Summer 2017 annual newsletter VOLUME TWENTY-THREE • NUMBER ONE A PUBLICATION OF THE BENNETT CENTER FOR JUDAIC STUDIES AT FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY TABLE OF CONTENTS From the Director of the Bennett Center From the Director of My deep thanks to Rachel Lyke, program the Bennett Center ..........................1 manager of the Bennett Center, who in the 10 months that she’s been at the University Fall 2016 - Spring 2017 has done a terrific job of overseeing our Highlights and Events ...................2 programs and handling the day-to-day operations of the Center. My thanks as well Daniel Pearl World Music to Dr. Paul Lakeland for serving as Acting Days Event .........................................4 Director of the Bennett Center while I was on sabbatical in the spring; Rabbi Suri Krieger, Rabbi Evan Schultz, and Cantor Faculty & Staff Workshops .........4 Kevin Margolius, for leading on-campus Shabbat services, co-sponsored by the Course Offerings – Fall 2017 .......4 Bennett Center and Campus Ministry during the academic year; Judy Lerner, for helping Focus on Judaic to revive the University’s Hebrew program; Studies Faculty ................................5 n 2016-2017, the Bennett Center and Mark Edinberg, for musically enhancing for Judaic Studies sponsored many our annual Donor reception. My thanks outstanding lectures and other special Looking Ahead .................................6 I to Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., president of events that were well attended by members Fairfield University from 2004-2016 and of the University and the Greater Fairfield/ Interim President and former University Shabbat Services & Meals ...........6 Bridgeport communities. Taken as a whole, Provost, Dr. Lynn Babington, for their long- the lectures shed light on a variety of past term, enthusiastic support of the Bennett Lunch and Learn .............................6 and present Jewish texts, communities, Center. Finally, a few words of thanks to our and concerns, while a number of events donors: over the past 23 years, the Bennett showcased Jewish participation in the arts. A Year in the Making .....................7 Center has grown because of you. My great These included musician Dan Saks’ evening appreciation for all who continue to make of Sephardic songs and stories; Susan Stein’s the Center possible. Honor Roll one-woman play, Etty, based on the diaries July 2016 - June 2017 ....................8 and letters of Etty Hillesum, who died in I hope that all of you have a wonderful Auschwitz in 1943; painter Siona Benjamin’s summer. I look forward to seeing many Judaic Studies illustrated talk on her personal and artistic of you in the fall and, in addition to my Faculty & Friends ............................8 journey from Mumbai to the United States; undergraduate teaching, look forward to and producer Nancy Spielberg’s discussion of once again offering my on-campus adult her film, Above and Beyond, about the creation “Lunch and Learn” class, co-sponsored of the Israeli air force. We also co-sponsored with the Federation for Jewish Philanthropy two memorable events. In November, of Upper Fairfield County, during the activist, author, and Chairman of Special spring semester. Olympics Timothy P. Shriver delivered the 2016 Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lecture on “Overcoming the Fear of Difference,” which was co-sponsored with the University’s Open ~ Ellen M. Umansky, PhD VISIONS Forum. In late March, the Bennett Center and the University’s Center for Carl and Dorothy Professor of Judaic Catholic Studies co-sponsored the hauntingly Studies; Director, Bennett Center for beautiful Annelies: A Choral Setting of the Diary Judaic Studies of Anne Frank, performed by soprano Arianna Zukerman, and the Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut. fairfield.edu/judaicstudies UDAIC STUDIES Summer 2017 Jannual newsletter Olympics and the importance of based on the diary of Anne Frank. Fall 2016 – Spring 2017 advocating for the inclusion and Co-sponsored by the Center for dignity of marginalized individuals. Catholic Studies. Underwritten by the Frank Jacoby Foundation in collaboration with April 4 – Bennett Lecture in Highlights and events… the Open VISIONS Forum. Judaic Studies: “Flight for Life: Jewish Heroism and the October 6 – Daniel Pearl November 29 – Adolph & Creation of the Israeli Air World Music Days Concert – Ruth Schnurmacher Lecture Force” – Documentary film maker Musician, singer, and founder of (L-R) Dr. Gabriel Noah Brahm and Dr. Gavriel in Judaic Studies: “Popular Rosenfeld at Dr. Brahm’s lecture “Is the Movement and producer Nancy Spielberg the indie rock band DeLeon, Dan Anger or Planned Pogram? to Boycott Israel Anti-Semitic?” discussed and showed clips of her Saks, along with musician Amy What Really Happened film Above and Beyond, the story Crawford, performed new and During Kristallnacht” – March 22 – The Samuel and of Jewish airmen who smuggled reimagined Sephardic folk songs in Author and historian, Dr. Bettie Roberts Lecture in planes out of the U.S. to fight in celebration of the life and legacy of Michael A. Meyer, spoke to a Jewish Art: “Blue Like Me: Israel’s War of Independence. She journalist, Daniel Pearl. (L-R) David Chaifetz, Edie Chaifetz, Dr. Eric Dr. Jason Gaines, Fairfield adjunct faculty & deeply engaged audience about The Art of Siona Benjamin” – also talked about her own sense of Goldstein, and Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. at Hebrew Bible scholar, delivers lecture on the Hidden the Scholar-in-Residence lecture. The Scholar-in- Poetry of the five Books of Moses. German reactions to the events of Painter Siona Benjamin gave Jewish self-identity and ended with Residence program is made possible through the Kristallnacht and whether or not it an illustrated talk on her work, as a brief clip from her upcoming film generosity of David & Edie Chaifetz. had been planned in advance. The influenced by her Jewish upbringing on the secret archives of the Warsaw November 1 – Bennett Adolph and Ruth Schnurmacher in a predominantly Hindu and Ghetto. Sept. 25-26 – Judaic Studies Center Performance – Foundation funded this lecture. Muslim India. Her paintings Scholar-in-Residence Playwright and actress, Susan combine the imagery of her past Program – “What American Stein, gave two performances of with her newer sense of identity in Jewish History Can Tell Etty, a one-woman play based on America. This lecture was funded Us About the American the writings of Etty Hillesum, through an endowment to the Jewish Future” – Dr. Eric Dan Saks performs Sephardic music as part of the a young Dutch Jewish woman Bennett Center from Larry Roberts L. Goldstein, associate professor Daniel Pearl World Music Days concert. who died in Auschwitz. During and Suzanne Novik. of History and the Judith London her two-day visit, Ms. Stein also Evans director, Tam Institute for October 16 – Sukkot spoke to students in “Faith After Jewish Studies at Emory University, Celebration – Dr. Umansky the Holocaust,” “Literature of (L-R) Dr. Ellen Umansky, Robin Kanarek, Marc gave several talks during his two- and Rev. Mark Scalese, S.J. the Holocaust” and “Speaking of Author and historian, Dr. Michael A. Meyer, Bennett, Nancy Spielberg, and Carl Bennett day visit, including a highly- joined members of KADIMA, the Religion in a Comparative Key.” delivers the Adolph & Ruth Schnurmacher Lecture anticipated and well-attended public in Judaic Studies. This lectureship is made possible Jewish students club, and several through the generosity of the Adolph and Ruth April 24 – Annual Holocaust lecture drawing on the past 350 Schnurmacher Foundation. other undergraduates in constructing Remembrance Service – years of Jewish life in America and a sukkah (hut) in the plaza between Betty Deutsch, who survived a an insightful lunch discussion at Canisius and Donnarumma December 7 – Faculty and Hungarian ghetto and Auschwitz- Congregation Beth El with area Halls. Students, faculty, staff, and staff workshop – Hebrew (L-R) Conductor Carole Ann Maxwell, Soprano Birkenau, was the featured educators and clergy on the letters of administrators joined Dr. Umansky instructor Judy Lerner taught a Arianna Zukerman, Director of the Bennett Center speaker at this very moving event. colonial New Yorker Abigail Levy and Bennett Center Program Dr. Ellen Umansky, and Director of the Center for lunchtime workshop in the Bennett Catholic Studies Dr. Paul Lakeland, at the Annual Co-sponsored by Campus Ministry. Franks. This program was made Manager Rachel Lyke for lunch in Center titled “Sarah, First Matriarch Jewish-Christian Engagement event. Co-Sponsored with the Center for Catholic Studies. possible by a gift from David and the sukkah during the week. of Israel: Ice Princess or Yiddishe May 18 – Donor Reception – Edith Chaifetz. (L-R) Tim Shriver, the Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Momme?” Dr. Umansky and Rachel Lyke Lecture speaker, with Debbie Zieff, & David Zieff at October 27 – Bennett Center a dinner before his speech. Co-sponsored with Open March 26 - Annual Jewish- invited donors and Judaic Studies October 5 – Jewish New Lecture – Biblical scholar, Dr. VISIONS Forum. February 27 – Lecture: “Is Christian Engagement Event: faculty to a reception thanking those Year Celebration – Faculty, Jason Gaines, gave a fascinating the Movement to Boycott Annelies: A Choral Setting who have supported the Bennett staff, and students gathered in the lecture, “The Hidden Poetry of the November 16 – Jacoby- Israel Anti-Semitic?” – Dr. of the Diary of Anne Frank - Center over the past year. Those in Bennett Center