Flora Cassen is Senior Faculty at the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America.
Born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium, Flora studied history and law in Brussels before moving to the U.S. for graduate work, earning an MA from Brandeis and a Ph.D. in Jewish History from NYU. She has taught European and Jewish history at multiple universities, including WashU, where she chaired the Department of Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies. Her book *Marking the Jews in Renaissance Italy* (Cambridge UP) explores the history of Jewish badges and hats in 15th–16th century Italy, and her scholarship spans topics like anti-Judaism, espionage, and food in early modern Jewish life.
Bridging the gap between academia and the general public, Flora also writes for broader audiences in Haaretz, Slate, Smithsonian Magazine, and more, with a forthcoming book on antisemitism from the New Jewish Press. Flora lives in St. Louis with her husband and two sons. Flora’s forthcoming book on antisemitism will be published by the New Jewish Press.
