Launching September 2025
The Menorah Index is an effort to evaluate American colleges and universities in a way that serves Jewish families, students, and donors. We assess institutions according to criteria that count—including the level of commitment to studying Jewish and Western civilization, the quality of teaching faculty, the vision and courage of university leadership, the preservation of free inquiry and civil discourse, and the vitality of Jewish communal life.
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The Menorah Index will launch in September 2025, releasing new profiles every month. Sign up now.
Our Four Key Criteria
01
Western Civ. & Jewish Ideas
We celebrate those institutions that have created (or now seek to create) new academic programs focused on the study of great books, great ideas, and civic leadership, with their own tenure lines, undergraduate majors, and independent standing within the overall structure of the university.
02
University Leadership
We examine the priorities of a school’s leadership, with special focus on the vision and actions of the current president, provost, and board of directors as key drivers of each institution’s future. We spotlight those university leaders with strong commitments to the renewal of classical liberal education and with the moral clarity and courage to stand up to mobs of radical students and professors. We celebrate those who defend free inquiry and who know the difference between civil discourse and lawless behavior.
03
Jewish Life & Culture
There are many key elements to a thriving Jewish life and culture on campus. We focus on three specific criteria:
- Religious Infrastructure — We evaluate the vitality of Jewish culture, the depth of religious life, the quality of kosher food options, and the level of support for students taking a gap year in Israel.
- Rabbinic Leadership — We evaluate the quality of the rabbinic leadership on campus—focusing on whether there is a rabbinic team in place that can effectively guide students toward deeper Jewish commitment and understanding.
- Zionism and Israel — We evaluate the role of Israel in campus life—including opportunities for study abroad in Israel, opportunities to celebrate and stand with Israel outside of the classroom, and the level of anti-Israel animus on campus.
04
Civil Discourse & Free Inquiry
We evaluate the overall culture and spirit of discourse that defines each college and university. Is free inquiry valued and preserved? Are all groups treated fairly and equally? Is civil discourse protected? Is lawless behavior tolerated? Is admissions based on meritocracy or identity politics?
Our Purpose and Our Plan
American higher education stands at an inflection point. Some universities are collapsing into ideological conformity, moral confusion, and administrative bloat. Others are rediscovering their purpose—including the creation of new centers, schools, and honors programs where rigorous thinking, honest debate, and serious engagement with our civilization’s great questions can flourish. The Menorah Index takes a special interest in these beacons of renewal.
Beginning in September, we will release detailed assessments of five major universities each month, and over time we will create a weighted index system that allows users to rank universities according to the criteria they value most. Our goal is not merely to guide families, but to challenge institutions themselves to pursue their highest calling.