Boulder Jewish News Arts, Culture, Events, Lifestyles, Holidays, Synagogues, Education
By: Diamond Darling, Center for Humanities & the Arts, CU Boulder
Mark your calendars for a thought-provoking evening as the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Humanities & the Arts (CHA), in collaboration with Grace Commons Church and CU Libraries, presents “Difficult Dialogues: Antisemitism & Being Jewish in the United States”.
Scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, 2023, the Fall 2023 installment of Difficult Dialogues (a semi-annual series) will tackle the pressing issue of antisemitism through a panel discussion with the Boulder community. The resurgence of this disturbing trend in the past decade, coupled with events like the Charlottesville march, the Tree of Life synagogue attack, and recent celebrity comments, has raised questions about its roots and intersections with other forms of discrimination. The event will be held in-person at the Grace Commons Church, located at 1820 15th Street, Boulder, CO 80302. Doors will open at 6:30pm, and the engaging dialogue will take place from 7:00pm to 8:30pm. Attendance is free and open to the public, though registration for the event is requested.
The panel will guide attendees through this challenging subject, offering unique insights and diverse perspectives. Moderator Gregg Drinkwater, PhD, is the inaugural Program Director for the UC Berkeley Antisemitism Education Initiative (AEI) and will lead the discussion. Joining him on the panel will be a lineup of local community members: Dr. Alex Bulkacz, MD, Family Medicine Specialist in Boulder County; Stacey Aviva Flint, Director of Education and Community Engagement with Jewish Federations’ JEDI Initiative (Jewish Equity, Diversity and Inclusion); Jerry Pinkser, Chair of the Boulder Steering Committee of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL); Pedro Silva, former pastor at Boulder’s First Congregational UCC.
The Difficult Dialogues event series brings together local voices to explore complex topics, fostering a mutual understanding and a respectful discourse. Difficult Dialogues events aim to create a space for grappling with tough subjects that people may find difficult or uncomfortable to talk about. These events are not debates but platforms for thoughtful exchange. Past Difficult Dialogues events have covered topics like abortion, race, making mistakes, and power dynamics. The intention of the event series is to promote understanding, self-reflection, and mutual respect by encouraging participants to engage in meaningful discussions.
Event hosts, including Center for Humanities & the Arts, Grace Commons Church, and CU Libraries, are united in their commitment to facilitating conversations that help broaden perspectives and enhance empathy.
If you’re ready to challenge your understanding and engage in meaningful discourse, register for the event at https://colorado.edu/cha/dd23rsvp. Be part of this vital conversation on Wednesday, September 13 and help foster a more inclusive and understanding community. For more information, please visit www.colorado.edu/cha/difficultdialogues2023-antisemitism
