NEWS FROM THE JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM AND THE CENTER FOR ISRAELI STUDIES FALL 2004 FROM THE DIRECTORS his past year the Jewish Studies Program and the Center for Israeli Studies hosted two significant conferences: the 2004 Biennial Scholars’ Conference on American Jewish History and “The New T Anti-Semitism.” They were attended in large numbers by American University students and faculty, academics from around the world, and individuals from the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan com- munity. Such important contributions to the history and values of Judaism and Israel can be sustained only with your continuing financial support. We thank you for your past support and encourage you to Pamela Nadell, sustain our vital programming by making a contribution with the form at the end of this newsletter. Director, JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM T Scholars’ Conference on American Center for Israeli Studies Hosts Jewish History Symposium on the New Anti-Semitism Three hundred and fifty years ago, 23 Jewish A topic of growing concern is whether there is refugees fleeing the long arm of the Inquisition a rise in a new anti-Semitism that has its roots in found haven in New Amsterdam. There they the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Center for established the first American Jewish community, Israeli Studies decided to tackle this complicated a part of our national history the U.S. Congress and contentious issue in a two-day symposium. has recognized by proclaiming September 2004 See Anti-Semitism page 3 Howard Wachtel, American Jewish History Month. To mark this Director, CENTER anniversary, AU’s Jewish Studies Program hosted, FOR ISRAELI STUDIES and program director Pamela S. Nadell chaired, the 2004 Biennial Scholars’ Conference on See Scholars’ Conference page 2 Inside From left to right, Rita Simon, University Professor in American University’s School of Public Affairs, reviewed his- Three generations of scholars reflect on the 1954 tercentenary torical public opinion data on anti-Semitism; Marcia ■ Lectures: p. 2 anniversary celebrations of Jewish life in America. Left to right: Synnott, professor of history at the University of South ■ Abensohn Josh Perelman, graduate student, New York University; Karla Carolina, spoke about anti-Semitism in universities; and Endowment: p. 6 Goldman, historian, Jewish Women’s Archive; Arthur Aryeh attorney Jay Marks ,of Marks and Katz, an expert on immi- Goren, professor emeritus, Columbia University and Hebrew gration law and founder of the Institute for Hispanic Jewish ■ Arnost Lustig: p. 6 University; Riv-Ellen Prell, professor, University of Minnesota. Relations, talked about whether there are anti-Semitic atti- tudes among Hispanics. zerici Scholars’ Conference from page 1 exhibition, From Haven to philosophy and religion pro- Anti-Semitism, from page 1 toward its conflict with Palestinians? If so, phy, history, public interest law—in order to American Jewish History. Thanks to the Home. fessor Gershon Greenberg We enlisted the support of American what are the forms of a new anti-Semitism? broaden the discussion beyond the usual generosity of AU’s Office of the Provost and The Jewish Studies Program led panels which included University’s Washington College of Law, Needless to say, there was a spirited dis- contributors to this debate. We had one of Jewish Studies Program supporters, AU cosponsored this conference Professor Pamela S. Nadell, scholars from Israel. Aleisa School of International Service, and Jewish cussion before standing-room-only audiences the first screenings in the United States of partnered with the Commission for with the congressionally rec- AU’s Jewish Studies Program Fishman, who earned her Studies Program to bring to the campus a of students and faculty drawn from the the French documentary film Décryptage Commemorating 350 Years of American ognized Commission for director, greets conference PhD from AU’s Department distinguished group of speakers with many American University campus and an equal (Decoding), about the role of the media in participants after dinner at Jewish History to convene what is likely Commemorating 350 Years of of History in May, presented different perspectives. number of guests from the Washington-area reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. the Library of Congress. the largest conference ever held on the his- American Jewish History. The “Consuming is Believing: In the invitation to the symposium, the community. A full description of the event is on our tory of America’s Jews. Over three days in commission has brought together four Jewish Women Making Community in center asked the participants to address this The center invited speakers from many Web site: www.centerforisraelistudies.org. June a stellar international gathering of more great archival institutions—the Library of Suburbia,” based on her study of New set of questions: Has a new anti-Semitism different fields—literary journalism, philoso- than 100 scholars met on campus and at the Congress, the National Archives and York’s Nassau County Jewish community. erupted in the past several years in the << Sander L. Gilman, Library of Congress to share research, ponder Records Administration, the American Joshua Ford, director of the Washington United States and around the world with a a cultural and literary historian, former pres- new directions for the future, and preview Jewish Historical Society, and the Jacob Jewish Film Festival, and David Weinstein, current manifestation in an anti-Zionism and ident of the Modern Rader Marcus Center of the American senior program officer of the National anti-Israelism which transcends the bound- the Library of Congress’s 350th anniversary Language Association, Jewish Archives—to mark this Endowment for the Humanities, joined aries of legitimate debate about Israeli policy and the author or edi- << Brandeis historic milestone. The confer- documentary filmmakers Debra Gonsher tor of more than 70 University professor books, was the lunch- Jonathan Sarna, ence was but the first of several Vinik and David Vyorst to close the confer- eon speaker. He is the coeditor with Pamela projects the commission ence with a session called “Film and Distinguished S. Nadell of Women planned for this anniversary. History: New and Forthcoming Works.” Professor of the Liberal and American Two speakers addressed the debate on university Conference participants The New York–based Radio Foundation Arts and Medicines at Judaism, reminisces campuses surrounding Israel in the Middle East. looked back to the very begin- recorded most conference sessions for its the University of about Professor Mitchell Bard, executive director of the American- nings of American Jewish projected Web site for the 350th anniversary, Illinois in Chicago and Naomi Cohen with Israeli Cooperative Enterprise and the Jewish Virtual the first director of its Rafi Cohen and history with papers on Jewish www.onlyinamerica.org. Library, a comprehensive encyclopedia of Jewish Jewish Studies Avital Weisbrod. characters on the colonial stage This remarkable conference ushered in history and culture, and the author of 17 books on Program. and early Jewish settlement in a flurry of activities which will continue Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies the Middle East, talked about universities in the << Yeshiva University professor Jeffrey Gurock Jamaica. They heard new into June 2005, commemorating 350 years in American University’s School of International United States; and Norma Joseph, chair of the Department of Religion at Concordia University in (left) presented the American Jewish Historical research on Jewish GIs under fire of Jewish life in America. AU Jewish Studies Service and former high commissioner of Pakistan to Society’s Lee Max Friedman award for lifetime achievement to Great Britain (right), and Daniel Jonah Goldhagen, Canada told about her first-hand experiences during and the sociological love affair faculty will continue to play leading roles Naomi Cohen, professor emerita, Hunter College. Cohen now author of the controversial international best-seller the controversy at her university over the appearance Leon Wieseltier, literary editor of the New Republic resides in Israel. Accepting on her behalf was Rafi Cohen (right), with intermarriage. AU history in these events, and we will report on Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and of Israeli speakers, such as former prime minister and author of the critically acclaimed Kaddish, spoke her grandson. professor Alan Kraut and AU them in YediAUt 2005. the Holocaust, at the first panel of the symposium. Benjamin Netanyahu, and its aftermath. at a packed dinner lecture. LECTURES SPONSORED BY THE CENTER FOR ISRAELI STUDIES AND THE JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM ■ DAVID NEWMAN, an expert on political geography Professor Inbar, director of and his special delegate to PLO chairman Yasser ■ GUY LEVY-YURISTA spoke on the Israeli high- ■ JEFFREY ■ ARNOLD DASHEFSKY, director of the North and border controversies, titled his talk “The the Begin-Sadat Center for Arafat, lectured on security issues in the Middle East, tech industry in his talk “From Venture Capital to Start- GUROCK, Libby M. American Jewish Data Bank and professor of sociology Separation Fence and the Strategic Studies (BESA) at cosponsored with AU Up: Israeli Technology in Silicon Wadi,” cosponsored Klaperman Professor at the University of Israeli-Palestinian Border Bar-Ilan University, is a pro- Students for Israel. In with the MoGIT Club of the Kogod School of Business.