Students & Alumni

Valerie Chambers, Ian Solow-Niederman, Sarah Cohn, and Brittany Kahn. Photo by Maggie Russo.

Spertus students and alumni are the heartbeat of our community.

Spertus Institute students and alumni are thinkers and changemakers. They are curious, motivated learners committed to advancing their own knowledge and amplifying the impact they have in their communities.

Spertus students engage with Jewish ideas in the service of personal growth and professional advancement. Many do urgently important work for Jewish organizations around the world. Some Spertus students seek Jewish learning for interfaith work. Others pursue learning for its own intrinsic value.

They live in 41 of the United States and 26 countries and range in age from their 20s to their 80s (Those in their upper decades exemplify the Jewish value of lifelong learning!).

8 adults stand in a line smiling. Many have arms raised in celebration.

We are often asked if you need to be Jewish (or some particular type of Jewish) to learn at Spertus. The answer is that we are proudly open to all.

Our students cover the religious spectrum. They include those who identify with every Jewish denomination and a robust range of other faiths, as well as those who don’t identify with or practice any religion at all.

Within their diversity, Spertus students and alumni are unified by their passion for knowledge and their commitment to building a stronger future.

They are proudly part of a community of learners, believing, as we do, that there is wisdom in learning from and with each other. They find value in collective insight and expertise and in connecting with a network of trusted colleagues — sharing resources, serving as sounding boards, and finding ways to move forward together.