Orenstein, David | Scholars@Duke

David Orenstein
Student

David Solomon Orenstein
17205 Rose Garden Ln.
Durham, NC 27707
(616) 644-0091
david.orenstein@duke.edu

EDUCATION

Duke University, Durham, NC Sept. 2014-Present

Doctor of Philosophy: Religion; Field of Study: History of Judaism; Minors: American Religion, Political Science

Certificates: Middle East Studies, College Teaching, Writing in the Disciplines

Dissertation: A Contemporary Analysis of Shifting Contours of Jewish and Christian Identities

Master of Arts: Religious Studies Apr. 2017

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA Sept. 2009-May 2011

Master of Arts: Jewish Professional Leadership, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies

Thesis: The Views of Rabbi Moses Feinstein, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik on

Interfaith Dialogue

Indiana University Hutton Honors College (with highest distinction), Bloomington, IN Sept. 2006-May 2009

Bachelor of Arts: Majors: Jewish Studies, Psychology; Minors: Hebrew, Religious Studies

GPA: 4.0

Dean’s List: Fall 2006-Spring 2009

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RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT

Duke University, Preceptor/Teaching Assistant Durham, NC Sept. 2015-Present

Lead discussion sections and assess students

Duke University, Cataloguer for Judaica and Hebraica Collections Durham, NC May 2016-May 2017

Catalogued books and other pieces of writing

Duke University, Research Assistant Durham, NC Sept. 2014-May 2015

Helped a professor with her research

Jewish Religious School, Course Instructor/Substitute Teacher West Lafayette, IN Oct. 2011-May 2014

Developed curriculum and taught high school, middle school, and elementary school students _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Academy of Religion (AAR)
Association for Jewish Studies (AJS)
The Society of Jewish Ethics (SJE)
Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA)
North American Levinas Society (NALS) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PUBLICATIONS

Orenstein, D. (2021) Rooting Christian Zionism in Scriptural and Scholarly Soil: An American Christian Response to Christian Anti-Zionism. To be included in projected volume of Indiana University’s Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism’s Antisemitism in Today’s America: Manifestations, Causes, and Consequences Conference proceedings.
Orenstein, D. (2021) Jesus as Mussar Teacher: The Refiguration of Messiah as Moralist among Jews. Under consideration for inclusion in The Journal of Jewish Ethics.

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PRESENTATIONS

Orenstein, D. (2021) Rooting Christian Zionism in Scriptural and Scholarly Soil: An American Christian Response to Christian Anti-Zionism. To be presented at Indiana University’s Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism’s Antisemitism in Today’s America: Manifestations, Causes, and Consequences Conference, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2021) Mainline Mimesis, Evangelical Emulation, & Shabbat. To be presented at The Kenan Institute for Ethics North Carolina Jewish Studies Seminar at Duke University, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2021) Psalm 89 and Descriptions of the King in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Presented at The South Philadelphia Shtiebel, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2021) Invited to deliver response to panel on Jewish Barthianism as Dialectic Ethics in Modern Jewish Neo-Orthodox Thought and A Chosen Love: Troubling Kierkegaard’s Neighbor Love with Wyschogrod’s Theology of Election. Presented at The Society of Jewish Ethics Annual Meeting, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2021) Psalm 80 and Biblical Metaphors. Presented at The South Philadelphia Shtiebel, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2020) Psalm 73 and Jewish-Christian Relations: Divine Personhood, Final Destinies, and Eschatological Redemption. Presented at The South Philadelphia Shtiebel, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2020) Reclaiming and Appropriating the Figure of Jesus in Contemporary Israeli Cinema. Presented at the annual Association for Jewish Studies Conference, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2020) Psalm 58 and Popular Culture: Avengers, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. Presented at The South Philadelphia Shtiebel, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2020) Hillsong Church and Jewish Biblical Exegesis. Presented at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah-Yeshivat Maharat Mind the Gap Program Session, Virtual.
Orenstein, D. (2019) Christian Zionism. Presented in “Religion, Restrictions, Violence” course taught at Duke University, Durham, NC.
Orenstein, D. (2015) Reflection on Ethnographic Research on CUFI Conference. Presented at Jewish Studies Perilman Symposium at Duke University, Durham, NC.
Orenstein, D. (2014) Jewish Theology and Noahides. Presented at Temple Israel, West Lafayette, IN.

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AWARDS

Association for Jewish Studies Mentorship Program Sept. 2020-Present
The Leonore and Louis Piser Prize in Jewish Studies May 2009
Founder’s Scholar Spring 2009
Indiana University Faculty Award Fall 2006-Spring 2009

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FELLOWSHIPS/STIPENDS/GRANT

Duke University The Kenan Institute for Ethics Joseph Shatzmiller Fellowship in Jewish Studies Oct. 2020-Present
Duke University Jewish Studies Perilman Fellowships May 2016-Present
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah-Yeshivat Maharat Mind the Gap Program Fellowship Oct. 2020-Present
Drisha Institute for Jewish Education Elul Fellowship Aug. 2020-Sept. 2020
Association for Jewish Studies Grant Aug. 2020
Duke University Jewish Studies Perilman Summer Research Stipends Summer 2015-Summer 2020
Duke University Graduate School Instructor of Record and Teaching Assistant Fellowships Fall 2019-Spring 2020

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SCHOLARSHIPS

Duke University Graduate School COVID Funding Extension Scholarships Fall 2020-Spring 2021
Brandeis University Merit Scholarship Fall 2009-Spring 2010
Percy Family Scholarship Fall 2008-Spring 2009
Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Merit Scholarships Fall 2007-Spring 2009
Robert A. and Sandra S. Borns Scholarship Fall 2006-Spring 2007

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HONORS MEMBERSHIPS

Eta Beta Rho National Scholastic Honor Society for Students of Hebrew Language and Culture Nov. 2010-Present
Phi Beta Kappa May 2009-Present
Golden Key International Honour Society Dec. 2008-Present
Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society May 2008-Present
Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society Sept. 2007-Present
Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society Sept. 2007-Present
National Scholars Honor Society Sept. 2007-Present
National Society of Collegiate Scholars Sept. 2007-Present
Honors Student Association Diversity Committee Sept. 2007-May 2008

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TIKVAH ADVANCED INSTITUTES ATTENDED

The Jewish-Christian Alliance: Past, Present, and Future Dec. 2016
What is Jewish Conservatism? Nov. 2015

Current Research Interests

My dissertation examines manifestations of Jewish-Christian hybridity and appropriation through analysis of these phenomena at the elite and popular level in terms of ritual practice, theological scholarship, institutional organization, and cinematic representation. I argue that the boundaries between ostensibly separable “Jewish” and “Christian” religious traditions were fluid in the past and remain so today through examination of four contemporary case studies evidencing two general phenomena. One phenomenon explored is how varieties of self-identified Christians have incorporated rituals and ideas that have traditionally been associated with Judaism into their contemporary religious practice and understanding of the New Testament. The other phenomenon explored is how varieties of self-identified Jews have incorporated practices and figures that have traditionally been associated with Christianity into features of the contemporary Jewish landscape. In exploring the first phenomenon, I examine the following two case studies: (1) attempts by Christians of varying denominational affiliations to incorporate Jewish rituals associated with Shabbat (Jewish Sabbath) observance into Christian practice and (2) attempts by self-identified Christians to underscore the continuing significance of the territoriality of the Land of Israel in the New Testament. In exploring the second phenomenon, I examine the following two cases studies: (1) attempts by Jews of varying denominational affiliations to incorporate a sense of mission traditionally associated with Christianity into Jewish practice for the purpose of Jewish outreach and advocacy in support or opposition to the State of Israel and (2) attempts by Jewish filmmakers, influenced by rabbinic and medieval Hebrew texts, to incorporate the figure of Jesus into Israeli films. In analyzing the aforementioned case studies relating to ritual observance, biblical exegesis, ideological identity, and visual arts, I demonstrate how the supposed boundaries between self-identified Christians and Jews remain, as in the past, fluid and contested.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Student, Religious Studies, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Contact Information

Recognition
Awards & Honors
Expertise
Subject Headings
Research
Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants
- Mind the Gap Program Fellowship awarded by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah-Yeshivat Maharat 2020
- Joseph Shatzmiller Fellowship in Jewish Studies awarded by Duke Center for Jewish Studies 2020
- Elul Fellowship awarded by Drisha Institute for Jewish Education 2020
- Bass Instructor of Record and Teaching Assistant Fellowships awarded by Duke University Graduate School 2019
- Jewish Studies Perilman Fellowships awarded by Duke Center for Jewish Studies 2016
- Perilman Summer Research Stipends awarded by Duke Center for Jewish Studies 2015
Teaching & Mentoring
Advising & Mentoring
- As a recipient of two Duke University Graduate School Bass Fellowships devoted to fostering pedagogical excellence, a participant in two pedagogically-oriented certificate programs (see "Web Links" section for links to more information about College Teaching and Teaching Writing in the Disciplines certificate programs), and a regular attendee at Duke University Graduate Program in Religion pedagogical sessions, I have received training to properly instruct, mentor, and assist students.
Teaching Activities
- I have a strong interest in and experience teaching theoretical and comparative issues in the field of Religious Studies and have developed syllabi for the Duke University Religious Studies course, “Introduction to Judaism,” and the course, “Religious Reclamation among Christians and Jews: Israel and Jesus” (see "Web Links" for syllabi). I have honed pedagogical skills through my service as a teaching assistant and preceptor for courses ranging from undergraduate survey to graduate seminar. In addition, I have led discussion sections comprised of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in both discipline-specific and interdisciplinary courses. Moreover, I have worked as the sole teaching assistant/preceptor for some courses (e.g., “The Old Testament/Hebrew Bible” and “Exegeting Ezekiel: Exile, Trauma, and Vision”) and have collaborated as part of interfaith teaching teams comprised of instructors and teaching assistants for other courses (e.g., “Introduction to Old Testament Interpretation” and “Religion, Restrictions, Violence”).
  My general aim in teaching students is to enable them to appreciate the complexity of subjects of instruction from a wide variety of perspectives. To achieve this objective, I adopt a teaching style facilitating active learning among students while employing various media, including audio-visual technology, to supplement assigned readings. I stay abreast of current research in my fields of study while continuing to refine my pedagogical approach based on student evaluations and feedback, professional development opportunities, and reading. My experiences collaborating as part of teaching teams comprised of adherents of different religious traditions and instructing students of different (non-)religious backgrounds, sexual orientations, geographic origins, and varying levels of religious literacy have underscored for me the importance of fostering a classroom environment conducive to attentive listening and respectful discussion. A student in a discussion section I led for the course, “Religion, Restrictions, Violence,” noted in his course evaluation that “David was one of the best listeners I have had as a preceptor - he […] allowed the discussion to occur between students. That can be hard to do for a graduate student!” During a plenary lecture I delivered on the subject of Christian Zionism in that course, I presented different definitions of the term “Christian Zionism,” analyzed data from multiple surveys and polls, described various Christian Zionist activities and organizations, explained views held by both proponents and critics of Christian Zionism, and showed serious and humorous video clips to convey critical information in an enjoyable manner. I was pleased to receive positive feedback on my lecture from many students, with a student from a different discussion section telling me in an email: “I wanted to let you know that I think your presentation on Christian Zionism was very well done. It provided information, historical and otherwise, succinctly and you kept the presentation interesting through some amusing additions while also showing the seriousness with which some people engage with this belief system. I found it very helpful. Thank you for your work.”

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Awards & Honors

Subject Headings

Fellowships, Supported Research, & Other Grants

Advising & Mentoring

Teaching Activities