March 18, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Sherrard
(202) 994-1423; mcs1@gwu.edu
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION GIFT TO ESTABLISH ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN HEBREW BIBLE
WASHINGTON - The George Washington University announced today a $2.5 million gift from Dr. Munr Kazmir to establish and fund a full-time endowed faculty position in GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences' Judaic studies program. The Meir Kazmir, M.D., Professorship in Hebrew Bible will complement the university's more than 25 years of scholarship in Judaic studies. GW plans to have a top scholar in place by fall 2009.
"This important gift supports the University's commitment to the field of religious studies and the promotion of cross-cultural understanding," said GW President Steven Knapp. "The new professorship will strengthen our interdisciplinary curriculum, and I am grateful to Dr. Kazmir for his foresight and generosity."
The Kazmir Professorship is the first endowed chair to be announced since Steven Knapp became the university's 16th president, and the second chair to be endowed in the Judaic studies program. The Charles E. Smith Professorship of Judaic Studies was created in 1979.
Robert Eisen, director of the program in Judaic studies and professor of religion at GW, said, "The Hebrew Bible is the foundational text for scholarship in the Judeo-Christian canon. The presence of a scholar engaged in the study of the Hebrew Bible will be a critical step in building a stronger Judaic studies program at the university."
Dr. Kazmir, whose daughter attends GW, is the chief executive officer and founder of Direct Meds, Inc., a prescription medicine provider, and Quality Home Care, which serves homeless, indigent, and child patients in the New York and New Jersey area. He also is CEO and president of the American International School System, a provider of high quality education for children in Asia and the Middle East, and is a board member on the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). An internationally recognized philanthropist, Dr. Kazmir has received numerous humanitarian awards including recognition from the Be'er Hagolah Institutes in 2005 and the Theodore Herzl Award in 1997 from the Israeli Parliament, Prime Minister of Israel, and the Mayor of Jerusalem.
Education is what motivates Dr. Kazmir's philanthropy to GW -- a desire to help people of all religions better understand their common biblical roots.
"In funding the establishment of this professorship, I wanted to fulfill a strategic opportunity within the Judaic studies program as well as build awareness that we are not as different as we seem," said Dr. Kazmir, a Pakistani immigrant who is of Jewish and Muslim descent. "This gift is from my heart."
Peg Barratt, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and professor of psychology, said, "Judaism shares much with Christianity and Islam, two of the world's major religions. Dr. Kazmir's generous gift will give GW another world-class faculty member who will enrich all aspects of our religious studies program."
GW's Judaic studies program plays a critical role in helping students explore Judaism and Jewish culture. The program offers a well-rounded interdisciplinary curriculum in Jewish history, religion, literature, political science, and Hebrew language. It comprises outstanding faculty who are internationally recognized scholars and enrolls hundreds of students annually.
Located four blocks from the White House, The George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries.
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