Daniel Herskowitz: New Perspectives on Jewish Thought

“It’s almost impossible to be an informed citizen without understanding the importance of religion across various cultures,” said Daniel Herskowitz, Smart Family Associate Professor in Judaic Studies. “You won’t be able to really understand anything in the news.” 

Herskowitz joined the Department of Religious Studies in January 2025. A scholar of intellectual history and philosophy with a focus on Jewish thought in the twentieth century, he doesn’t shy away from some of the most controversial figures and events of our recent past.  

In his first book, “Heidegger and his Jewish Reception,” Herskowitz took on Martin Heidegger, an influential German philosopher who joined the Nazi Party when Hitler rose to power in 1933. The book explores how Jewish thinkers dealt with the philosophy of such a controversial and problematic figure.  

Herskowitz continued his focus on Germany and Jewish thought in “The Judeo-Christian Thought of Franz Rosenzweig,” to be published on October 28. The book focuses on Rosenzweig’s most important work, “The Star of Redemption,” written at the end of the First World War. Herskowitz argues the importance of understanding this work within the context of Protestant thought that was dominant in Germany at the time. 

Herskowitz’s current research focuses on the Second Vatican Council. The Catholic Church took this opportunity to rethink its attitude towards Judaism, producing the watershed document “Nostra Aetate” (Latin for "In Our Time"). Although Nostra Aetate considered the Church’s views on other non-Catholic religions, the main portion was dedicated to Judaism. 

“The Second Vatican Council was a very significant event in the Jewish world,” Herskowitz said. The Council, held from 1962-1965, proved to be as much a political event as a theological one, he argues, given global events such as the Holocaust, the Cold War and conflicts in the Middle East. 

“Examining how Jewish communities were invested in the Second Vatican Council teaches us a lot about the Jewish world of the twentieth century.” 

In the classroom, Herskowitz encourages his students to meet the controversies and questions of our time head-on, just as he does in his research. He wants students to understand that religion plays an integral role in how people see the world. “If you're a doctor, I'm sure you will have patients for whom your familiarity with their religious worldview will make you a better doctor to them, and the same is true with basically every other profession.” 

Although he has been in Durham less than a year, Herskowitz is already making his mark at Duke. This year, he received the Thomas Langford Lecture Award, given by the Provost’s Office to faculty who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, research and service. 

In addition to Herskowitz, Religious Studies is welcoming two new assistant professors this year, Neena Mahadev, whose research focuses on Southeast Asia, and Raffaella Taylor-Seymour, who has worked extensively in Zimbabwe. The hiring of three faculty whose work engages the global diversity of religions across time and place, and from a variety of perspectives, underscores Religious Studies’ commitment to enhancing the understanding of religion as a primary human endeavor that is inherently interdisciplinary. 

“We are thrilled to welcome three gifted scholars who bring such a wide range of expertise, experiences and questions to the study of religion, both globally and locally,” said Jennifer Knust, chair of Religious Studies. “Daniel, Neena and Raffaella are already contributing significantly to our teaching and research mission. Their energy and enthusiasm are infectious!”