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Religious Education
Council for Interfaith Engagement

2021 Jewish-Latter-day Saint Dialogue

10th Dialogue Series

October 14-15, 2021 Zoom Conference

Participants: Mark Diamond (LMU), Elliot Dorff (American Jewish University), Sarah Emanuel, (LMU), Barbara Morgan Gardner (BYU), Joshua Garroway (HUC), Kristine Garroway (HUC), JB Haws (BYU), Andrew Hedges, (BYU), Shon Hopkin (BYU), Janiece Johnson (BYU), Holli Levitsky (LMU), Jared Ludlow (BYU), Patrick Mason (Utah State University), Quin Monson (BYU), Andrew Reed (BYU), Jacob Rennaker (Widtsoe Foundation, USC), Sam Spector (Sr. Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami, SLC), Daniel Swartz (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life), Brent Top (BYU, emeritus), Steven Windmueller (HUC, emeritus)

Thursday, October 14

Session 1: Scriptural Reflections

(Texts to be shared and studied in hevruta prior to conference by pairs of Jewish and Latter-day Saint participants)

9:00-10:30 am CA/10:00 am-11:30 am UT

Facilitators: Theologies of Suffering:

Brent Top, BYU; Mark Diamond, LMU/AJRCA

Peace, War, and Violence: Quin Monson, BYU; Josh Garroway, HUC

Environmental Stewardship: Jacob Rennaker, Widtsoe Foundation, USC; Tamar Frankiel, AJRCA

Welcome: Mark Diamond, LMU/AJRCA

Chair: Jared Ludlow, BYU

Session 2: Theologies of Suffering in the Latter-day Saint and Jewish Traditions

11:00 am-1:00 pm CA/12:00-2:00 pm UT

Presenters: Andrew Reed, BYU; Sarah Emanuel, LMU

Chair: Shon Hopkin, BYU

Lunch Zoom gathering (for dialogue team, presenters, and invited chairs)

1:30 – 2:30 pm CA/2:30 – 3:30 pm UT

Session 3: Environmental Stewardship: Jewish and Latter-day Saint Views

3:00-5:00 pm CA/4:00-6:00 pm UT

Presenters: Andrew Hedges, BYU; Daniel Swartz, Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

Chair: Steven Windmueller, HUC

Friday, October 15

Session 4: Peace, War, and Violence: Jewish and Latter-day Saint Perspectives

9:00-11:00 am CA/10:00 am-12:00 pm UT

Presenters: Patrick Mason, Utah State University; Elliot Dorff, American Jewish University

Chair: Janiece Johnson, BYU

Planning Meeting (for continuing dialogue participants)

11:15-12:00 pm CA/12:15-1:00 pm UT

9th Dialogue Series

March 11-12, 2021 - Teleconference (Utah & California locations)

Participants: Mark Diamond (LMU), Tamar Frankiel (AJR-CA, emeritus), Barbara Morgan Gardner (BYU), Joshua Garroway (HUC), Kristine Garroway (HUC), Lita Liddle Giddins (BYU), JB Haws (BYU),Stu Halpern (Yeshiva U), David Holland (Harvard), Shon Hopkin (BYU), Holli Levitsky (LMU), Jared Ludlow (BYU), Joshua Matson (FSU), Quin Monson (BYU), Jason Olson (Navy Chaplain), Andrew Reed (BYU), Jacob Rennaker (Widtsoe Foundation, USC), Ben Schilaty (BYU), Cameron Scott (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev), Zach Shapiro (Temple Akiba, Culver City, CA), Sam Spector (Sr. Rabbi, Congregation Kol Ami, SLC), Brent Top (BYU), Steven Windmueller (HUC, emeritus)

Academic Dialogue Sessions

Session 1: Thursday, March 11th, 9:00-11:30 am CA/10:00 am-12:30 pm UT/12-2:30 pm NY — Jewish and Latter-day Saint Approaches to Education

Open by invitation to grad students

Speakers/Presenters:

  • Rabbi Dr. Stu Halpern, Senior Advisor to the Provost and Senior Program Officer, Straus Institute for Torah and Western Thought, Yeshiva University
  • Dr. Barbara Morgan Gardner, Associate Professor of Religious Education, Brigham Young University

Respondent: Dr. David Holland, John A. Bartlett Professor of New England Church History, Harvard Divinity School

Stu Halpern (Yeshiva University) - Jewish Attention to Education
Stu Halpern (Yeshiva University) - Jewish Attention to Education

Chair: Dr. Shon Hopkin, Associate Professor of Religious Education, Brigham Young University

Session 2: Thursday, March 11th, 12:30 -3:00 pm CA/1:30-4:00 pm UT/3:30-6:00 pm NY — LGBTQ Inclusion in the Jewish and Latter-day Saint Communities

Open to invited guests

Speakers/Presenters: 

  • Rabbi Zach Shapiro, Spiritual Leader, Temple Akiba, Culver City, CA
  • Dr. Ben Schilaty, Honor Code Administrator, Brigham Young University, and author of A Walk in My Shoes

Chair: Dr. Andrew Reed, Assistant Professor of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University

Session 3: Thursday, March 11th, 4:00-6:30 pm LA/ 5:00-7:30 pm UT/ 7-9:30 pm NY — Conversion in the Latter-day Saint and Jewish Faith Traditions

Open to Invited Guests

Speakers/Presenters:

  • Dr. Jason Olson, Navy Foreign Area Officer, and co-author of The Burning Book: The Book of Mormon and an Arizona Jew’s Search for Prophets and a Promised Land
  • Dr. Josh Garroway, Sol and Arlene Bronstein Professor of Judaeo-Christian Studies and Professor of Early Christianity and Second Commonwealth, Hebrew-Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles
  • Dr. Tamar Frankiel, Professor Emeritus of World Religions and Past President, Academy for Jewish Religion CA
  • Dr. Kristine Garroway, Visiting Assistant Professor of Bible, Hebrew-Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, Los Angeles

Chair: Rabbi Mark Diamond, Senior Lecturer of Jewish Studies, Loyola Marymount University, and Professor of Practical Rabbinics, Academy for Jewish Religion CA

Tamar Frankiel - Conversion in the Jewish Orthodox Traditions
Tamar Frankiel - Conversion in the Jewish Orthodox Traditions

Public Session

Session 4: Friday, March 12th, 9:00 am-11:00 Noon LA/ 10:00 am-12:00 pm UT/ 12:00 pm-2:00 pm NY — Jews and Latter-day Saints in the Diaspora

Zoom webinar – public session

Speakers/Presenters: 

  • Cameron Scott, PhD Candidate, Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Dr. Jared Ludlow, Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
  • Rabbi Sam Spector, Spiritual Leader, Congregation Kol Ami, Salt Lake City
  • Joshua Matson, PhD Candidate in Religion, Florida State University, and Director of the Tallahassee Institute of Religion

Chair: Dr. Holli Levitsky, Professor of English and Director of the Jewish Studies Program, Loyola Marymount University