2020 Jewish Latter-day Saint Dialogue
8th Dialogue Series
November 12-13, 2020 - Teleconference (Utah & California locations)
Participants: Mark Diamond (LMU), Marc Dollinger (San Francisco State University), Tamar Frankiel (AJR-CA, emeritus), Joshua Garroway (HUC), Kristine Garroway (HUC), Lita Liddle Giddins (BYU), JB Haws (BYU), Shon Hopkin (BYU), Jamie Jensen (BYU), Holli Levitsky (LMU), Jared Ludlow (BYU), Quin Monson (BYU), Barbara Morgan Gardner (BYU), Andrew Reed (BYU), Jacob Rennaker (Widtsoe Foundation, USC), Sam Spector (Sr. Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami, SLC), Brent Top (BYU), Steven Windmueller (HUC, emeritus)
Academic Dialogue Sessions
Session 1: 9:00-11:30 am CA/10:00 am-12:30 pm UT — Racism: Historical Context and Background, Systemic Issues
Speakers/Presenters:
- Marc Dollinger, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Chair in Jewish Studies and Social Responsibility, San Francisco State University
- Lita Liddle Giddins, Coordinator of Diversity, Collaboration, and Inclusion, Brigham Young University
Co-chairs:
- Holli Levitsky, Professor of English and Director of Jewish Studies, Loyola Marymount University
- Eric Huntsman, Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
Session 2: 1:00 -3:30 pm CA/2:00-4:30 pm UT — Doctrinal Developments in the Jewish and Latter-day Saint Traditions
Speakers/Presenters:
- Andrew C. Reed, Assistant Professor of Church History, Brigham Young University
- Tamar Frankiel, Emeritus Professor of Comparative Religion and former President, Academy for Jewish Religion CA
Chair: Brent Top, Richard L. Evans Chair for Religious Understanding and Professor of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University
No photos or screenshots currently available.
Session 4: 9:00-11:30 am CA/10:00 am-12:30 pm UT — Jewish and Latter-day Saint Praxis: Life Cycle
Speakers/Presenters:
- Mark Diamond, Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Loyola Marymount University and Professor of Practical Rabbinics, Academy for Jewish Religion CA
- Shon Hopkin, Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
Chair: Joshua Garroway, Associate Professor of Early Christianity and the Second Commonwealth at the Los Angeles campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Public Sessions
Session 3: 4:00-5:30pm CA/5:00 -6:30 pm UT — Political Trends in the Latter-day Saint and Jewish Communities
Speakers/Presenters:
- Steven Windmueller, Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service and former Dean of the Skirball campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
- Quin Monson, Associate Professor of Political Science, Brigham Young University
Chair: J.B. Haws, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Religious Education, Brigham Young University
Special Program: 6:00-7:00 pm CA/7:00-8:00 pm UT — Book Launch and Celebration of Understanding Covenants and Communities: Jews and Latter-day Saints in Dialogue, published by the Religious Studies Center of Brigham Young University and the Central Conference of American Rabbis Press
Sponsors:
- Central Conference of American Rabbis
- Brigham Young University Religious Studies Center
- Jewish Studies Program, Loyola Marymount University
- Ancient Scripture Department, Brigham Young University
- Church History and Doctrine Department, Brigham Young University
- Brigham Young University Interfaith Student Association
Program:
- Andrew Reed, Volume Co-editor, Assistant Professor of Church History, Brigham Young University
- Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive of the Central Conference of American Rabbis
- Scott Esplin, Publications Director of the BYU Religious Studies Center
- Holli Levitsky, Professor of English and Director of Jewish Studies, Loyola Marymount University, Representing Dr. Robin Crabtree, Dean, Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts
- Mark Diamond, Volume Co-Editor, Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Loyola Marymount University and Professor of Practical Rabbinics, Academy for Jewish Religion CA
- Jared Ludlow, Co-author of "Supersessionism and Latter-day Saint Thought: An Appraisal," Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
- Joshua Garroway, Author of Response on Supersessionism, Associate Professor of Early Christianity and the Second Commonwealth at the Los Angeles campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
- Kristi Garroway, Author of "Women & Religion in Ancient Israel," Visiting Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Los
- Angeles campus of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
- Tamar Frankiel, Author of "The Lived Experience of Jewish Women," Emeritus Professor and Provost of the Academy for Jewish Religion, California
7th Dialogue Series
February 26-28, 2020 - BYU/Salt Lake City
Participants: Wendy Bat-Sarah (Cantor, Congregation Kol Ami, SLC), Mark Diamond (LMU), Tamar Frankiel (AJR-CA, retired), Joshua Garroway (HUC), Kristine Garroway (HUC), JB Haws (BYU), Shon Hopkin (BYU), Jamie Jensen (BYU), Holli Levitsky (LMU), Jared Ludlow (BYU), Quin Monson (BYU), Barbara Morgan Gardner (BYU), Andrew Reed (BYU), Jacob Rennaker (Widtsoe Foundation, USC), Sam Spector (Sr. Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami, SLC), Catherine Taylor (BYU), Brent Top (BYU), Miranda Wilcox (BYU), Steven Windmueller (HUC, emeritus)
Academic Dialogue Sessions
- Wed Feb 26 – early afternoon - Joint scripture readings (at BYU)
- Latter-day Saint reading on Moses 1, led by Jacob Rennaker
- Jewish reading on Exodus 3:11–14, Pirkei Avot 1:1, led by Rabbi Sam Spector
- Wed Feb 26 – late afternoon - Session on women in academia in the two religious traditions
- Latter-day Saint commentators (5-7 minutes each): Catherine Taylor, Jamie Jensen, Miranda Wilcox
- Jewish commentators (5-7 minutes each): Kristi Garroway, Tamar Frankiel, Holli Levitsky
- Thu Feb 27 – afternoon - Dialogue session on anti-Mormonism; (at BYU-SLC Center)
- Presenter: JB Haws; Respondent: Steven Windmueller
- Fri Feb 28 – morning (at Kol Ami Synagogue) - Music in the Jewish & Latter-day Saint traditions
- LDS presenter: Eric Huntsman
- Jewish respondent: Cantor Wendy Bat-Sarah
Public Events
- Wednesday evening - Dinner with BYU students
- Graduate students (chaplaincy program) - Ben Sagez, Anthony Moya, Scott Paxman, Drake Cottman, Delbert Young
- Undergraduates (in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Philosophy, Middle Eastern Studies, and others) – Nick Hainsworth, Sydney Ballif, Arianna Davidson, Spencer Clark, Emily Larson
- Wednesday evening – Public Event with BYU Students and Community; 175 in attendance
- Description of Dialogue Effort, Joint reading responses, Q&A
Photo by Andrew Reed
Joint Cultural Understanding Events
- Thursday morning (8:30 am to noon) - Tour of Welfare Square, Bishop’s Central Storehouse, Humanitarian Center
- Thursday noon - Lunch at the Roof, Capitol Room, Joseph Smith Memorial Building, hosted by Church Public Affairs
Photo by a really kind missionary standing nearby
- Thursday late afternoon - “backstage” experience with organist and conductors of Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square
- Led by Eric Huntsman (choir member, BYU professor); Ryan Murphy (conductor); Richard Elliott (organist)
Photo by Shon Hopkin
Photo by Shon Hopkin
- Thursday evening - Tabernacle Choir rehearsal, arranged by Eric Huntsman, Mack Wilberg conducting
- Thursday evening - Tour of Church History Museum
- With a welcome and introduction from Alan Morrell