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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Best-Selling Author Gives Away Half a Million Copies of New Book, ‘Defender of the Faith: Ten Weird Facts About the Coronation,’ Surrounding Festivities in...
LOS ANGELES, May 3, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Author Ray Comfort, CEO and founder of Living Waters Christian ministry, is giving away 500,000 hard copies of his book "Defender of the Faith: Ten Weird Facts about the Coronation," to U.S audiences interested in the events happening in London this weekend to celebrate King Charles III's official coronation.
According to Comfort, the book is controversial because it flies in the face of an increasingly secularized world—where many profess atheism and most don't honor the Bible. "It's ironic that during the coronation of King Charles, hundreds of millions around the world will essentially be going to church for a two-hour televised church service," Comfort said. "There they will hear many references to the Christian gospel and hear the Bible greatly honored."
The author and TV cohost is referring to the fact that during the church service, when King Charles is presented with the Bible, the Archbishop of Canterbury will say, "Sir: to keep you ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, receive this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords."
Comfort added, "I want people to understand the significance of the many strange things that will take place during the May 6 coronation: the meaning behind the presentation of three swords, the diamond-crusted orb, the golden scepter, the ancient coronation chair, the mysterious anointing, the king's extravagant robes, the amazing crown, and so on."
Comfort's ministry has also amassed an army of over 20,000 Christians who on coronation day will give away 16 million copies of what looks like a million-pound English note. These will not only be given freely to the millions of observers lining the streets of London, but also be given away in Europe, Canada, Australia, and other parts of the world.
"While the church service makes numerous references to the gospel, it doesn't articulate it in layman's language. And so we printed the 16 million copies of the commemorative 'million-pound note' explaining it. The word 'gospel' simply means 'good news.' And the good news is that in the Old Testament, God promised to destroy death, and in the New Testament we are told how He did it. That's actually the best news this world could ever hope to hear."
The London Outreach will be live-streamed on Living Waters' YouTube channel, where commentary will also be provided during the coronation church service.
For more details and to request free "Coronation Millions," go to Livingwaters.com/London.
About Living Waters
Living Waters exists to inspire and equip Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. Living Waters seeks to train the members of Christ's Body in the principles of biblical evangelism and to provide them with practical tools to proclaim the gospel. See more at www.livingwaters.com.
Melany Ethridge
melany@alarryross.com
(214) 912-8934
Original Source: Best-Selling Author Gives Away Half a Million Copies of New Book, 'Defender of the Faith: Ten Weird Facts About the Coronation,' Surrounding Festivities in London May 6
