Modern Jewish Thought and Culture Symposium - May 1 & 2, 2011
Organized by Ken Koltun-Fromm. Sponsored by the John B. Hurford '60 Humanities Center
Bringing together scholars in fields ranging from literature, philosophy, sociology, theology, and cultural studies, the Hurford Humanities Center symposium Modern Jewish Thought and Culture challenges long-standing theoretical divisions in contemporary Jewish practice.
Beginning with the keynote lecture by Chancellor Arnold Eisen of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and continuing with a series of three round-table discussions, the symposium seeks to enliven debate about cultural practices and Jewish thought as these two disciplines intersect in contemporary Judaism.
This symposium follows the trajectory of Ken Koltun-Fromm's Modern Jewish Thought class, in which symposium participants visited his classroom during the Spring semester (through Skype video technology) to discuss research projects. As students critically engaged scholars and their work, they also helped fashion the content and focus of the symposium.
Schedule
Sunday, May 1st
Location: Sharpless Auditorium, Koshland Integrated Natural Sciences Center. #5a on campus map 
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| 7:30 p.m. | "Re-imagining American Judaism" – Keynote talk by Chancellor Arnold Eisen, Jewish Theological Seminary Followed by coffee and dessert. |
Monday, May 2nd
* All Monday events in Humanities Center Seminar Room, Stokes 102, unless otherwise noted. #15 on campus map Get Directions
| 10:15 a.m. | Welcome, Ken Koltun-Fromm, Symposium Organizer, Religion Department, Haverford College |
| 10:30 a.m. | Buber and Levinas: Ethics and the Other Round Table Akiba Lerner, Santa Clara University; Claire Sufrin, Northwestern University; and Mara Benjamin, St. Olaf College; moderated by Zachary Braiterman, Syracuse University. |
| Noon | Lunch (Location TBA) |
| 1:30p.m. | On Jewish Culture and Peoplehood Round Table Greg Kaplan, Rice University; Noam Pianko, University of Washington; Steven Cohen, Hebrew Union College, and Arnold Eisen; moderated by Ken Koltun-Fromm |
| 3:15 p.m. | Soloveitchik and Wyschogrod: Suffering, the Body, and Art Round Table Ken Koltun-Fromm, Zak Braiterman, Jessica Rosenberg, Stanford University, moderated by Mara Benjamin. |
| 4:45 p.m. | Closing remarks, Ken Koltun-Fromm |