Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership facts for kids

The Spertus Institute building in Chicago.

The Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership is a special school in Chicago, Illinois. It is also known as Spertus College. This institute helps people learn about Jewish wisdom and culture. It is open to everyone.

Spertus Institute offers advanced learning programs. Students can earn special degrees and certificates. These programs help people grow personally and become leaders in their communities. They also help with career advancement. The institute trains Jewish professionals and community leaders. It also offers advanced studies in Jewish Studies.

Besides its main programs, Spertus Institute also has public events. These events happen both at the school and online. The school is officially recognized by the Higher Learning Commission. This means its programs meet high quality standards.

How Spertus Institute Started

The Spertus Institute began a long time ago in 1924. It was first called Chicago's College of Jewish Studies. Over the years, its name changed a few times.

In 1970, it became Spertus College of Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Later, in 1973, it was called Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. The name changed again in 2013 to its current name: Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. The name "Spertus" honors brothers Maurice and Herman Spertus. They made important donations to the institute in 1970.

Famous People at Spertus

Many important scholars taught at Spertus Institute. After World War II, many scholars came from areas controlled by the Nazis. They found a place to teach at Spertus.

• Dr. Fritz Bamberger taught philosophy. He later worked for Esquire magazine.
• Simon Rawidowicz and Nahum N. Glatzer helped start the Jewish Studies Department at Brandeis University.

More recently, Rabbi Dr. Byron Sherwin (1946–2015) led the doctoral programs.

Many well-known people have also given talks at Spertus. These include:

• Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Author Jonathan Safran Foer
• Architect Moshe Safdie
• Hip-hop artist Y-Love
• Pianist and actor Hershey Felder
• New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman
• Psychologist Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
• Statistician Nate Silver

Many famous people have also received honorary degrees from Spertus. These special awards were given between 1949 and 2011. Some of these people include:

• Rabbi Mordecai M. Kaplan
• Former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Abba Eban
• Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
• Author and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel
• Author and Nobel Literature Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer
• Feminist author Betty Friedan
• Actor Leonard Nimoy
• And Hazzan Alberto Mizrahi

The Spertus Institute Building

In November 2007, Spertus Institute opened a new building. It is located at 610 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. The building was designed by a company called Krueck Sexton Partners.

The building has a unique design. It features a ten-story window wall. This wall is made of 726 pieces of glass. These pieces come in 556 different shapes. The window wall offers amazing views of the Chicago skyline. You can also see Grant Park and Lake Michigan.

Inside the building, you will find classrooms and offices. There is also a library and a theater that seats 400 people. The building also has many open spaces for events. The Spertus building was the first new construction in the Historic Michigan Boulevard District after it became a Chicago Landmark in 2002. The building project cost about $50 million.

The Spertus building has won several awards. These include:

• The Distinguished Building Award from the American Institute of Architects's Chicago Chapter
• The Divine Detail Award from the American Institute of Architects's Chicago Chapter
• Best Building of the Year from Interior Design Magazine

See also

• List of Jewish universities and colleges in the United States
• Hebrew Theological College: A Jewish seminary in Skokie
• Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center: A museum in Skokie
• History of the Jews in Chicago