New Faculty

Galit Golan is an Associate Professor of Teaching of Hebrew Language in the Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures, where she teaches undergraduate courses in Hebrew language and one citizenship course. Specializing in language instruction, her teaching philosophy focuses on fostering an inclusive pedagogy and atmosphere, encouraging questioning, and using active learning strategies. In addition, Professor Golan supports undergraduate learning by providing summer review sessions and one-on-one tutoring during the academic year to help students keep up with the class and to provide a personalized learning experience for students with learning disabilities. Professor Golan was awarded the Provost's Excellence in Teaching Award in 2019, recognizing her dedication to her students and innovation in teaching. She holds a master’s degree in Jewish education from Hebrew College in Boston. She has more than 30 years of teaching experience, working with all ages in both formal and informal settings, including elementary and high schools and Sunday schools, developing and implementing curricula, and mentoring teachers.

Diana Sacilowski is an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the Department of Slavic and East European Languages and Cultures at The Ohio State University, where she teaches Polish language and various Slavic culture courses. She received her PhD in Slavic Languages & Literatures, along with graduate certificates in Holocaust, Genocide, and Memory Studies and Criticism and Interpretive Theory, at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2021. Her primary interests include 19th–21st century Polish literature and culture, Central and East European Jewish culture, and Holocaust and memory studies. Her current book project examines the aesthetics and implications of various modes of silence in Polish cultural texts of the last forty years that deal with Poland’s Jewish history.

Staff Update

In July 2025, Tamar Becker joined the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, bringing extensive experience in program management, operations, and communications to support the Center’s academic and public work.

Tamar coordinates the development and delivery of the Center’s programs, working across planning, implementation, and evaluation, and supports operations that sustain faculty, student, and public initiatives. She oversees communications and outreach efforts that connect Jewish Studies scholarship with audiences and works closely with campus and community partners.

Deeply rooted in the Columbus Jewish community, Tamar brings a community-centered lens to her work, grounded in a belief in the power of Jewish learning to foster connection, resilience, and belonging. Her leadership reflects a commitment to thoughtful, responsive programming that advances the Melton Center’s role as a hub for scholarship, dialogue, and public impact, particularly as the Center marks its fiftieth anniversary and looks toward the future of Jewish studies at The Ohio State University. Her work is guided by clarity, collaboration, and care in translating Jewish studies scholarship into programming that serves both the university and the broader public.