The Michael Sockol Jewish Writers Fund: Traveling the Diaspora

What exactly makes someone Jewish? Is being Jewish an ethnic characteristic, is it based on beliefs, or is it cultural? In his book, Fragile Branches: Travels Through the Jewish Diaspora, Professor James Ross recounts his journeys among the world’s most far-flung Jewish communities in countries including Uganda, India, Peru, and Brazil. Mr. Ross will describe how these communities discovered Judaism, and explore their distinctive practices and rituals. As well, we will learn the ways that geographical isolation allowed for both the preservation and evolution of Jewish traditions. Mr. Ross forcefully argues for the integrity of his subjects’ religious identity, and against parochial notions of Judaism that would exclude them: “These disparate communities are searching for their places in the world. How we … respond to them is nothing less than a reflection of how we look at ourselves.” When not traveling across the Jewish diaspora, Mr. Ross taught at Northeastern University where he was the Stotsky Professor of Jewish Historical and Cultural Studies.
Contact: Adult Learning