Gratz College

03/05/2025

Belated birthday wishes to our dear heroine Rebecca Gratz! To celebrate her March 4th birthday, we've pulled this letter from our archives. 🎂 🎈

March 02, 1858
Josephine Etting writes on the occasion of the grand aunt Rebecca's birthday, her father's continued poor health, Passover preparations, the health and emotions of family and friends, her current reading material, and students at the school.

Here is the text of the beginning of the letter:

I wish it were in my powers My own Aunts, to convey upon this lifeless piece of paper the
many [ear-nest] prayers, & kind wishes, which are filling my
heart _ I write this evening, that on your birthday you
may receive this assurance, that you [are] lovingly remembered.
I trust that many years of health & usefulness, will
be accorded to you _ & in the good wishes I now offer,
I desire [as] _ enclude, our dear kind Friend whose birth
-day corresponds with yours. _ I feel too, that it is not
[alone], for their [your] _ own sake, I wish so ardently for both
my dear friends, long life, & happiness _ but a great
selfishness mingles with these better feelings _ for
what should I do, if deprived of their [affict] interest
& protecting [care?] that, has so long been my support _
& resolution, My Father cordially smiles in these
expressing & sends you both, his [best] love,
[end of page]

02/27/2025

We're starting a book 📙 club in Bala! Join us over the next 6 months as we expand our breadth and depth of modern Jewish thought. This series is meant for thoughtful people, regardless of their background in Jewish learning.

We start with a kick-off lecture on March 12th with Zev Eleff presenting "Who Reads and Writes Modern Jewish Theology".

The books are posted below. All sessions are free, but please sign up here so we know you are coming: https://www.gratz.edu/academics/degree/continuing-education/bookclubregistration

02/26/2025

We held an intimate gathering in our library space on Tuesday night with David Hirsh, professor at Goldsmiths, University of London and Ayal Feinberg, Gratz professor. We spoke at length about the sources and trends of antisemitism in Britain and the U.S.

We were privileged to host several of our graduate students. Pictured below, left to right, are Bobbi Bittker (Councilperson, Town of Bedford, New York), Rachel Singer (Director of the Klehr Center, Franklin & Marshall), Leah Dukes (Educator Manager at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, NY) Tami Peterson (Managing Editor, Journal of Contemporary Antisemitism), Kathryn Seu (Jewish Federation of Southern NJ), and Elizabeth Eldred Berger (Antisemitism Studies student). We appreciate Bobbi and Liz for moderating the lively conversation.

We are of these amazing individuals – and truly blessed that they have chosen Gratz to pursue their education.

02/25/2025

We had a packed room for today's lunch program about the Civil War Diary of Emma Mordecai. Melissa R. Klapper gave a thoughtful overview of the experience of this Jewish woman who lived on a Confederate farm with slaves during the war. A lesson from the program: "History is messy. People are not all good or all bad."

The project of publishing the diary with a scholarly forward was originally conceived by Rowan professor (and Gratz professor!) Dianne Ashton. Klapper took on the enormous responsibility of continuing the work of Ashton after her untimely passing. Thank you for thoughtfully bringing Ashton's work to the light of day.

Learn more about The Civil War Diary of Emma Mordecai:
https://www.amazon.com/Mordecai-Goldstein-Goren-American-Jewish-History/dp/1479831905

02/21/2025

We love this story in the Jewish Exponent about Hazzan Arlyne Unger! 👏😗🗣️

Arlyne is a graduate of our master's degree in Jewish music and cantorial studies. She found her passion in life as a cantor after coming to the realization that she was able to make a career out of it! In fact, she became the first female cantor/educator in the Delaware Valley at Beth Tikvah B'Nai Jeshurun in 1995.

Interestingly, this article was written by Jon Marks, a freelance writer and (coincidentally) the father of Gratz development associate Lauren Beth Marks.



https://www.jewishexponent.com/arlyne-ungers-climb-to-hazzan-an-inspiration-to-women/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0Lw4TpTvpGpHvhO2hpbFNfX9F42G8ufixkqtL3at9_9YXhV_P__sN3B4Q_aem_BYZL3WAqL7ztTTPs5prFDA

Growing up in Mt. Airy, Arlyne Unger’s mother, Kitty, always loved hearing her daughter sing, especially at family functions.“ They’d have those big family seders and would make me sing Ma Nishtana and Dayenu,” Unger said. “So, I learned at a fairly young age to be comfortable in front of ...

02/18/2025

February is Jewish Disability Awareness month. High-five someone you love. ❤️ 🖐

We strive to build awareness one teacher at a time with our new Master of Science degree in Special Education: https://www.gratz.edu/academics/program/education/ms-special-education

02/17/2025

🪅🎉🇺🇸

02/12/2025

Happy to see that the Jewish Exponent wrote about our joint venture: the Greater Philadelphia Antisemitism Town Hall. We are partnering with the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, ADL Philadelphia, AJC - American Jewish Committee(Philly/South Jersey), and Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia JCRC to bring together top local leaders and experts at the forefront of countering antisemitism to share their latest initiatives, programs, and strategies.

https://www.jewishexponent.com/local-jewish-organizations-look-to-combat-antisemitism-at-joint-town-hall

🟦

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, a host of local Jewish organizations are hosting an event at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History that organizer Meir Zimmerman of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia called important at a moment that feels “extremely vulnerable” for Jewish peo...

02/12/2025

Director of Women’s & Gender Studies at Rowan, Melissa R. Klapper, PhD will take us on a fascinating journey through time to teach us about Emma Mordecai, a Southern Jewish woman, who kept a diary ✒️ documenting the Civil War as seen through her eyes.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Mandell Campus

Lunch and Learn with Melissa R. Klapper, PhD

02/10/2025

The Super Bowl winner, Torah portions, the Eagles fight song in Hebrew, and President Zev Eleff's views on the intersection between faith and sports...

“Just like we want our rabbis to embody our beliefs, we want our quarterbacks and running backs to be role models, to represent something bigger than themselves. We like their stories, their struggles.”

Here's a good read by Benyamin Cohen from The Forward:
https://forward.com/news/sports/695278/philadelphia-eagles-wings-super-bowl-torah-portion-jewish/

Plus, Jewish leaders offer other biblical lessons from the Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

02/10/2025

Celebrate the launch of our new Master's degree in Special Education AND learn everyday advice for helping diverse learners.

Our speaker, Jonathan Mooney, was a neuro-diverse child diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD who didn't learn to read until he was twelve. In this intimate conversation, Mooney will share his journey and offer teachers and parents new ways of thinking about diversity and disability in the classroom.

Online, February 20th, 7pm ET

https://www.gratz.edu/news-and-events/event-calendar/special-education-launch

Special Education Master's Degree

02/10/2025

Cheers to our amazing Philly hometown team! Fly EAGLES Fly! Superbowl LIX Champions! 🏈🏆

02/07/2025

Atah medaber ‘ivrit? 🗣️
In-person Hebrew classes have begun at Gratz in Bala!

02/03/2025

We are saddened to learn that Marion Wiesel (Miriam bas Chaim a"h), widow of Elie Wiesel, passed away on Sunday. She was a remarkable woman—translator, editor, and producer. The world is smaller without her.

To learn more about this Woman of Valor who often flew under the radar, try The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity website:
https://lnkd.in/e8gQxjpB
and this video: https://lnkd.in/e_BuxaER

The New York Times explains that "following their marriage, Marion changed the rhythm of Mr. Wiesel’s days and expanded his sense of possibility — without altering his moral temper."
https://lnkd.in/eK5XW9vu

Some words from Professor Wiesel found in his 2011 memoir, Open Heart:
"I recall our first meeting, at the home of French friends. Love at first sight. Perhaps. Surely on my part. I thought her not only beautiful, but superbly intelligent. Hearing her discuss with great passion some Broadway play, I became convinced that I could listen to her for years and years—all my life—without ever interrupting her. I invited her to lunch at an Italian restaurant across from the United Nations. Neither of us touched the food. Her background? Vienna, then fleeing from place to place; being imprisoned in various camps, including the infamous Camp de Gurs; eventually finding freedom in neutral Switzerland. Finally New York. Everywhere, miracles of adaptation, survival and extraordinary encounters. For years now I have been advising her—begging her, in fact—to write her memoirs. In vain."

"Since then, I cannot imagine my life, my lives, without her. I owe to her the best translations of my work. Our Foundation for Humanity is fully her responsibility. Since its creation she has given it her energy, talent and imagination."

Thank you to Alison Joseph and Elizabeth Japha for finding the photos below of Marion within our own Gratz collection, generously given by the Foundation.

We offer our condolences to Elisha Wiesel and the entire extended Wiesel family at this heartbreaking time. May her memory be for a blessing.

Zikhronah Livrakha

02/02/2025

Our Associate Director of Enrollment Management Mindy Escourt Blechman is hosting a table at the Prizmah Conference 2025 in Boston.

Please stop by to say hello! We’ve got so many opportunities for educators in the Jewish space.

01/29/2025

A new class started at our Beit Midrash today. On the right is Rabbi Andrew Markowitz of Adath Israel discussing "Jewish Mythbusters!"

Don't forget: We've got an in-person beginner's Hebrew class starting next week! Come learn your Aleph Bet with us.

01/28/2025

Last Call: Our adult learning classes begin next week!
Check out this fascinating class with Rabbi Lance J. Sussman.

Kings to Kibbutzniks: A History of Jews and Agriculture
Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, PhD
Mondays: 2pm - 4pm ET
February 3 - March 24 (8 weeks)
Zoom, $250

This course explores the long and complex history of Jewish agriculture, from Biblical times to the present. It covers the agricultural practices in Ancient Israel, the shift to city-based economies in late Antiquity, and the impact of antisemitic laws. The course also examines the 19th-century encouragement of Jewish farming by Russian Czars and philanthropists, the development of Jewish model farms globally, and the role of the kibbutz movement in early 20th-century Zionism. Additionally, it highlights Jewish involvement in collectivized agriculture in the USSR and contemporary contributions to agricultural research, agribusiness, and sustainability, with Israel as a leading food exporter.


Jewish Farm School

01/27/2025

On this somber 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, we reflect on what we have and haven't learned.

Below is a photo from our Elie Wiesel Archive, showing Wiesel with L**h Walesa, the former President of Poland, in 1989.


The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity