Jewish studies programs in American universities face a critical paradox: unprecedented intellectual vitality among students collides with severe structural weaknesses threatening their survival. Drawing from symposium discussions and institutional experience at the University of Wisconsin, this mixed-methods analysis reveals that fewer than fifteen institutions offer undergraduate degrees in Jewish studies, with most struggling to maintain adequate graduate training and community support. Six fundamental principles emerge as essential for effective curricula: mandatory Hebrew language components, interdisciplinary scope beyond textual studies, integration with broader humanities and social sciences programs, stringent academic personnel standards, architectonic undergraduate program structure, and adherence to rigorous intellectual standards. The research exposes a persistent tension between student ethnic identity motivations and academic rigor, demonstrating that intrinsic scholarly merit rather than ethnic appeal must drive curriculum development. Without substantial expansion of graduate training, coordinated community planning through organizations like the Council of Jewish Welfare Funds, and sustained long-term funding commitments, these programs face potential collapse within a decade, despite flourishing contemporary Jewish scholarship.