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Rabbi Dr. Michael A. Signer
ICJS 1995-'96 Scholar-in-Residence |
 For the past twenty-five years a group of North American scholars
called "The Christian Scholars Group on Judaism and the Jewish
People" (CSG) has come together to study anti-Jewish tendencies
within the Christian tradition and to replace these distortions
with constructive understandings. Since 1987 the ICJS has sponsored
the CSG. Meeting semiannually, the Christian Scholars Group provides
a forum in which participants can discuss innovative research
within a collegial setting and explore the implications of their
scholarship for the life of the church and society. Their meetings
have provided an uncommon opportunity for critical exchange and
reflection that has inspired a new level of conversation and study
in both the academy and the Christian community, one that goes
to the core issues of theological and communal identity.
ICJS
Jewish Scholar Participants
Daniel Boyarin--University of California, Berkeley
Robert Chazan--New York University
Elliot Dorff--University of Judaism, LA
David Ellenson--Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles
Steven Fine--Baltimore Hebrew University
Paula Fredriksen--Boston University
Tikva Frymer-Kensky--University of Chicago, School of Divinity
Nancy Fuchs-Kreimer--Reconstruc-tionist Rabbinical College, Philadelphia
Susan Handelman--University of Maryland
Susannah Heschel--Case Western
University, Cleveland
Larry Hoffman--Hebrew Union College, New York City
Steven Katz--Cornell University
Sara Lee--Hebrew Union College,
Los Angeles
Jon Levenson--Harvard University,
School of Divinity
Alan Mittleman--Muhlenberg College, Pennsylvania
David Novak--University of Virginia
Peter Ochs--Drew University, New Jersey
Marc Saperstein--Washington University, St. Louis
Jonathon Sarna--Brandeis University
Michael Signer--University of Notre Dame
David Stern--University of Pennsylvania
Sara Tanzer--McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago
Burton Vizotsky--Jewish Theological Seminary, New York City
Elliot R. Wolfson--New York University
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Recognizing that there is no comparable group within the Jewish
community, the ICJS sought funding to establish just such a group.
During the 1994-95 programming year, the ICJS wrote and received
grants from the Lilly Endowment and the Charles Revson Foundation
to establish "The Jewish Scholars Group" (JSG). In the Fall of
1995 the ICJS will bring together twenty-five distinguished Jewish
academicians from across the country for the first meeting of
the JSG. The professional contributions of these outstanding men
and women have already opened up new insights into the complex
relationships between Jews and Christians. Their coming together
to explore the dramatic theological shifts that are unfolding
within Jewish and Christian circles promises to be a truly exciting
project.
Four times over the next two years these scholars will examine
the topic Resistance and Accommodation: Jewish Identity and Christian
Culture. The ICJS expects that this new programming initiative
will provide an opportunity for Jewish scholars both to explore
vital concerns for the Jewish community that have emerged in the
light of Jewish-Christian studies and probe the consequences of
these studies for contemporary Jewish practice, teaching, and
faith. In addition, the Institute anticipates that these meetings
will help establish a network of Jewish scholars who can, in turn,
provide leadership and counsel in shaping the direction of Jewish-Christian
studies in North America.
Dr. Michael A. Signer, Abrams Professor of Jewish Thought and
Culture at the University of Notre Dame, will chair the JSG. All
meetings will be held in Baltimore. The ICJS anticipates that
the fourth meeting will be a joint session with the Christian
Scholars Group.
In addition to chairing the Jewish Scholars Group, Dr. Signer
will serve as Jewish Scholar-in-Residence at the Institute during
the 1995-96 academic year. In that capacity, Dr. Signer will meet
with a variety of ICJS study groups, advise the ICJS staff and
Program Committee regarding future programming initiatives, and
assist in long range planning. |