Organization: Digital Heritage Mapping (DHM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, specializes in virtual documentation of global cultural heritage sites. DHM is partnered with the American Sephardi Federation at The Center for Jewish History to advance Diarna.
Project: DHM’s flagship initiative, Diarna: Geo-Museum of North African and Middle Eastern Jewish Life, pioneers the use of digital mapping and database technologies to virtually preserve and ensure untrammeled access to endangered Jewish heritage sites throughout the region. To-date, Diarna has documented over 1,100 sites, amassed thousands of photographs and videos (visit Diarna’s YouTube Channel for highlights), conducted 20 research expeditions to the region, been featured in popular and scholarly publications, and launched online exhibits (JewishMorocco.org and JewishKurdistan.org).
Internship: Fellows may live in New York City and work in Diarna’s office at the American Sephardi Federation. The work itself covers a range of areas, to be assigned depending upon skill level. Fellows are responsible for their own housing arrangements. Possible assignments may include:
- Research determining exact locations of Jewish sites in cities and towns across the region
- Sourcing photographs and video (archival and contemporary) of these sites
- Writing brief site entries for mapped locations by analyzing and synthesizing fragments of information culled from diverse sources
(Note: the above three items may require conducting interviews as well as interfacing with partnered research institutions). - Translating research documents or project materials for publication
- Helping prepare basic educational materials (e.g., curricular supplements, video presentations, lectures, virtual guided tours)
Fellows are expected to complete assignments in a timely and efficient manner, be able to remain in New York City for approximately one month during the summer, post findings regularly to shared online documents or the project’s research database, meet all assignment-specific deadlines, and contribute in other ways as required.
Compensation: Each fellow will receive $3,000.00 USD in the form of a fellowship administered by UCSC’s Center for Jewish Studies, supported by the Koret Foundation.
Qualifications: All majors welcome. Knowledge of one or more regional languages (Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi, French, or others) is helpful. Fellows should be comfortable working without daily supervision.
To Apply: Submit resumé and cover letter to aheckman@ucsc.edu by March 15th at 5:00 p.m.