Reuven Firestone, Ph.D.

Reuven Firestone is the Regenstein Professor in Medieval Judaism and Islam at Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles; professor of religion at the University of Southern California School of Religion; senior fellow of the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture; and founder of the Center for Muslim-Jewish Engagement in Los Angeles. Author of eight books and over 100 scholarly articles translated into a dozen languages, Professor Firestone lectures at universities in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East as well as throughout North America. He is active on the boards of numerous scholarly journals and commissions treating interreligious relations and dialogue. His books include Children of Abraham: An Introduction to Judaism for Muslims; An Introduction to Islam for Jews; Jihad: The Origin of Holy War in Islam; Who Are the Real Chosen People: The Meaning of “Chosenness” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and Holy War in Judaism: The Fall and Rise of a Controversial Idea. An ordained rabbi, Professor Firestone received his Ph.D. in Arabic and Islamic Studies from New York University.