Jonathan Teram

St Cross Graduate Access Award

Joining us from: Chicago, USA

MSt Classical Hebrew (2020)

I was born and raised in New York City, but I had been living in Chicago since 2004. I have a bachelor’s degree in music composition and a master’s degree in theology. I am a published author of three books, and an adjunct professor at North Park University in Chicago. I am working towards an MSt in Classical Hebrew. My primary area of interest is the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is, in some sense, in my blood. I am Jewish, the son of an Israeli, the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. My father taught me to love the Hebrew Bible since I was a youth. After a long hiatus, I decided to return to graduate school in Chicago and pursue academic studies.

Music is one of my greatest passions. I played the clarinet in my youth and taught myself to play the piano. I have a degree in music composition, as my dream was to be a composer. I play chess every day, and I also love tennis. I am a docent (volunteer tour guide) for two museums: The Oriental Institute (part of the University of Chicago) and the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center.

Coming to Oxford was the most difficult decision I have ever made. I am now 40 years old and had a full-time job in Chicago. All my friends and family are in the US. While weighing the pros and cons, the deciding factor came with the news that St Cross was going to give me a scholarship. It was also a morale booster, since I did not expect to receive anything. My goal is to get a doctorate so that I can teach in university full-time. I love teaching more than anything. The generous scholarship is part of the reason I am here. If I did not receive it, I do not think I would have been able to come to Oxford.