ODU Launches Inaugural Jewish Education Week on April 3

March 28, 2014

Old Dominion University will launch its inaugural Jewish Education Week with a slate of events April 3-9 to promote cross-cultural dialogue and awareness of Hampton Roads' diverse ethnic and religious communities.

The events begin April 3 with a screening of the pilot episode of "Hatufim," an Israeli television show that the popular HBO series "Homeland" was modeled after, and continue April 4 with a Q&A session with Sharon Shahaf, an expert on Israeli television from Georgia State University. Other events include an Interfaith Seder on April 8 and a presentation on April 9 by ODU faculty and students who recently spent spring break in Europe studying the Holocaust.

Jewish Education Week is the result of a collaborative effort among the ODU departments of communication and theatre arts, history, philosophy and religious studies; the Institute for the Humanities; Hillel, the Jewish student organization; the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding; and the Office of Intercultural Relations.

As part of the effort to promote increased cross-cultural dialogue and awareness among members of ODU and Hampton Roads' diverse ethnic and religious communities, the Institute for the Humanities will introduce a graduate certificate in Interfaith Understanding this year.

"The Institute for the Humanities has fully embraced the president's challenge to increase interfaith understanding, and we see events such the 'Hatufim' screening and last semester's campus visit by filmmaker Susan Youssef as essential components for meeting that challenge," said Avi Santo, director of the ODU institute.

Jewish Education Week Schedule of Events:

• "Hatufim": Thursday, April 3, University Theatre, 6-8 p.m. This event will screen the first episode of the Israeli television series, "Hatufim." There will be an introduction before the film by Sharon Shahaf, an expert on Israeli television from Georgia State University. This event is co-sponsored by the communication and theatre arts department, Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding and Office of Intercultural Relations.
• "American Dreams - Israeli Formats": Friday, April 4, 9024 Batten Arts and Letters Building (Burgess Room), 3-5 p.m. This event features a discussion and Q&A with Shahaf about the recent global popularity of Israeli television formats. The discussion will center on how these formats have been adapted in numerous countries, including the United States, with series like "Homeland" and "inTreatment." It is co-sponsored by the communication and theatre arts department, Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding and Office of Intercultural Relations.
• Interfaith Seder: Tuesday, April 8, President's Dining Room, Webb Center, 12:30-1:30 p.m. This event aims to teach about the Passover Seder in an interfaith setting. Anyone interested in attending should contact Farideh Goldin at fgolding@odu.edu. It is sponsored by the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding.
• Paris/Auschwitz Post Study Abroad Trip Reception: Wednesday, April 9, Hampton/Newport News Room, Webb Center, 6:30-8:30 p.m. History department faculty members Annette Finley-Croswhite and Brett Bebber, along with their students, will share their experiences studying the Holocaust abroad on a faculty-led trip over spring break. It is co-sponsored by the Office of Academic Affairs, history department, Office of Intercultural Relations, Office of Study Abroad and Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding.