Freedom Seder

Freedom Seder: American Judaism and Social Justice

SecondÌýBiannual Embodied Judaism Symposium and Exhibit
Thursday, November 12, 2015Ìý| CU Boulder campus
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In April 1969, on the first anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jewish and African-American activists came together in ¿ªÐÄ¹í´«Ã½, D.C. to share a meal in solidarity, an event that came to be known as the Freedom Seder. Based on a text written by Arthur Waskow, this event would exert a long-lasting influence on American life, generating considerable controversy, while also sparking new forms of political activism and religious practice across the ideological spectrum. The content, context, and legacy of this event formed the focus of the 2015ÌýEmbodied Judaism Symposium,ÌýFreedom Seder: American Judaism and Social Justice.

Freedom Seder

TheÌýsymposiumÌýfeatured leading scholars and practitioners from across North America,ÌýincludingÌýRabbi Arthur Waskow, one of the central figures behind the original Freedom Seder;Ìý, co-chair of the board of directors of ALEPH: The Alliance for Jewish Renewal and writer of the popular blogÌýVelveteen Rabbi;Ìý, Associate Professor of English and Founding Director of the Laboratory for Race and Popular Culture at CUÌýBoulder; andÌý, Professor Emeritus of American Studies at the University of Minnesota and the 2015 . Moshe Kornfeld, the 2015-2016ÌýPostdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer for the Program in Jewish StudiesÌýStudies,Ìýopened theÌýsymposium with a welcoming song.

The walk-throughÌýexhibit accompanying the symposiumÌýexploredÌýthe Freedom Seder and its legacy, along with the storied careers of Rabbi Waskow and Rabbi Leah Novick. The exhibit is currently located on the 2nd floor of Norlin Library on the CUÌýBoulder campus andÌýis available for viewing during regular library hours, which can be found on the website.

Click here to watchÌý

the 2015 symposium.

Explore the Freedom Seder Symposium

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The 2015 Embodied Judaism Symposium: Freedom SederÌýwas presented by the University of Colorado Boulder’sÌýÌýandÌý. This event was generously cosponsored by CUÌýBoulder’sÌý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý,Ìý, andÌý. Special thank you to the Bender Family Foundation, the Jim and Diane Shneer Endowed Fellowship Fund, which supported Riv-Ellen Prell’s visit, and all donors to the Program in Jewish Studies for their support.
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