Black Jewish Scholars on Antiblack Racism and Antisemitism conferenceheader
Black Jewish Scholars on Antiblack Racism and Antisemitism
April 29th and 30th, 2025
Konover Auditorium
UConn-Storrs Campus
*****
Sessions in Konover Auditorium with viewing available at this link.

 

I became painfully aware that merely being born in a group,
does not necessarily make one possessed of complete knowledge concerning it.

First Day
April 29, 2025
Sessions in Konover Auditorium

 

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM  
Coffee, Tea, and Pastry in Konover Lounge  
 
9:30 AM–10:00 AM 
Opening and Welcome 
 
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM  Panel 1 - Moderator: Lewis R. Gordon
  • Bruce D. Haynes, University of California, Davis, “Jews, Monsters, and Space Lasers”
  • Efrat Yerday, Tel Aviv University, “Racialized Citizenship: Ethiopian Jews and the Israeli State, 1955–1975” 
       
      11:30 AM – 1:15 PM  Panel 2 (Virtual) - Moderator: Adane Zawdu Gebyanesh
      • Shula Mola, Hebrew University, “The Paradox of Belonging: Ethiopian-Israeli Female Students' Cross-Group Empathy During the Iron Swords War”
      • Shelly Engdau, University of Haifa, “‘Your Color Gives You Away’: Blackness, Resilience and Community Responses to Racism in Israel” (online)
         
        Break for Lunch 
         1:15 PM – 2: 30 PM 
         
        3:00 PM – 5:00 PM  Panel 3 - Moderator:  Jane Anna Gordon
        • Remy Ilona, Olaudah Equiano Institute, “The Holocaust of Biafra: Anti-Semitism and Genocide in Sub-Saharan Africa”
        • Itzik Itzhak Dessie, Bar-Ilan University, “Resilience and Identity: Confronting Anti-Blackness and Antisemitism Among Ethiopian Jews in Israel" 
        • Walter Isaac, University of Tennessee, “Antiracist Strategies to Combat Global Antisemitism” 
               
              5:00PM – 6:00 PM
              Reception in Lounge

              Second Day
              April 30, 2025
              Sessions in Konover Auditorium  
               
              8:30 AM – 9:00 AM  
              Coffee, Tea, and Pastry in Konover Lounge 
               
              9:00 AM–9:30 AM 
              Opening and Welcome 
               
              9:30 AM – 11:00 AM  Panel 5 - Moderator:   Lewis R. Gordon
              • Bryan Roby, University of Michigan, “The Possibilities and Limits of ‘Afro-Asian’ Jewish Solidarity” 
              • Moriya Tadela, University of Haifa, “Gender and Race in Another Place: Intersectionality and the Development of Ethiopian Feminism in Israel” 
                   
                  11:15 AM – 11:45 AM  Resident Artist
                  • Jessica Valoris, Mandel Artist Fellow, “Rituals of Remembrance: Black Fugitivity and AfroJewish Creative Praxis”
                   
                  11:45 AM – 12: 30 PM  Panel 6 - Moderator: Adane Zawdu Gebyanesh
                  Conversation with the artist  
                   
                  12:30 PM – 1: 30 PM  
                  Break  for Lunch  
                   
                  2:00 PM – 4:00 PM  Panel 7 - Moderator: Lewis R. Gordon
                  • Shahanna McKinney-Baldon, Global Center for Advanced Studies, “Afrofuturistic Ibbur: Researching and Performing the Great African American Khaznte, Then and Now”
                  • Gil Rothschild Elyassi, University of Haifa, “Whitening Jewishness” 
                     
                    4:15 PM – 5:45 PM  Panel 8 - Moderator:  Jessica Cooperman
                    Concluding conversation with organizers 
                    5:45 PM – 6:30 PM
                    Closing reception in lounge

                    Registration for this event is now closed. For questions, please contact lewis.gordon@uconn.edu.

                    Conveners

                    Participants

                    Dr. Fekade Abebe
                    Dr. Fekade Abebe
                    Postdoctoral Fellow, Germany
                    Dr. Danny Admasu
                    Dr. Danny Admasu
                    Hebrew University

                    Rabbi Dr. Walter Isaac

                    Rabbi Dr. Walter Isaac
                    University of Tennessee

                    Itzik Itzhak Dessie

                    Itzik Itzhak Dessie
                    Bar-Ilan University

                    Dr. Dréa Key
                    Dr. Dréa Key

                    Claflin University

                    Dr. Remy Ilona

                    Dr. Remy Ilona
                    Olaudah Equiano Institute

                    Dr. Shula Mola

                    Dr. Shula Mola
                    Hebrew University

                    Shahanna McKinney-Baldon

                    Shahanna McKinney-Baldon
                    University of Wisconsin

                    Dr. Bryan Roby

                    Dr. Bryan Roby
                    University of Michigan

                    Dr. Gil Rothschild Elyassi

                    Dr. Gil Rothschild Elyassi
                    Haifa University

                    Dr. Engdau Shelly

                    Dr. Engdau Shelly
                    University of Haifa

                    Moriya Tadela

                    Moriya Tadela
                    University of Haifa

                    Efrat Yerday

                    Efrat Yerday
                    Tel Aviv University

                    Resident Artist for the Meeting

                    Jessica Valoris
                    Jessica Valoris
                    Mandel Artist Fellow

                    Special thanks to UConn Staff:

                    Headshot of Mary Malley

                    Mary Malley
                    Philosophy and Sociology

                    Headshot of Sita Nyame

                    Sita Nyame
                    Global Affairs

                    Headshot of Alenies Rodriguez

                    Alenies Rodriguez
                    Philosophy and Sociology

                    oak leaf

                    Armi Rowe
                    Judaic Studies

                    Sponsored By:

                    Africana Studies

                    Africana Studies Institute

                    Antisemitism Lab

                    Antisemitism Lab

                    Center for Judaic Studies

                    Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life

                    CLAS Dean’s Office

                    CLAS Dean’s Office

                    LCL Department

                    Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages

                    Sociology

                    Department of Sociology

                    Human Rights Institute

                    Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute

                    African American Cultural Center

                    H. Fred Simons African American Cultural Center

                    Diversity Office

                    Office for Diversity and Inclusion

                    Philosophy and Global Affairs

                    Philosophy and Global Affairs

                    UConn Global Affairs

                    UConn Global Affairs

                    UConn Hillel

                    UConn Hillel

                    Humanities Institute

                    UConn Humanities Institute