The Jewish Studies Program, in Kent State University’s College of Arts and Sciences, will host the 26th Annual Midwest Jewish Studies Association Academic Conference on Sept. 14 – 15 at the Kent State Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Kent. Approximately 30 scholars and professionals in Jewish Studies from around the world will attend. Presenters will be coming from Turkey, Austria and Israel as well as North America.
The keynote speech “Heschel’s Spiritual Humanism: Jewish Education for the 21st Century” will be presented by Peter Geffen on Sept. 14. Geffen is the founder of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in New York City and a recipient of the Covenant Award. The keynote will place Heschel's key understandings of the human condition within a developmental framework offering a vision and challenge to much of contemporary Jewish education in particular and American education in general. The talk will include biographical review and lesser known anecdotes garnered from years of work and friendship with both Heschel family members and former students.
The keynote speech and dinner is open to the public, but reservations are required. To register, call Chaya Kessler at 330-672-8926 or email ckessle7@kent.edu.
About MJSA
The Midwest Jewish Studies Association (MJSA) is a broad and interdisciplinary non-profit organization. It brings together scholars of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds in a synergistic effort to generate energy, talent, ideas and resources.