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
Vitakraft (R) Announces ‘The Trick & Treat Halloween Costume Contest’ for Pets
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio, October 9, 2023 (Newswire.com) - This Halloween, the renowned international pet food brand Vitakraft® is inviting pets and their parents to join the “Trick & Treat Halloween Costume Contest.” In a move to encompass the diverse array of pets cherished in homes everywhere, the contest welcomes cats, dogs, and small animals, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters, as well as birds, such as parrots, canaries, love birds, and many more.
Participation has been made effortless. Pet parents need only to post a photo or video of their costumed pet on social media and tag Vitakraft to enter. It’s an opportunity for all pets to shine.
Get inspired with this video entry example: a Halloween adventure with the feline duo Kona & Kai!
Meet these requirements by October 27, and you could be one of the 20 lucky winners to receive a basket brimming with $100 worth of treats!
In the mix of this delightful contest, safety and enjoyment are prioritized. As part of the contest’s interactive nature, Molly DeVoss, a Certified Feline Training & Behavior Specialist, will share tips to ensure pets are safe and comfortable. For example, for cats, "During Halloween, there are frequent door openings as trick-or-treaters come and go. Make sure your cat doesn’t slip out by accident. If you don't confine your cat to a safe room, consider using a baby gate at the front door."
The “Trick & Treat Halloween Costume Contest” underscores Vitakraft’s commitment to all pets in the family. “Every pet, from playful puppies and kittens to chirpy birds and cuddly small animals, is part of the Vitakraft family. This contest is a delightful testament to the variety of pets we cater to with our extensive product range,” Miquel Gonzalez, Chief Marketing Officer at Vitakraft, explained.
To coincide with the Halloween festivity, Vitakraft is also unveiling the "Monster Value Pack Lick 'n’ Lap Snack," a delightful addition for the feline members of the family, just in time for Halloween.
To learn more about Vitakraft products, visit www.vitakraft.us.
Contact Information:Hayden Ari
Marketing Manager
haydenhammerling@gmail.com
9734054600
Original Source: Vitakraft (R) Announces 'The Trick & Treat Halloween Costume Contest’ for Pets
