Click for 2026 CALL FOR PAPERS

Annual WJSA Conference 

The WJSA is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 to organize a Jewish Studies conference every Spring at alternating sites in the western United States and Canada. The conference serves as a forum for Jewish Studies scholars in this region to present their research, discuss pedagogical issues, network with colleagues in their disciplines, and share information about the funding and organization of Jewish Studies programs.

Recent Conference Locations:
Our 2025 Conference was in San Diego, CA
Our 2024 Conference was in Tempe, AZ
Our 2023 Conference was in Las Vegas, NV 
Our 2022 Conference was in Norman, OK
Click  Recent Conference Programs for speakers and programs at these Conferences.  
 

Information about previous conferences. This page is primarily for information about previous conferences, including a selection of links to selected programs, recordings, and more on the menu on the left side of this page. For the 2026 Conference in Denver, click the link above. 

Conference Locations 1995-2025

Year

City

Host

Comment

1995

 San Diego

San Diego State Univ.

 

1996

 Denver

Univ. Of Denver

 

1997

 Tucson

Univ. of Arizona

 

1998

 Los Angeles

Univ. of Judaism

 

1999

Seattle

Univ. of Washington

 Spring

1999

Colorado Springs

Colorado College

 Fall with MJSA

2000

No Conference

 

2000 conference was held in Fall 1999

2001

Tempe

Arizona State University

 

2002

Moraga, CA

St. Mary’s College of CA

 With WECSOR

2003

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount Univ.

 

2004

San Diego

San Diego State Univ.

 

2005

Tempe

Arizona State Univ.

 With WECSOR

2006

 Long Beach

Calf. State Univ. Long Beach

 

2007

 Portland

Portland State Univ.

 

2008

 Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount Univ.

 

2009

Denver

Univ. Of Denver

With MJSA

2010

Tempe

Arizona State Univ.

With WECSOR

2011

San Diego CA

San Diego State Univ.

 

2012

 Eugene, OR
Univ. of Oregon

 

2013

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount Univ.

 

2014

Tucson

Univ. of Arizona

 

2015

Vancouver, Canada 

Univ. of British Columbia

 

2016

Salem, OR

Willamette Univ.

 

2017

Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College

 

2018

San Antonio TX

Trinity Univ.

 

2019

Palm Desert CA

Calf. State University San Bernardino

 

2020

Las Vegas NV

Univ. Nevada Las Vegas

Cancelled due to COVID

2021

ZOOM

Univ. Nevada Las Vegas

 

2022

Norman OK

Univ. of Oklahoma

 

2023

Las Vegas NV

Univ. Nevada Las Vegas

 

2024

Tempe AZ

Arizona State University

 

2025

San Diego CA

San Diego State Univ./ Univ. Calf. San Diego

 
WECSOR: Western Commission for the Study of Religion
MJSA: MIdwest Jewish Studies Association. 

Additional Links to previous conferences may soon be added to this page.