Religious Studies / Center for Religious Understanding

Varner Hall, Room 217
371 Varner Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4485
(location map)
(248) 370-2154

An open Torah scroll

Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement

Oakland University’s Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement serves as a hub for education and community outreach on the rich tradition of Judaism and Jewish culture.

The Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement was created through a generous gift by Cis Maisel, a community leader in southeastern Michigan and a staunch advocate for education. The newly created center will focus on the study of Judaism from an academic standpoint as well as provide an important space for research that enhances the understanding of the rich traditions of Judaism from around the world. It is the donor’s hope that the center will create new collaborations and build a new level of understanding about Judaism in southeast Michigan and beyond.

Contact Us:

Michael Pytlik
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Director of the Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement
Director of Judaic Studies
[email protected]

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Mission

The Maisel Center will allow OU to develop ongoing programs and conversation series, host lectures, display important cultural artifacts and collaborate with other local institutions and community groups in new and exciting ways.

Steering Committee

The board members will serve to guide the CIS Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement at Oakland University.  We welcome all of these members and look forward to their valued input on our programs and future events.

  • Ruth Bergman, Education Director at the Holocaust Memorial Center
  • Rabbi Joseph Klein, retired rabbi and faculty at Oakland University and Rochester College, Federation, and community synagogues
  • Mr. Dan Medow, community leader and member of the Judiac Studies Committee for Oakland
  • Michael Silverstein, community leader and Director of Development at Oakland's Business School