Events

For decades, claims about the existence of antisemitic quotas, instituted in the 1950s, dogged Stanford University. A deep dive into the archival record confirmed what many had long suspected: that Stanford took steps to limit the number of Jewish students that it enrolled. But it also surfaced aspects of a more complex story about antisemitism in American culture, even during the heyday of “tri-faith America.”  Featuring: Ari Y. Kelman, Stanford University

Annenberg Seminar by Helmut Walser Smith (Vanderbilt).

Since 2019, documentation and reconstruction of threatened and lost African American cemeteries in Pennsylvania has been the focus of student research in digital archaeology courses in the Penn Museum’s Center for the Analysis of Archaeological Materials. These neglected and hidden landscapes are the legacy of unjust policies, as well as tangible evidence for the disruption of generational memory. In this lecture, Dr. Jason T. Herrmann will present how project-based coursework can help to address these past wrongs and discuss the role that archaeology can play in confronting injustices of the past.

In the Fall of 1973, three young leaders emerged from the Jewish counterculture movement with an audacious vision. They sought to reshape Judaism and make it accessible to all. The fruits of their labor, the Jewish Catalog, burst forth into the world, captivating the hearts and minds of a generation.

Published by the esteemed Jewish Publication Society in the heart of Philadelphia, the Jewish Catalog has since become a beacon of knowledge, guiding countless individuals on the path to a richer Jewish life. Unveiled in its pages is a treasure trove of resources and tools, all  artfully presented in an informal yet exquisitely illustrated format. The brilliance of the Catalog lies in its universality. No matter one’s background or level of knowledge, the Catalog warmly embraces one and all. 

Join us for a conversation celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Jewish Catalog–a  bestseller whose success led to second and third Jewish Catalog editions– a groundbreaking publication that revolutionized Judaism. Gather with us to explore the origins, development, and profound impact of this landmark manifesto in American Jewish life. 

A Reception will immediately follow the discussion (vegetarian/dairy not prepared under rabbinic supervision).

Prior to the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally, scholars of American Jewish history considered antisemitism marginal to the field. This presentation examines how the contemporary surge of antisemitism in the U.S. has impacted the teaching and scholarship of American Jewish history.
Featuring: Pamela S. Nadell, American University

In recent years, the practice of wordless singing or chanting has been given new life by contemporary musical artists in Orthodox contexts and beyond. This presentation will trace various nigunim being rediscovered and reinterpreted in new formats, from classical to pop to avant garde jazz.  Featuring: Mark Kligman, University of California, L.A.

Derek J. Penslar is the William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History, and the Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University. He is based in the Department of History, where he is the Director of Undergraduate Studies.  Penslar is a resident faculty member at the Center for European Studies and is affiliated with the Center for Middle Eastern Studies.

Penslar takes a comparative and transnational approach to modern Jewish history, which he studies within the contexts of modern nationalism, capitalism, and colonialism.   His books have engaged with a variety of approaches and methods, including the history of science and technology (Zionism and Technocracy, 1991), economic history (Shylock’s Children: Economics and Jewish Identity in Modern Europe, 2001), military history (Jews and the Military: A History, 2013), biography (Theodor Herzl: The Charismatic Leader, 2020), and the history of emotions (Zionism: An Emotional State, 2023).  In two co-edited volumes, Penslar has brought Jewish Studies into conversation with Postcolonial Studies (Orientalism and the Jews [2005] and Unacknowledged Kinships: Postcolonial Theory and the Historiography of Zionism [2023]).  Penslar’s current interests lie in international history, and he is writing a book about worldwide reactions to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. 

Penslar’s teaching reflects his interests in integrating Jewish history into global contexts.  In addition to teaching courses in modern Jewish history and the history of Zionism and Israel, he teaches courses on nationalism, military history, and the history of emotions.  He brings all of these themes into his General Education course on war and anti-war movements in the modern world.

2023 saw the release of the groundbreaking album Kapelya by the group Raza. This record is the first recording of nigunim by an ensemble of Orthodox Jewish women. This lecture offers an introduction to the album, contextualizing it in two intertwined musical worlds: the contemporary Orthodox music scene, with its attendant gender ideologies characterized by a male-dominated soundscape, and the multiple non-Orthodox Jewish women’s religious music scenes in which female voices are ascendant.

Legal History Workshop: Yanay Israeli, University of Michigan
Yanay Israeli from University of Michigan will present his paper, “Justice After Expulsion: The Petitions and Lawsuits of Jewish Converts Returning to Castile, c.1492-1498.”
Lunch will be provided. 

The Katz Center and Penn Hillel co-present this live, in-person program on Penn’s campus. Dara Horn will offer reflections on past failures and paths forward in educating Americans about and against antisemitism.  This program inaugurates a new initiative on the study of antisemitism made possible by a grant from the Goldhirsh-Yellin Foundation.

About the series “Jews and the University: Antisemitism, Admissions, Academic Freedom”
The integration of Jews into the university is one of the great success stories of modern American culture and Jewish life. Penn was at the forefront of this success story, with the first Jewish Students’ Association formed here in 1924. But recent events at Penn and at other campuses have led to accusations that the university has been too tolerant of antisemitism and become less welcoming to Jews. This series of lectures is an effort to share insights from history, sociology, education studies, and other fields that can help put the present moment into context and provide understanding far deeper than what social media conveys.

Featuring: Dara Horn, an award-winning novelist, essayist, and professor of literature. Among her publications are five novels and the non-fiction essay collection People Love Dead Jews, a finalist for the 2021 Kirkus Prize in Non-Fiction. Dr. Horn is also a recipient of a National Jewish Book Award, among other honors, and serves as a member of Harvard’s advisory group to combat antisemitism.

Registration required.