Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Ziva Hassenfeld

Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Assistant Professor of Jewish Education

Degrees

• Stanford University, PhD

• Brandeis University, MA

Profile

Ziva R. Hassenfeld, is the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Assistant Professor in Jewish Education at Brandeis University. She studies reading comprehension from a sociocultural perspective, focusing on how children develop interpretations of the Hebrew Bible as a case of student reading development. She uses a variety of qualitative methods including ethnographic observation, stimulated recall interviewing, and think-aloud interviewing.

These investigations connect her to the worlds of biblical hermeneutics, both contemporary and rabbinic, as well as literary theory and criticism. Her recent publications can be seen here. In addition to her research, Ziva is a passionate educator. She has taught Hebrew Bible in a variety of settings, including at JCDS, Gann Academy, Genesis/BIMA at Brandeis, Silicon Valley Beit Midrash, Stanford Hillel, Congregation Beth Jacobs, and Congregation Emek Beracha.  She is a Wexner Fellow and Davidson Scholar, Class 25.