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Leonard E. Greenberg Memorial Scholar in Residence Weekend: Scholar and Shabbat
August 5, 2022 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
American Jews have thrived in the United States as generations before never would have imagined. But these successes have raised new challenges. Please join us for our Fifth Annual Scholar-in-Residence Program with renowned academic Derek Penslar. Professor Penslar will lead three separate sessions over the weekend on the risks and rewards of assimilation, putting today’s antisemitism in historical context, and how Zionism is being challenged by younger generations.
Prof. Derek Penslar is the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at Harvard University and Resident Faculty at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies (CES). Click HERE to read more about Prof. Penslar.
Prof. Penslar will speak on Friday following Kabbalat Shabbat Services led by Darren Sukonick and will conduct a program on Saturday and Sunday morning (coffee at 9:30 am and program from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon).
August 5. The opportunities that Jews in the modern world have had to enjoy equality of rights, economic opportunity, and social integration with the non-Jewish society. These opportunities have always brought with them the risk of assimilation and drifting away from Jewish life. Jews have created new forms of religious and cultural life that often succeeded at staunching assimilation. Each generation has created its own ways of defining Jewishness and staying Jewish. MATERIALS
August 6. When antisemitism has assumed catastrophic dimensions, as it did during the Second Word War, Jews have remained committed to each other and have rebuilt from the ashes. The antisemitism we face in our own era is deeply troubling, but what our ancestors dealt with was worse, and we have much to learn from them. MATERIALS
August 7. Forms of Zionism that held much meaning for previous generations don’t apply to most young Jews today as they conceive of liberty and freedom differently from their parents or grandparents. Zionism has a future, but it won’t be the same as it was in the past. MATERIALS
The format will include lectures , short film clips, and on -site readings. All modalities will include discussion with the participants. Click the links above labelled MATERIALS to download materials that will be used during the week-end. We will also have copies available at each session. Reviewing this material before the sessions is optional; we feel it will enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the program.