September 10, 2004

Jewish studies celebrates 350th anniversary of Jews in North America

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's Jewish Studies Program announces a series of fall events, including a celebration of the 350th anniversary of the arrival of Jews in North America.

"Celebrating the Immigrant Experience," which is free and open to the public, is at 7:30-11:30 p.m. on Sept. 18 in the Purdue Memorial Union, North Ballroom. Reservations are recommended and may be made by contacting the Jewish Studies Program Office at (765) 494-7965.

"Thanks to support from the West Indies trading company, a number of Jews fled persecution in Brazil to join a new colony in what is now New York," said Gordon Young, associate professor of history and director of the Jewish Studies Program. "This is a great opportunity to celebrate the heritage and history of American Jews."

The event will begin with a reception featuring snacks, known as Israeli Nosherai. At 8 p.m., Joseph Dorsey, associate professor of history and African American Studies; Joseph Haberer, professor emeritus of political science; and Herman Cember, visiting professor of health sciences; will discuss the aspects of the Sephardic, German and Ashkenazic immigrations.

The Lafayette Klezmorim will play music throughout the evening, and Sephardic, Ashkenazic and German foods also will be available.

Jewish Studies Program's Fall 2004 Noon Lecture Series, which is free and open to the public, includes the following speakers and their topics:

• Sept. 15, 12:30 p.m., "The Holocaust in Romania: The Journey from Bessarabia to Transnistria and The Story of Victor Fridman," by Anya Savikhin, a senior studying economics and French, in Stewart Center Room 202.

• Sept. 20, 12:30 p.m., "The Biblical Attitude Towards Child Sacrifice," by David Sanders, associate professor of structural biology, in Heine Pharmacy Building, Room 172.

• Sept. 29, 12:30 p.m., "Race, Religion, and the Conflict of Crafting 15th Century Spanish Literary Culture," by Ana Gomez-Bravo, associate professor of foreign languages and literatures, in Stewart Center, Room 314.

•Oct. 20, 12:30 p.m., "The Biblical Attitude Towards Child Sacrifice," by David A. Sanders, associate professor of biological sciences, in Heine Pharmacy Building, Room 172.

• Nov. 10, 12:30 p.m., "The Medieval and Modern Fates of Süßkind: Jew of Trimberg," by John D. Martin, assistant professor of foreign languages and literatures, in Stewart Center, Room 320.

• Dec. 8, 12:30 p.m., "Archaeology and Politics in Israel," by Roni Binder, program assistant in Hillel Foundation, in Stewart Center, Room 202.

These events are funded by the Jewish Studies Program and the School of Liberal Arts.

The Purdue Jewish Studies Program was founded in 1981. The program is composed of faculty from the departments of English, foreign languages and literatures, history, philosophy, political science, sociology and anthropology, and visual and performing arts. The program offers an undergraduate major and minor.

Writer: Amy Patterson-Neubert, (765) 494-9723, appatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Gordon Young, (765) 494-7965, jewishstudies@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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