Center for Jewish Studies

Alide Cagidemetrio: “Choosing Venice: Seduction, Henry James, and The Wings of the Dove”

Professor Alide Cagidemetrio of the University of Venice will speak on “Choosing Venice: Seduction, Henry James, and The Wings of the Dove” Professor Cagidemetrio will offer some observations about details in the novel, 19th century Venice, James’s biography, and some literary themes such as don juanism, thinking to reinstate curiosity as a legitimate part of [...]

Gershom Gorenberg: Distinguished Alumni Lecture

UCSC alumnus Gershom Gorenberg is the author of the forthcoming book, The Unmaking of Israel, on the crisis of Israeli democracy and how to solve it. The book will be published in November by HarperCollins and is now available for pre-order at all the usual places. Gershom’s previous book is The Accidental Empire: Israel and [...]

A Public Dialogue with Jean Baumgarten and Nathaniel Deutsch

One of the most important—and least appreciated—categories that Jews have employed to experience the world Jewishly is minhag, a Hebrew word typically translated into English as “custom.” Historically, minhag enabled Jews to transform practically every event and action into something with Jewish meaning; it also enabled Jews to differentiate themselves from non-Jews, as well as [...]

Women, Jews, Venetians Conference Recap

The “Women, Jews, Venetians” conference was an exciting opportunity for those interested in the experiences of Jewish women in Venice, and the wider effects of those experiences on society, to come together to discuss research findings and suggest future possibilities for action. Organized by Prof. Baumgarten of UCSC, the conference made productive use of our [...]

Every Protection: Exploring Pregnancy and Childbirth in the Jewish Pale of Settlement

Until 1917, most Jews of the Russian Empire were restricted to a region called the Pale of Settlement, where they created their own distinctive folk culture. In 1914 the writer, socialist revolutionary, and ethnographer, Sh. An-sky, produced a massive Yiddish ethnographic [...]

• February 2, 2012 4:00 pm
  Yair Dalal: "Bridge to Babylon Lecture on Jewish Middle Eastern Music"


• February 3, 2012 7:00 pm
  Yair Dalal with Dror Sinai: An Evening of Jewish Music from Iraq