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Swarsensky Memorial Weekend 2024

Swarsensky Memorial Weekend November 8–10, 2024: Understanding Antisemitism in American Society, with Scholar in Residence Chad Alan Goldberg, Professor of Sociology and Jewish Studies

                

At Temple Beth El we honor the legacy of Rabbi Manfred Swarsensky, rabbi of Temple Beth El from 1940 to 1976, by engaging as a community in a weekend of learning at the time of his yahrzeit.

Rabbi Swarsensky was a person of great resilience who created an impactful life here in Madison after escaping Nazi Germany in 1939. His response to violent hatred of Jews is a lesson for us today as we face the alarming rise of antisemitism in our country.

This year, on November 8, 9, and 10, the Swarsensky Memorial Weekend will feature Chad Alan Goldberg, University of Wisconsin–Madison professor of sociology and Jewish studies. He will guide us in learning about how American Jews thrived in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, despite the constant presence of antisemitism, even enjoying what some now call the “golden age” of American Jewry.

Through shared learning, these insights will help us address crucial questions we face today: How can we live in a world with increased antisemitism, and how can we respond, both as individuals and as a community?

Click the links below for more information and to register.

Swarsensky Memorial Weekend Shabbat Worship: Recognizing the Sources of Antisemitism in Lech L’cha
Friday, November 8, 7:30–9:00 pm • Sanctuary & YouTube
Please join us for this special Shabbat worship as Professor Goldberg introduces the weekend’s timely topic, tracing how the Torah portion Lech L’cha anticipates antisemitism and hints at both the manifest and secret sources of the longest hatred. (learn more)

Swarsensky Memorial Weekend Interactive Torah Study: Curses and Blessings: What Can We Learn from Lech L’cha about Responding to the Longest Hatred?
Saturday, November 9, 9:30–11:30 am • Frank Adult Lounge & Zoom
After introducing the sources of antisemitism in Lech L’cha during our Friday evening worship, Professor Goldberg will lead our community in Torah study, focusing on how this Torah portion reveals the different ways that Jews may respond to an often hostile world. (learn more)

Swarsensky Memorial Weekend Keynote: Antisemitism and American Exceptionalism: Rethinking the Place of the Postwar Era in US History
Sunday, November 10, 9:00 am–12:00 pm • Swarsensky Social Hall & Zoom
While many scholars have argued that America is exceptional in avoiding severe antisemitism, Professor Goldberg will discuss how the “golden age” of American Jewry from the 1960s to the mid-2010s may itself be the exception—a crucial insight as we respond to the challenges of today. (learn more)

Please register.

Find our accessibility measures and visitor guide on our in-person information page.

October 3, 2024 1 Tishrei 5785