Dr. Abramson is pleased to speak at High Schools free of charge.
Teachers will receive supporting materials to accompany the lecture, including bibliographic resources and links for flipped classrooms, and suggested topics for classroom discussion. Please contact Rabbi Justin Gershon to arrange a booking.
Rabbi Justin Gershon
justin.gershon@touro.edu
(718) 252-7800 x399
Popular Lecture Topics
The Holocaust
The lecture content will be tailored to the level of student awareness, from introductory overviews to more focused presentations on topics such as “Resistance,” “Judaism in the Warsaw Ghetto,” or “Could it Happen Here?” Biographical lectures include Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapiro, Hannah Szenes, Emmanuel Ringelblum.
Israel
Students appreciate clear, dispassionate presentations on the roots of the Israeli-Arab conflict, especially regarding the geographic expressions of the multiple wars of the region and the borders of the State of Israel.
Jewish Women Leaders
This topic works best as a focused study of specific women, tailored to the mission and goals of the class. Suggested biographies include Sarah Schenirer, Golda Meir, Gluckel of Hameln, Babatha. Topics relating to the holiday calendar are also available, such as “Dona Gracia Nasi: An Esther after the Spanish Inquisition.”
Maimonides
The life and works of one of the greatest minds of Jewish history. His heroic triumph over personal adversity is especially inspiring, and the Jewish-sponsored burning of his books in the 13th century often provokes considerable classroom debate. Especially appropriate for schools named for this towering figure.
The Secret of Jewish Survival
A discussion of the kehilah system of Jewish self-government, a remarkable social achievement that protected Jewish communities despite intense persecution and pervasive pressure to abandon Judaism. Its dissolution, beginning in the late 18th century, has freed individual Jews from a sometimes autocratic and coercive leadership, but at great cost to the maintenance of group integrity.
Antisemitism: The Eternal Hatred
This presentation focuses on the four principal periods of antisemitic ideology (ancient xenophobia, early anti-Judaism, medieval Jew-hatred, and modern antisemitism).
Hillel
An introduction to the world of Rabbinic literature through the biography of one of Jewish history’s greatest thinkers. Especially appropriate for schools named after this highly influential thinker.
Jews and American Politics
A decidedly non-partisan overview of the major issues of debate among Jewish voters, and and ideological orientation of the major American political parties. Works best when scheduled around the campaign cycle, with attention to the platforms of the respective candidates.