Malka Z Simkovich
Malka Z. Simkovich is the Crown-Ryan Chair of Jewish Studies and Director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She earned her doctorate in Second Temple Judaism from Brandeis University and her research focuses on the literature of the Second Temple period, the development of Jewish religious thought, and the relationship between early Jewish and Christian literature. Simkovich’s work often explores how Jewish texts from this period have influenced broader religious trends and how they have been interpreted in modern scholarship.
Before her current role, Simkovich taught at Harvard University and at the University of St. Mary of the Lake. She is committed to interfaith dialogue and education, aiming to bridge gaps between Jewish and Christian communities through academic and community engagement. Her expertise is frequently sought in courses and seminars that focus on Jewish history and interreligious studies.
Simkovich has authored several articles and books, including 'The Making of Jewish Universalism: From Exile to Alexandria' and contributes regularly to both academic and popular publications. She is an active participant in conferences and symposiums that discuss the historical and theological connections between Judaism and Christianity, and she continues to contribute to the academic field with her research on ancient Jewish texts and their contemporary implications.