In June, Howard Lupovitch will succeed Professor David Weinberg as director of the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies. 

Lupovitch previously headed the Jewish Studies Program at Colby University and held the Waks Family Chair of Jewish History at Western Ontario University. 

He said he is excited to help continue the center’s success and put his own stamp on it by increasing the commitment to community outreach.

The Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies was created in 1988 as a joint venture between WSU and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit/United Jewish Foundation.  

The center is still one of metro Detroit’s best resources for Jewish scholarship, continuing to sponsor and provide lectures, symposia and cultural events. Cohn-Haddow’s involvement throughout metro Detroit helps make Wayne State of the nation’s leaders in university-community relations.

It’s a homecoming for Lupovitch, who spent his childhood in the area and attended the University of Michigan before heading to Columbia University for his Ph.D. 

Since then, Lupovitch has taught at Colby University, Cornell University and Western Ontario University. 

“Being closer to family was definitely a large factor in my decision,” Lupovitch said. “I’m excited to become a member of both the Wayne State and Jewish metro Detroit communities.”