Robert Eisen

Robert Eisen is Professor of Religion and Judaic Studies and Director of the Judaic Studies Program at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The focus of his most recent research is approaches to peace and violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. His other areas of interest include comparative religion, Jewish philosophy, and Jewish biblical interpretation.

Eisen is author of seven books that reflect his varied interests: Gersonides on Providence, Covenant, and the Chosen People (State University of New York Press, 1995); The Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy (Oxford University Press, 2004); The Peace and Violence of Judaism: From the Bible to Modern Zionism (Oxford University Press, 2011); Religious Zionism, Jewish Law, and the Morality of War (Oxford University Press, 2017); Judaism and Violence: A Historical Analysis with Insights from Social Psychology (Cambridge University Press, 2021); Jews, Judaism, and Success: How Religion Paved the Way to Modern Jewish Achievement (University of Toronto Press, 2023). He also co-edited Philosophers and the Jewish Bible (University of Maryland Press, 2008). He is currently working on an introduction to Judaism for college students, Judaism: Its History, Beliefs, Rituals, and Ethics, to be published with the University of Toronto Press.

Eisen has received a number of grants and awards to support his research, including a Fulbright research grant at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1999-2000. He was also won the Bender Teaching Award in 2005 from George Washington University in recognition of his contributions in the classroom.

Eisen is active in adult education initiatives. He has lectured and taught widely in the Jewish and non-Jewish communities in Washington and elsewhere.

Eisen is active as a consultant on issues of religion and international conflict with an interest in fostering better relations between Jews, Christians, and Muslims throughout the world. For this purpose, he has participated in a number of high-level dialogues and consultations in Washington and abroad.

Finally, Eisen is a musician-singer-songwriter. He writes and performs music in a variety of styles, but most of his music is folk-rock, pop, and country. You can listen to a sampling of his work on Spotify or on Youtube.