About the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies

Founded in 2002, Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies (CJHPS) was created with a clear and urgent purpose: to expand opportunities for learning, reflection and dialogue around Jewish history and culture, the Holocaust and the ongoing pursuit of peace. As part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center serves both the campus and the wider public, offering programs and resources that highlight the importance of tolerance, understanding and respect for all human life.

Mission

The Center seeks to strengthen tolerance, understanding and remembrance by increasing the knowledge of Jewish culture and history, teaching the history and meaning of the Holocaust and utilizing these experiences to explore peaceful avenues for human improvement and the prevention of further genocides.

From its inception, the Center has worked to deepen knowledge of Jewish traditions and experiences, illuminate the history and legacy of the Holocaust and inspire constructive conversations about how societies can prevent genocide and build more peaceful futures. This mission is carried out through rich academic offerings, public events, faculty and student research support, international partnerships and a commitment to meaningful community engagement.

Engaging in Research, Creative Activity, Academics, and Community Outreach

Each year, the Center brings scholars, educators and students together through lectures, workshops, exhibitions and conferences—many of them developed in collaboration with national and international partners. Signature programs, such as the Martin and Doris Rosen Summer Holocaust Symposium, help equip educators from across the United States and Eastern Europe with tools to teach the Holocaust thoughtfully and responsibly. Visiting scholars and post-doctoral fellows further enrich the intellectual life of the campus and region, offering new perspectives and fostering collaborative research in Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies.

The Center also plays a vital role in supporting academic pathways at App State, including the undergraduate minor in Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies. Students and faculty alike benefit from study abroad experiences in Europe and Israel, research mentorship, and the collaborative energy of an interdisciplinary community committed to examining the intersections of culture, history and peacebuilding.

To ensure that scholars, teachers and community members have access to high-quality materials, the Center continues to expand its Library and Resource Center—an important hub for publications, archival resources and research collections. These efforts are supported by ongoing fundraising and grant initiatives that help sustain the Center’s programs and secure its future growth.

Pursuing Vision Through Partnerships and Collaboration

CJHPS maintains active participation in professional associations, including the Association for Jewish Studies, the Association of Holocaust Organizations, and the North Carolina Consortium of Jewish Studies, reinforcing its commitment to collaboration and shared scholarship.

The Center also maintains affiliations with national and international institutions that share a similar mission and vision, including Western Galilee College and Yad Vashem.

Guided by its vision of a world where all people can live and thrive in safety, the Center remains dedicated to education, remembrance and the pursuit of peace—ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to inform our collective path forward.