The Crain-Maling Jewish Cultural Center at Hendrix College serves as a resource for students, faculty and members of the general public, Jews and non-Jews alike, who wish to engage in the study, discussion or teaching of Jewish culture. Through lectures, symposia, films, discussions, and associated courses, we will promote a broad understanding of Jewish culture as encompassing all aspects of sacred and secular Jewish life as well as its relationship to other cultures. The Center aims to foster interdisciplinary conversations that not only enhance knowledge about Jewish culture and raise awareness of Jewish life on campus but also engender deeper understanding and tolerance across cultures. In achieving its mission, the Center draws on the rich tradition of the liberal arts at Hendrix. That tradition values precisely the kind of critical inquiry, intellectual discussion, and development of character that are crucial components of Jewish culture and that will, consequently, be at the heart of the Center’s activities.

We also take advantage of Hendrix’s location in central Arkansas to highlight the long history of Jewish culture in the state. The center seeks to heighten students’ awareness of and interest in Jewish life in Arkansas through internships and other engaged learning experiences under the Hendrix Odyssey Program. We intend that students’ engagement with questions of Jewish identity will inspire sensitive self-reflection about their own identities and a desire to work against violence and prejudice

Odyssey project spotlight: 
Susan Allman's Photo Gallery