Education
Gratz College Launches America’s First Master’s Degree in Antisemitism Studies
PHILADELPHIA, February 22, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Gratz College is launching the first Master of Arts degree program in Antisemitism Studies in the United States in Fall 2024. This ground-breaking program will help fill the vacuum of knowledge about antisemitism across Jewish, non-Jewish, and governmental organizations responsible for generating policy to combat prejudice at a time of unprecedented Jew hatred.
It will:
• Provide an academic home for those seeking to develop both a deep theoretical and practical understanding of antisemitism;
• Help generate new and impactful research on the factors that contribute to growing antisemitism and test interventions that can successfully combat it; and
• Arm educators and practitioners with the most effective antisemitism pedagogy and programming.
Through degree concentrations in teaching, advocacy and research, graduates of this program will be uniquely qualified for prominent careers in education, think tanks, government relations, public policy, and community organizations (Jewish and non-Jewish).
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is eager to see this program take shape:
“We’re seeing a dangerous rise in antisemitism, hatred, and bigotry across our country – and it’s more important than ever that Pennsylvanians be equipped with a thorough knowledge of our shared history and the skills to discern fact from fiction. Gratz College is already renowned for its Holocaust and Genocide Studies programs, and I am encouraged the College is expanding upon that work with a new Master’s degree in Antisemitism Studies. I wish the faculty, staff, and especially the inaugural class of Antisemitism Studies students, great success in their work.”
The program is directed by Dr. Ayal Feinberg, antisemitism studies expert and Director of the Center for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights at Gratz College. The program boasts a distinguished interdisciplinary faculty from academia and leading public advocacy organizations. Despite its infancy, the degree has been endorsed by nearly one hundred scholars and public policy experts from around the world. Professor of Political Science at Kalamazoo College R. Amy Elman asserts, “With an emphasis on operationalizing knowledge, informed teaching and ethical advocacy, Gratz’s innovative graduate program fulfills a deep need in countering antisemitism.”
Gratz’s Antisemitism Studies program is also establishing ground-breaking partnerships with the world’s most prominent Jewish organizations and programs to combat antisemitism in the classroom, on campus, and in professional workspaces. In the first such partnership, Gratz and The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History have joined forces to launch the National Education Fellowship on Antisemitism. The aim of this fellowship is to generate and assess paradigm-shifting middle and high school curriculum to reduce Jew-hatred and prejudice more broadly.
As an early adopter of online education, a 128-year history of Jewish learning, and home to the world’s largest graduate program in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Gratz is uniquely qualified to take on this necessary and overdue program.
On March 4, 2024, the master’s degree program will kick-off with a series of public lectures, including by scholars serving as affiliate faculty for the program. On April 2, 2024, Dr. Avinoam Patt, inaugural director of NYU’s Center for Study of Antisemitism and the Maurice Greenberg Professor of Holocaust Studies, will deliver a keynote lecture, titled, "Awake My People": Jewish Responses to Antisemitism in the Modern Period.” Additional talks will take place before the program officially begins in August.
Prospective students eager to start may apply now and take courses as early as March 2024 with electives in Antisemitism Studies already developed as a preview to the program.
Gratz College is grateful to the Isidore and Penny Myers Foundation for generously supporting the launch of the Antisemitism Studies program. Jay Myers, Board Chair, shared: “The Isidore and Penny Myers Foundation, a family foundation guided by Jewish American values, sees great worth in educating future generations about the roots of Antisemitism, and by doing so, working to combat it. This degree program will create scholars who can devote their talent to meet this challenge. Our Foundation is proud to support this work and by so doing, meet our obligation to help repair the world.”
Contact: lcohen@gratz.edu for more information.
Contact Information:Lori Cohen
Director of Marketing and Design
lcohen@gratz.edu
215-635-7300 x182
Original Source: Gratz College Launches America's First Master's Degree in Antisemitism Studies
Latest Fit News
Terry Barber Proudly Announces ‘The Gay Tenors’ Tour
NEW YORK, January 9, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Tonys, Grammys, and Broadway, oh my! A dream team of artists has come together to do what producer Terry Barber says is “necessary good.” After building an impressive resume, touring with a multiple Grammy-winning group, and being hired as a soloist at many of the world’s best venues, rare countertenor and producer Terry Barber announces “The Gay Tenors, a show that entertains with human rights messaging," he explains.
“This undeniable talent is showcasing at the biggest national booking conference in the USA (APAP) Friday night, January 12, at 10:20 p.m. and Saturday, January 13, at 6:30 p.m., Gibson suite, 2nd floor New York Hilton 1335 6th Ave. When people look back on the present day, they will recognize this as an era of representation. Minorities are finally being seen and heard,” Barber continues.
Attendance to showcases is free, but space is limited. The team invites celebrity friends and those who care about human rights to this and all future performances to show their support. They will sing the kind of repertoire one might expect from the original “Three Tenors” tour, but uniquely arranged for their voices and quite often with a twist that Barber hopes will cause his audience to think, affecting positive change in the human rights sphere. Expecting to appeal to a younger audience as well, the group will additionally feature the work of prominent gays in modern music like Freddie Mercury and Elton John.
“Our goal is to break down barriers through the beauty and emotion of the art we deliver: sincere, heart-throbbing, and laugh-out-loud musical storytelling," shares performer Benjamin Howard.
Clayton Phillips, the tour's director, served as multiple Tony-winning Harold Prince's assistant director for give years, on such shows as Kiss of the Spider Woman, Candide, and Parade. Clayton believes, "There are so many LGBTQ kids who deserve to be represented. It is not a choice but a fact of life that we are all born equal but uniquely different individuals. We all deserve love and understanding. So let's all say 'Gay' as often as we can."
"We can entertain, be role models, and also educate in a fun-loving way," says Broadway performer, Melvin Tunstall III.
Everyone in the group has dealt with discrimination, homophobia, heterosexism, and are confident they can make a difference with the right support. The Gay Tenors are applying for grant support from human rights foundations, considering corporations to partner with as sponsors, and can accept tax-deductible donations at this link via the 501(c3) organization Artists for a Cause Inc. info@A4AC.org
Contact: Management@TerryBarber.com, (917) 338-6319, TheGayTenors.com
Contact Information:Terry Barber
Producer
management@terrybarber.com
9173386319
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Original Source: Terry Barber Proudly Announces 'The Gay Tenors' Tour
Hitchd Helps Newlyweds With Its Innovative Honeymoon Fund Platform
Honeymoon Registry by Hitchd
Craft your honeymoon registry and wave goodbye to guessing games. Curate your personalized honeymoon fund and cash registry that truly reflects your heart's desires.
LOS ANGELES, January 9, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The modern wedding registry no longer just revolves around toasters and dinner plates. Hitchd, a trailblazing online platform, is redefining the wedding gift game by having introduced an intuitive and exquisite Honeymoon Fund concept.
In a world where many couples are already living together before tying the knot, the trend of giving physical gifts has become quite passé. Hitchd propels the joy of gift-giving into more novel and meaningful areas. With a simple focus — facilitating experiences over objects, the platform offers a refreshing take on what makes a great wedding present — a dream honeymoon.
The value proposition of Hitchd lies in assisting couples to curate unique, customized honeymoon funds that align with their dream post-wedding getaways. Be it boutiques in Paris, exotic safaris in Africa or simple sunset dinners on serene beaches, anything can be included in this fund.
According to a 2022 study conducted by Hitchd, couples using Hitchd received an average cash gift of $198, beating The Knot's $160 by +23%.
Instead of gifting another set of dinner plates that will sit unused in the cupboard, wedding guests can now contribute to enriching experiences that create lifelong memories for the newlyweds.
With this platform, romantic activities, adventurous explorations, flight upgrades or even hotel stays during the honeymoon can be taken care of thanks to loved ones.
The Hitchd honeymoon fund truly sets itself apart from the traditional registry's limitations by providing optimal flexibility and customizability both to gift-givers and receivers.
“We’re seeing a significant transformation from physical gifts to experience-driven presents,” says Isuru Fonseka, CEO.
For more information about the Hitchd platform or to start your own honeymoon fund, visit our website: www.hitchd.com.
What is Hitchd?
Hitchd is an innovative online platform designed for modern couples who prefer memorable experiences to traditional gifts. The company's goal is to make gift-giving more meaningful by helping couples create customizable honeymoon registries where guests can contribute to after-wedding adventures rather than being confined to china and silverware offerings.
Contact Information:Logan Kurtz
Marketing & Advertising
logan@hitchd.com
Original Source: Hitchd Helps Newlyweds With Its Innovative Honeymoon Fund Platform
