the Department for the Study of Religion, where my teaching focuses on the philosophy of religion and theories and methods in the study of antisemitism.
As a Lecturer, I prioritize teaching over research. But the time that I devote to teaching has proven intellectually rewarding as well as personally gratifying. In many cases, my teaching has generated ideas for research projects that I will pursue in the coming years. These projects, which are at various stages of germination and fruition, are described on other pages of this site, as are the different courses that I have taught since my arrival at UofT.
As much as these indications about my teaching and research interests reveal what’s going on in my head, they reveal little of what’s in my heart, which is devoted to my lovely wife, Bessie, and our beautiful daughter, Odelya. Unless I am getting ready to teach or in class, then chances are that I am enjoying their company (as in the picture to the right).
If you want to begin a conversation about any of the research projects or any of the courses described on this website, please feel free to contact me. And, if you are a student at the University of Toronto and share some of my teaching and research interests, please come by my office at the Centre for Jewish Studies (Jackman Humanities Building, Room 218b).