In 1984, SDSU faculty members, administration and members of the San Diego community joined together to coordinate and support teaching and research in Judaic studies with the establishment of the Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies (LIJS) at San Diego State University. The focus of the Institute was to provide an organizational vehicle for the Jewish Studies Program at SDSU while providing an emphasis in Modern Jewish History and contemporary Jewish and Israeli affairs. The conceptual design of the Institute required course work to be developed and expanded for SDSU students and for the Institute to provide seminars, colloquia, and resource people to the community for up-to-date information regarding historical perspectives and Israeli current events.

The founding by-laws for the LIJS state the Institute's purpose is to promote the aims of and to provide faculty governance for Judaic Studies at San Diego State University by providing financial support for an exchange program for visiting professors in contemporary Israeli affairs; endowment of instruction in modern Jewish history; endowment of administration for the LIJS; annual symposia in Judaica and in contemporary Israeli affairs; and development of library and other resources in Judaica, the fostering of research, and the conduct of such other activities as will promote the advancement of Judaic Studies in the University and the San Diego community.

The organizational features of the LIJS provided for an Executive Committee, comprised of a Director for the Institute, who served as Chair of the Executive Committee, the Chair of the Jewish Studies Committee, Chairs of the History Department and the Religious Studies Department, the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, and at least 3 faculty members appointed biennially by the Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. The duties of the Executive Committee involved conducting the ongoing business of the LIJS and the Jewish Studies Committee (full-time faculty members who taught and researched in Jewish Studies related topics), especially with regard to recruitment of faculty, staffing and scheduling of courses, and arranging for other program activities, including special events. Sub-committees were appointed as the need dictated.