Month: November 2015

ISA Honors Awards for Undergraduate International Studies Research

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We live in a globalizing world. Every day, each of us encounters people, forces, and events that require us to think and work across traditional political, social, cultural, and geographic boundaries. As a result, the Office of Undergraduate Research, in collaboration with the International Studies Association’s Headquarters and UConn’s Office of Global Affairs, is seeking proposals for undergraduate research in the international studies field.

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Proposals should fall within the following broad guidelines:

  • Focus on a social science project that spans across countries, regions, or the globe. Single country studies will be given lower priority.
  • Budget requests should be for no more than $1,000 and must clearly explain all requested expenses.
  • Travel to conferences to present research will not be funded. However, travel to conferences for research purposes will be considered. Travel costs incurred as part of UConn coursework are not eligible for this award.
  • Students should clearly specify the topic, theory, and methods of focus in their proposal.

It can take up to 6 weeks for an ISA Honors Award to be approved and for funds to be disbursed, so early application is encouraged. You must apply a minimum of 4 weeks before you travel.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and awards are made until funds are exhausted.

11/30/16 – Road Show Presentation at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Bridgeport

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Light_of_HanukkahOn November 30th at 7:00 PM, Professor Stuart Miller will present a “Road Show” lecture entitled “The Real Miracle of Hanukkah: Why Everyone’s Favorite Minor Festival Should be Considered a Major One” at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Bridgeport, CT.
The historical events leading to the first celebration of Hanukkah were a turning point in the history of Judaism that forever changed the trajectory of Jewish existence.
This lecture will make the case that the meaning of Hanukkah has been trivialized and that a better appreciation of the festival’s history can lead to a more meaningful spiritual experience and celebration.

The Center for Judaic Studies Celebrates 36 Years!

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The 36th Anniversary Celebration of the establishment of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life was held on Sunday, November 15, in the Konover Auditorium followed by a reception.   A panel discussion featuring three of the program’s alumni as well as Professors Arnold Dashefsky and Stuart Miller was followed by an address from Professor David Ruderman, Joseph Meyerhoff Professor of Modern Jewish History at the University of Pennsylvania and former director of Penn’s Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies.

The festive event celebrated the accomplishments and milestones of the Center and was an opportunity to thank and highlight all those who made the success of the program possible.  Former director and founder of the Center, Professor Arnold Dashefsky, shared the history of the Center and its accomplishments while Academic Director, Professor Stuart Miller, discussed the exciting future of the program.  Three highly distinguished alumni students expressed their gratitude to the program and provided inspirational accounts of what they had learned and how the program had impacted their lives.  Renowned Professor David Ruderman presented an overview of the development of the field of Judaic Studies over the past 40 years.

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Dr. Emily Sigalow Presents on Jewish Meditation

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Emily SigalowProfessor Emily Sigalow, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Brandeis University, presented “Making Meditation Jewish: The Construction of a New Contemplative Jewish Practice” at our recent, November 12, faculty colloquium.

Dr. Sigalow holds a PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Sociology from Brandeis University, and her research interests focus on the sociological study of contemporary Jewish life. Prior to studying at Brandeis, Dr. Sigalow spent five years working and studying in Israel and obtained her M.A. from Ben-Gurion University.  In her work, Dr. Sigalow examines the interplay between Judaism and Buddhism in America; and her current manuscript, The JUBUs: The Encounter between Judaism and Buddhism in America, traces the way in which practices in Judaism and Buddhism evolved in relation to each other in America since 1893. Continue reading →

11/17/15 – Nuremberg at 70: Commemorating the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg

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Stephen RappOn Tuesday, November 17 at 4:00 PM, Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp, an Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, 2009-2015 for the Office of Global Criminal Justice, U.S. Department of State will present a lecture commemorating the international military tribunal at Nuremberg.

This lecture is will take place in the Konover Auditorium in the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, and is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Dodd Center at doddcenter@uconn.edu.

11/16/15 – Holocaust Claims: Recovering from Swiss Banks and the German Government

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Leonard OrlandOn Monday, November 16 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Professor Leonard Orland, who taught at UConn School of Law for more than 30 years, will return to share his experience participating in two groundbreaking compensation programs for Holocaust victims.
A 1996 class action against Swiss banks for accounts of Jewish depositors resulted in a recovery of $1.25 billion, the background of which Professor Orland reveals in his 2001 book, “A Final Accounting: Holocaust Victims and Swiss Banks.” A second program established by the German government awarded billions of dollars to compensate victims forced to live in Jewish Ghettos or sent to concentration camps.
In connection with the program, Germany authorized the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany to administer a claims process for victims. Professor Orland has recently been appointed by the Claims Conference as an appellate magistrate to review cases in which awards were terminated because of fraud.
This event is sponsored by the UConn School of Law and will take place at the Reading Room in William F. Starr Hall, 45 Elizabeth Street, Hartford, CT.
For more information or to RSVP, click here.

Emily Sigalow to Present “Making Meditation Jewish” | Nov. 12, 2015

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Emily SigalowOn November 12th, Emily Sigalow will be presenting a faculty colloquium entitled “Making Meditation Jewish: The Construction of a New Contemplative Jewish Practice.”

Emily Sigalow is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Sociology at Brandeis University. Her research and teaching interests focus on the sociological study of contemporary Jewish life, particularly as related to questions about culture, gender, and health. She is working on a book project about the historical and contemporary encounter between Judaism and Buddhism in America. This book project, American JUBU, explains how Judaism and Buddhism met, combined, and changed in relation to each other in America since 1893. She holds a Ph.D in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and Sociology (joint degree) from Brandeis University, a M.A. from Ben Gurion.

Date: November 12, 2015

Location: BUS302 at 1:00 PM

Open to faculty, staff, students – Please join us!

December 18, 2015 – Upcoming Road Show Presentation

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DSC_0002The Center’s Road Show is a traveling program where our faculty donates their time to present in the community at various synagogues, community centers, and area high schools on topics of choice in an open and engaging format. Response to this program has been phenomenal, with interest from all across the state.

On December 18th, Associate Professor Jeremy Pressman will be presenting on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict at the Jewish High School of Connecticut.