Join Dr. Dean P. Bell, President and CEO of Spertus and Dr. Keren E. Fraiman, Dean and Chief Academic Officer from Spertus for an interactive workshop that will contextualize contemporary antisemitism and examine a range of approaches to addressing it.
We will consider real-world case studies to help participants strengthen communication (especially during times of crisis), set priorities for their work in this area and collaborate more effectively in their organizations and across their communities. Through guided discussions and practical exercises, we will explore both reactive and proactive strategies, equipping participants with concrete tools to respond effectively in different situations.
Dr. Dean P. Bell is Spertus Institute’s ninth President and CEO. Dr. Bell has taught at DePaul University, Northwestern University, Hebrew Theological College, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of California, Berkeley. He has served as President of the Midwest Jewish Studies Association and has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Association for Jewish Studies. Dr. Bell is a widely published author in the areas of Medieval and Early Modern Jewish history. His current research focuses on interreligious dialogue and leadership and environmental history.
Bell is author or editor of 13 books and monographs and dozens of articles, including co-author of Interreligious Resilience: Interreligious Leadership for a Pluralistic World; and co-editor of Jews, Judaism, and the Reformation in Sixteenth-Century Germany. He is Associate Editor of Antisemitism: A Historical Encyclopedia of Prejudice and Persecution.
Dr. Keren E. Fraiman is Spertus Institute’s Dean and Chief Academic Officer. In January 2020, Dr. Fraiman was selected for the prestigious Wexner Field Fellowship, presented by the Wexner Foundation in partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation. A former Schusterman Israel Scholar, Dr. Fraiman has worked at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis, served as an officer in the IDF, and led trips to Israel as a Facilitator both for Encounter and Birthright Israel. Her work has been supported by the US Institute of Peace, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism, and the Chicago Project on Security and Terrorism.
Fraiman is co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Judaism in the 21st Century and author of the article Barriers to Entry: Exploring Educator Reticence for Engaging with the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
Spertus is an institution of higher Jewish education headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It offers learning opportunities that are “rooted in Jewish wisdom and culture and open to all.” At its core are graduate degree and certificate programs in which students engage with Jewish ideas in the service of personal growth, community leadership and professional advancement.