Lecture Series
The Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life at UConn offers free public programs, including academic lectures, book talks, and events that offer new research, literature, and perspectives on Jewish history and culture.
UConn Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life is grateful to major donors who support dedicated lecture funds which help sustain the Center’s mission to foster research and teaching on Jewish history and life.
Gene and Georgia Mittelman Lecture in Judaic Studies
The Gene and Georgia Mittelman Lecture in Judaic Studies supports annual or biannual programs that bring scholars, writers, and artists to campus to engage with topics in Jewish history, culture, and thought.
Previous lectures include “The Souls of Jewish Folk,” a research talk shared by Prof. James M. Thomas, on March 26, 2025 at UConn Storrs, “The Ping Pong Player and the Professor: A Conversation with the Author,” which featured Richard Sosis, author and the James Barnett Professor of Humanistic Anthropology at the University of Connecticut, on April 2, 2024 at UConn Storrs, “Graffiti and the Forgotten Jews of Antiquity,” presented by Karen B. Stern on April 4, 2019, at the Dodd Research Center, and “Human Dignity in Judaism,” delivered by Susannah Heschel on April 26, 2018, at the Charter Oak Cultural Center. These programs reflect the range of perspectives and subjects that define the field of Judaic Studies.
I. Martin and Janet M. Fierberg Lecture in Judaic Studies
The I. Martin and Janet M. Fierberg Lecture in Judaic Studies supports public programs across a range of Judaic Studies topics, with a strong focus on Holocaust education and scholarship.
Recent lectures include “How the Irish Helped the Jews Become American,” which featured Prof. Hasia R. Diner on March 11, 2026, at the Mandell JCC of Greater Hartford, “The Holocaust as History and Warning,” presented by Timothy Snyder on April 16, 2018, at the Dodd Research Center, and “Mass Displacement in the Mid-Twentieth Century,” delivered by David N. Myers on May 2, 2019, at UConn Storrs. These programs speak to the Center’s ongoing work in fostering thoughtful discussion and engagement with complex historical issues.
Ishier Jacobson Fund for Judaic & Middle Eastern Studies
The Ishier Jacobson Fund for Judaic & Middle Eastern Studies supports guest speakers and public programming at UConn’s Stamford campus, including the annual Jacobson Lecture.
Past programs include “Hitler’s Jewish Refugees: Hope and Anxiety in Portugal,” presented by Marion Kaplan on January 28, 2020, at UConn Stamford, and “Christians, Jews, and Muslims in Medieval Spain,” delivered by Jerrilynn Dodds on January 29, 2019. These events expand access to Judaic and Middle Eastern Studies while bringing a wide range of scholarly perspectives to the Stamford community.