Pazit Kahlon ShelnuttAssistant Teaching Professor and Language Coordinator in Hebrew

Pazit Kahlon-Shelnutt is Assistant Teaching Professor and Coordinator of the Hebrew Program in the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies at Emory University. Since 2014, she has designed and taught a wide range of Hebrew language, literature, and media courses, combining innovative pedagogy with a strong commitment to intercultural communication and student-centered learning. In recognition of her excellence, she received the Emory College Language Center’s Excellence in Language Teaching Award in 2024.

Currently completing her Doctor of Modern Languages at Middlebury College, Professor Kahlon-Shelnutt’s research explores identity and motivation among Hebrew learners in U.S. higher education, drawing on mixed-methods analysis to highlight the intersections of heritage, belonging, and language learning. Her work contributes to heritage language studies and applied linguistics, offering new insights into how students negotiate their identity and sustain motivation in less commonly taught languages.

Her service extends beyond MESAS. She is a member of the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies Undergraduate Committee, the College Honors Committee, and the Emory College Language Center. Through public lectures, cultural programming, and partnerships with Atlanta’s Jewish and Israeli community, she builds meaningful bridges between the classroom and lived cultural experiences, advancing Emory’s mission of diversity, engagement, and global education.

Education/Degrees

• In progress, D.M.L, School of Hebrew, Middlebury College
• M.A., Judaic Studies, Siegel College
• B.Ed., Math and Israeli Culture (double major), Kibbutzim College of Education Technology and Art, Seminar Hakibutim, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Teaching/Research Areas

• Language Learning Anxiety in Hybrid Language Teaching
• Motivation and Identity within Hebrew Heritage Learners

Books Published

• Children’s Book Translation. Wade through the Pandemic, authored by Wade Williams and Joshua Williams, independently published, Columbia, South Carolina, 2021.