Tom Kinsella
VENTNOR – Stockton University faculty and staff members will explore topics such as Holocaust denial and the United States naturalization process during the 22nd annual “Salute to Stockton” educational summer lecture series being held at Shirat Hayam Synagogue 700 N. Swarthmore Ave.
All lectures are free, open to the public, and held 7 p.m. Fridays part of the Sabbath services. Question and answer sessions will follow.
The series’ schedule is as follows:
July 26: Thomas Kinsella, professor of British Literature and director of the South Jersey Culture and History Center, will present on the SJCHC’s recently released publication, Migdal Zophim. Translated from Hebrew as “The Watchtower” in English, this publication consists of a re-publication of an 1889 book of the same name by Moses Klein that discusses the historic struggles of Jewish farming communities, as well as 20 additional accounts of the South Jersey Jewish farming colonies of Alliance, Rosenhayn and Carmel, dating from 1882 to 1907.
Melissa Holzman
Aug. 2: Melissa Holzman, an adjunct professor in the School of General Studies, will speak on Holocaust and genocide denial.
Irvin Morena-Rodriguez
Aug. 9: Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez, Program Assistant in the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton, will discuss the United States naturalization process, what it means to be a citizen of the U.S., the benefits and responsibilities of citizenship, and the common barriers individuals face when applying for U.S. citizenship.
Aug. 23: Beverly Vaughn, professor of Music, will present “…And the walls came tumblin’ down,” a fast-paced, inspirational presentation of African American spirituals and songs encompassing themes of encouragement, victory, perseverance and faith, that will feature members of the Stockton Oratorio Society.
Beverly Vaughn
“This popular Town-Gown series has become an annual summer cultural highlight for both the congregation as well as our neighboring community,” said Shirat Hayam Rabbi Gordon Geller, who is also a longtime adjunct faculty member in Stockton’s School of General Studies.
