The Center for Global & International Studies and the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Kansas will host the Jews in the Americas Conference, which will explore the diverse experiences of Jews across North and South America.
Spanning April 18 and 19, the hybrid, interdisciplinary KU conference will bring together scholars from a variety of fields, including history, religion, sociology, politics, anthropology, literature and the arts, to explore the stories of Jews in the Americas. Fourteen online panels of original research will include topics such as Yiddish in South America; Israel-related connections; Jewish art, culture and identity; Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews; speculative fiction; Jewish women; antisemitism; and Jewish education and pedagogy. Interpretation in English will be provided for presentations in Spanish and Portuguese.
The hybrid conference will take place over Zoom and in person at the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center (1299 Oread Ave., Lawrence, KS 66044).
“This interdisciplinary conference is inspired by a desire to bring together scholars from various fields to explore the rich and diverse experiences of Jews in the Americas,” said Rami Zeedan, acting director of the KU Jewish Studies Program. “This aligns with the program’s mission to engage in cross-regional and interdisciplinary academic research with significant local, regional and national impact. More importantly, we see ourselves as a service to the community… In addition, we aim to serve our communities in the Northeast Kansas region in various ways, including through this conference.”
As part of the conference, organizers have partnered with the Spencer Museum of Art and KU Hillel to bring together Jewish art, music and history. On the evening of April 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the Spencer Museum of Art (1301 Mississippi St, Lawrence, KS 66045) and exhibit curator Celka Straughn will provide a guided tour of Jewish art and artifacts, and musical guests The Bigs will perform music of Jewish American songwriters.
“With online panels and in-person components, including keynote speakers and a special exhibit at the Spencer Museum of Art, attendees will have a chance to explore Jewish art, culture, identity and more, all offered locally in the KU campus in Lawrence, Kansas,” Zeedan said. “The in-person components are designed to serve our local community. Also, this hybrid format ensures accessibility for a broad audience, encouraging active participation from anywhere in the world.”
From April 15 through 19, KU Hillel (1121 Indiana St. Suite C, Lawrence, KS 66044) will have a pop-up exhibit, “Homemaking: Building the Jewish Community of Kansas,” curated by KU Museum Studies graduate student Dominique Stringer. The exhibit will explore the community-building efforts of Jewish Kansans from the early 1900s to the present day. Focusing on the often unseen and underappreciated work of Jewish women, these documents and objects showcase the continual processes of support needed to create welcoming communities in the isolated setting of the Midwest. The exhibit will share the story of how immigrants were received, how communities were built and the mutual support networks providing shelter, food and industry to new Americans.
“Partnering with the Spencer Museum of Art and KU Hillel comes from a shared mission to educate and engage communities with cultural and historical exhibitions. The pop-up exhibit collaborates with these institutions and with the local community in Lawrence, to enrich the conference experience, offering attendees a tangible connection to Jewish art and history,” Zeedan said. “This partnership reflects our broader strategy to integrate academic discussions with cultural exhibitions and integrate ourselves with the local community we serve… The focus of the exhibit KU Hillel on the Jewish Community of Kansas is a testament to our appreciation and recognition of Jewish cultural heritage in our state.”
This event was made possible through support from sponsors and partners at the University of Kansas and the local and regional community of Northeast Kansas: KU International Affairs; the KU Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies; the Spencer Museum of Art; the University of Kansas Libraries; the University of Kansas Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging; the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Research Initiative; the Religious Studies Department; the Spanish & Portuguese Department; the KU History Department; the KU Jewish Faculty & Staff Council; the Sabatini Multicultural Resource Center; KU Hillel; Dr. David Katzman and Sharyn Brooks Katzman; the Lawrence Jewish Community Congregation; and the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education.
More information and registration information is available at kujewishstudies.ku.edu/jewsamericas.
