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
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BEK TV’s Dakota Cowboy Picked Up by Global Rodeo Group
BISMARCK, N.D., August 8, 2023 (Newswire.com) - BEK TV is excited to announce that its hit show, Dakota Cowboy, is now streaming on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Pro Rodeo YouTube channel, bringing the thrilling world of North Dakota rodeo to a wider audience. Viewers can catch all action-packed episodes at youtube.com/@PRCAProRodeo.
"We are so excited to have established a great partnership with the PRCA," says Bill Palanuk, Co-Host of Dakota Cowboy on BEK TV.
The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the oldest and largest rodeo-sanctioned body in the world. Its YouTube channel is a premier destination for rodeo fans, featuring exciting event coverage, interviews, highlights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. "We feel our viewers will find much interest in the content produced by Dakota Cowboy," said Amy Fast, PRCA Digital Assets Manager. "We look forward to growing together with Dakota Cowboy while expanding our available content."
Dakota Cowboy is an hour-long original BEK TV production, hosted by Palanuk, aka Wild Bill, and Tisa Peek, horse trainer, rodeo athlete, and author. The weekly program celebrates the ways of Western living in North Dakota, highlighting the rich heritage and traditions of rodeo. Dakota Cowboy provides exclusive content, interviews with renowned rodeo athletes, and shines a light on young student rodeo athletes.
Dakota Cowboy airs on BEK TV each Sunday evening at 7 p.m. CT. The program also streams live on bek.news, and all episodes are archived on bek.news/dakotacowboy.
BEK TV is the only North Dakota-owned broadcasting company remaining in the state and produces more local content than any other television station. It broadcasts statewide on television and across the world via the internet. BEK TV consists of content from both BEK Sports and BEK News.
BEK TV is the largest television broadcaster of high school and collegiate athletics in the region, broadcasting nearly 400 live events each year. The network also is the state's top producer of original news and opinion programming. BEK TV is the 2021 and 2022 winner of the Bismarck Tribune's Best of the Best contest, selected by the public for "Best Television Station."
The concept behind BEK's news programming is to provide a media service platform that is unscripted and uncensored. BEK TV hosts are untrained broadcasters who share their perspectives and views on topics and issues that North Dakotans are talking about. The BEK network never controls the messaging.
BEK TV broadcasts on television and across the world via the internet. For more information, log onto bek.tv and bek.news.
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Contact Information:Julie Skaret
BEK Media Relations
julies@bektel.coop
1.701-475-1318
Original Source: BEK TV's Dakota Cowboy Picked Up by Global Rodeo Group
Native American Guardian’s Association (NAGA) Sends Washington ‘Commanders’ Demand Letter to Reclaim the Redskins Name
NEW YORK, August 7, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Today, the Native American Guardian's Association (NAGA) President, Eunice Davidson, issued a demand letter (available on EducateNotEradicate.org) to the Washington "Commanders" owners and key leadership as part of NAGA's "Educate Not Eradicate" National Advocacy Campaign against cancel culture. The letter cites the "Commanders" willful denial of U.S. history and the Native American components of the founding of America and U.S. Constitution. NAGA has also co-sponsored an online petition that can be found at CHANGE.ORG/ReclaimTheRedskins, which went viral with support from Americans across the nation.
"The organic growth of this petition proves our position is the right one," said Healy Baumgardner, Senior Advisor to NAGA and President of Global Impact Campaigns. "We intentionally did not insert politics into this online petition, and the demographics prove that cancel culture is not accepted by most Americans. For the Commanders' owners and leadership to make such a short-sighted decision to cancel the Redskins based on their self-created DEI and ESG feelings without listening to their consumers is not only offensive, it's pure insanity. How did that work out for Bud Light? Not so well," Baumgardner added.
The letter states (excerpts): "The Native American Guardian's Association (NAGA) has developed a 'Promise to ALL AMERICANS' as a statement of principle and policy. All Americans ... should be eager to stand up for the dignity of EVERY AMERICAN that is under assault in today's increasingly nonsensical culture wars. This is a 'LINE IN THE SAND' pledge that reinforces undeniable history of the NATIVE AMERICAN assisting the founding of the United States with Native American principles used by the Founding Fathers in the United States Constitution — and, EVERY AMERICAN's right to the 1st and 14th, and every Amendment to the Constitution and not be targets of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) cancel culture environment.
"Americans see they are losing their rights because of a vicious cancel culture that shows little care for their concerns or civil liberties; It is time to support leaders, brands and organizations who will stand with EVERY AMERICAN, rather than fighting against them."
NAGA further cites its fact-based wins supporting cases in the state and federal courts: "In 2015, our organization filed an amicus brief on behalf of The Redskins in support of their successful First Amendment case, which overruled a finding by the U.S. Patent Office that the name could not be registered as a trademark because it was derogatory. Our fact-based arguments have won in both state and federal courts that NBC Sports even headlined 'Redskins win trademark fight over name as Justice Department gives up' (by Charean Williams, published June 29, 2017). In fact, we strongly disputed that conclusion and, indeed, a subsequent poll by The Washington Post released in July 2016 indicated that 90% of American Indians agreed with us. You simply cannot erase history and target the Native American community by eradicating the name 'Redskins' while being an organization that fosters other Constitutional rights, including players who don't honor the American Flag and kneel during our National Anthem."
"In 2023 America, this oppression, and arbitrary and capricious recognition of U.S. history and Constitutional rights is not acceptable. We are standing our ground. If you don't acknowledge history, we are doomed to repeat it. The coin has been tossed; we choose to honor and defend," stated Eunice Davidson, NAGA President.
NAGA encourages all Americans to visit www.EducateNotEradicate.org and join our movement.
Contact Information:Healy Baumgardner
President
healy@globalimpactcampaigns.com
(202) 670-6557
Eric Spracklen
Senior Advisor
eric@globalimpactcampaigns.com
(202) 670-6557
Original Source: Native American Guardian's Association (NAGA) Sends Washington 'Commanders' Demand Letter to Reclaim the Redskins Name
