Nomi Stolzenberg, PhD and David Myers, PhD, will explore the unique political engagement of the Satmar Hasidic community and its broader implications in the upcoming U.S. elections.
On Thursday, October 10, Fairfield University’s Bennett Center for Judaic Studies will present a timely lecture entitled “Hasidic Politics in America: A Pre-Election Perspective.” The event will take place at 5 p.m. in the Kelley Center Presentation Room, featuring distinguished scholars Nomi M. Stolzenberg, PhD, University of Southern California Gould School of Law, and David N. Myers, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles.
This lecture will explore the unique political engagement of the Satmar Hasidic community and its broader implications in the upcoming U.S. elections. Dr. Stolzenberg and Dr. Myers will provide a nuanced understanding of how Hasidic communities, particularly the Satmar dynasty, navigate American legal and political systems, highlighting the interplay between religious and cultural autonomy within a democratic society.
Dr. Stolzenberg, who holds the Nathan and Lilly Shapell Chair at USC Gould School of Law, is an esteemed legal scholar whose work spans diverse areas such as law and religion, feminism, and psychoanalysis. She co-authored American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York with Dr. Myers, offering an in-depth exploration of the Satmar community. Her other publications tackle critical topics including secularism and the intersection of race and religion in law.
Dr. Myers, a distinguished professor of history at UCLA, holds the Sady and Ludwig Kahn Chair in Jewish History. His notable career includes directing the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy and the UCLA Initiative to Study Hate. He is a leading scholar in Jewish history and has authored numerous influential works, including American Shtetl, co-authored with Dr. Stolzenberg. Their book received the 2022 National Jewish Book Award in American Jewish Studies.
Reservations are requested for this lecture. Questions? Contact the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies at bennettcenter@fairfield.edu or call 203-254-4000, ext. 2066. For more information or to register, visit fairfield.edu/bennett.
