Speakers capture religious diversity

The UNC Jewish studies program will kick off its fall speaker series today in celebration of the 350th anniversary of Jews' arrival to America.

This year's cycle of seven speeches will begin today with a lecture by UNC alumnus Eli N. Evans, who will address "Southern Jewish Insights into the Religious Ethos in the South Today."

Many of the lectures are co-sponsored by UNC Press and N.C. Hillel and are paid for by a grant in Evans' honor from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, said Jonathan Hess, director of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies and professor of Germanic languages.

The speeches are free to the public and will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Hanes Art Center Auditorium, with the exception of the Oct. 6 speech to be held in Carroll Hall.

"It's a very diverse field," he said. "What we try to do with the lectures is give a variety of different angles."

Hess said the speakers were selected by a faculty committee consisting of academics and public individuals.

"The goal is really to bring in a variety of speakers for Jewish studies," he said. "We try to be diverse in the types of people that are brought in."

Hess said that particular courses may require students to attend certain speeches, but the main purpose of the series is to inform and educate.

There is an added emphasis on the Middle East and contemporary Israel that makes this year's series different than previous ones, Hess said.

"I think there's a lot of interest in diversity here at the University," he said. "It interfaces with all sorts of things that are going on on campus. Different lectures will appeal to different people."

Naomi Ragen, , the second lecturer in the series, will speak Sept. 22, on "We Write the Books We Want to Read: The Compelling Jewish Narrative." Ragen is an American-born playwright and novelist who has lived in Jerusalem since 1971.

Hess said he looks forward to the fall series and hopes many will attend.

"We conceived these as lectures that are really there for the general public," he said. "I invite everyone to come out."

 

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.