The Hadassah-Brandeis Institute, originally known as the International Research Institute on Jewish Women, opened at Brandeis University in January 1997. The Institute, established with a generous grant from Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., represented a bold venture for both Brandeis University and Hadassah.

The idea for a research institute on Jewish women and gender issues originated in Voices for Change: Future Directions for American Jewish Women (1995), a report of the Hadassah-sponsored National Commission on American Jewish Women. The report highlighted the fact that research is just beginning on Jewish women’s history, lives and culture. Hadassah took up the challenge to help make this new field flourish by committing substantial resources to the creation of the Institute.

The Institute has several defining characteristics. It is international and interdisciplinary, and incorporates Jewish women’s and gender issues in diverse contexts. Activities include initiating and supporting research projects, holding conferences and seminars, creating a monograph series, and working in many other ways to enhance information about and understanding of Jewish women and Jewish gender issues.

Description taken from http://www.brandeis.edu/hbi/about/about.html