Not the football star who retired with my beloved Redskins! The Bruce Smith I want to find was a professor at NYU about six years ago. I took one of his classes, with a name like “Judaism From Medieval to Modern Times.” He was interested in Jewish identity construction and was a graduate student in some sort of graduate fellowship from outside NYU. I also think he mentioned once that he was from Colorado or Utah, or some place like that. I tried finding him online, but there are so many Bruce Smiths that I couldn’t narrow the search down. I also tried asking the Hebrew and Judaic Studies Department, but they haven’t heard from him in four years.
He might be using a different name now – after all, I am – so if you know him or think you might, please ask him to get in touch with me. Thanks!
Who did you ask at Skirball? Do you want me to forward a message to their listserv or something?
I sent an email to the department, and Shayne Leslie Figueroa replied: “Unfortunately, Bruce Smith has not been in contact with the Hebrew and Judaic Studies since Spring 2005. We do not have current contact information on him.”
If you think people reading the listserv would be able to help, that would be awesome.
Shayne is perhaps the most helpful person I’ve ever met in my life (seriously). If she doesn’t have the answer, it’s probably a lost cause.