Sister Rose Thering Fund Evening of Roses 2025 Ad Journal
June 12, 2025 Gala Evening of R ses
“I know the power of teachers. It is my deepest wish that teachers in our public and parochial schools, with scholarship assistance, will be able to enroll in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University to stem the tide of ignorance in our schools and in society.”
— Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D.
Full tuition scholarships are available from the Sister Rose Thering Fund for teachers and educators from New Jersey public, private or religious-affiliated schools in grades K – 12 to enroll in graduate courses in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University.
Visit www.shu.edu/sisterrose
E-mail: srtf@shu.edu or call 973-761-9006
WELCOME
Program
Heather Mecka
Chair, Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education
in Jewish-Christian Studies
GREETINGS
INVOCATION
REMARKS
PRESENTATION OF AWARD
REMARKS
PRESENTATION OF AWARD
Anthony C. Sciglitano, Jr., Ph.D.
Executive Director, Sister Rose Thering Fund
Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L
Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Seton Hall University
2023 Recipient, Sister Rose Thering Fund Award
For Outstanding Service to the Sister Rose Mission
Jonathan Farina
Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, Seton Hall University
Anthony Sciglitano
Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett
Frank Stebbins
Vice-Chair, Sister Rose Thering Fund
REMARKS
BENEDICTION
FAREWELL
Rabbi Michael Berenbaum
Rabbi Ira Jaskoll
Volunteer Chaplain, Seton Hall University
Heather Mecka
PLEASE JOIN US FOR COFFEE, CONVERSATION, AND DESSERT AFTER THE CEREMONY.
Greetings from Anthony C. Sciglitano,
Jr., Ph.D.
SRTF Executive Director
Associate Professor of Religion
Dear Friends of the Sister Rose Thering Fund,
Many thanks to all of you who have come out for this wonderful celebration, who have given so that we can continue the important work of Sister Rose. A special thanks to our dynamic Board of Trustees, chaired by one of our former teacher-scholars, Heather Mecka, who consistently give their time, talent, and treasure to support our outreach, advocacy, and scholarship program. If you have not had the fortune to meet members of our Board, try to do so this evening. They are an inspiring group who strive to make this world a better place every day.
We have much to celebrate: our teacher-scholars who will bring the lessons they learned through the Jewish-Christian Studies program to thousands of students; the Dr. Marcia Robbins Wilf Lecture given by Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, a woman of immense integrity, empathy, and courage; our second annual Kristallnacht Remembrance, and our Celebration of Education which invites students from 7-12 grades to submit essays reflecting on a theme in relation to the Oscar nominated film, Sister Rose’s Passion. All of you and your support, makes this possible.
It has also been a terribly difficult year within the Fund and out. Within the Fund we lost three pillars of our mission: Rev. Lawrence Frizzell, Marilyn Rosenbaum, and Luna Kaufman. We mourn the passing of these wonderful lights, but we celebrate their extraordinary lives. May their memories be for a blessing.
Outside the Fund, we have the recent murder of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgram in Washington D.C., an attack on a march for Israeli hostages in Colorado, and, earlier, the arson at Governor Shapiro’s home in Pennsylvania. All of this tells us that we have much work to do in all areas of our mission. This evening, we celebrate our wonderful honorees, both of whom reflect the values and cares of the Sister Rose Thering Fund. Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum honors us by accepting this award. His efforts to educate the public on the Holocaust through writing, speaking, and through visual and material history embedded in the very design of museums are perhaps unparalleled. Rev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett has labored in the vineyard of justice, civil rights, and education for many years and there can be little doubt that the arc of history has bent towards justice a little more every time he teaches another class, preaches, mentors students, or advises the campus on how to move forward in tumultuous times. It has been my privilege to call him a colleague these last two decades.
Please know that you are all welcome here with the Sister Rose Thering Fund at this marvelous institution, Seton Hall University. We want to see you again at our lectures and events. Send us a note every now and then expressing your concerns and ideas! We are here to serve our mission by serving the community around us. You are that community. I hope you all have a wonderful evening and thank you for being with us!
Yours,
Anthony C. Sciglitano, Jr.
A Message from the Chair
Heather Mecka, SRTF Chair
Greetings from the Chair
We are thrilled to welcome you to the 2025 Evening of Roses, a celebration of a year full of commitment, inspiration, and collaboration, as we honor Rabbi Michael Berenbaum and Reverend Forrest Pritchett. Both have worked tirelessly to improve the impact of Holocaust education, stand up for the civil rights of all, and engage in fruitful interreligious dialogue.
As we journey into our fourth decade, I reflect upon my initial connection to the Sister Rose Thering Fund. In 2017 I had the privilege of enrolling in the Jewish-Christian Studies Program in Dr. David Bossman’s class, Lessons of the Holocaust. Both the coursework and the professor left an indelible mark on me, influencing not only my teaching but my perspective, global view, and objectives. This class enabled me to better teach my students about the causes and effects of this genocide, as well as how we can move forward from this terrible time in history, and how we can take those lessons with us to make the world a kinder and more humane place today. I am but one of many teachers who has experienced this, thanks to the efforts of SRTF, and I am truly grateful.
Flash forward eight years and I am beyond honored to serve as Chair of this amazing Board, composed of individuals who truly embody and engage in Tikkun Olam, the practice of repairing the world. I wish to recognize and thank Dr. Anthony Sciglitano, our Executive Director, for all the guidance, patience, and support he has shown me during my first year as chair. I must also acknowledge Deborah Lerner Duane and Susan Feinstein for their mentorship and words of wisdom as well as their experience, all of which I have leaned heavily on during my time on this board. I feel a great deal of gratitude for the opportunity to share Sister Rose’s message and mission through my work with the Fund, continuing to provide New Jersey teachers with the opportunity to increase their levels of knowledge in Holocaust Studies, enabling them to go back into the classroom to educate, motivate, and inspire our next generation of potential change makers and stakeholders.
Sister Rose believed strongly that reaching teachers is the best way to ensure that tomorrow’s leaders will know both the value of understanding the Holocaust and why we need to challenge ourselves to do better as a society. We are facing increased antisemitism and a loss of confidence in the power of interfaith dialogue and relations, and are tasked with the role of remedying this breakdown. The Sister Rose Thering Fund embraces the responsibility to make inroads, inspire change, and demand transformative action in this regard.
In November, we commemorated the anniversary of Kristallnacht with students, community members, and Board trustees. Just one week later, we had the honor of hosting Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, noted scholar, author, and Director of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Interfaith Education Center of Manhattan College, as our featured speaker at the Dr. Marcia Robbins Wilf Lecture Series. We had a full house (over 100 guests!), and during her lecture, Dr. Afridi shared the need for peaceful interfaith dialogue and reminded us how we can be forces of social justice in today’s world. Soon after, SRTF invited young writers and multimedia innovators in grades 7-12 to participate in our 15th Annual Sister Rose Literary & Video Arts Competition, and in April we had the pleasure of honoring the Competition winners, along with our 2024-25 Teacher-Scholars for their achievements at our Celebration of Education.
We have also suffered some heartbreaking losses this year. In January, we said goodbye to a beloved SRTF Founding Trustee, Luna Kaufman, a driving force of nature in her quest to make the world better. We are grateful for the many gifts of Luna, especially her motivation, endless energy, and resilience. Two months later, Founding Trustee Marilyn Rosenbaum passed away, leaving another hole in our SRTF fabric. A woman of dignity and honor, Marilyn’s passion for social justice strengthened each of us. And only last month, we lost Father Lawrence Frizzell, another driving force of SRTF and a former chairman of the University’s Jewish-Christian Studies Program. We will always be inspired by Father Frizzell’s patience, kindness, and love of learning. He was an inspiration for his fellow trustees and JCST students. Our work continues as we honor the legacy of each.
Tonight we celebrate Sister Rose, her commitment to educators and children, and our generous donors who help make SRTF’s mission possible. We are grateful and humbled by your support now more than ever, as the frightening escalation of antisemitism once again rears its ugly head.
I look forward to continuing our work together to make Sister Rose’s mission a reality. Our 2025-2026 calendar contains many engaging events, and we look forward to sharing them with you. Thank you for all you do to keep Sister Rose’s passion alive!
With love and respect,
Heather Mecka
S I S TER R OS E THERIN G FUND AWARD IN THE HUMANITIE S AND HO L OC AU S T E DU C ATI O N
RABBI DR. MICHAEL BERENBAUM
Distinguished Professor and Director, Sigi Ziering Institute Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies American Jewish University
Michael Berenbaum is the Director of the Sigi Ziering Institute: Exploring the Ethical and Religious Implications of the Holocaust and a Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the American Jewish University. The author and editor of 24 books, he was also the Executive Editor of the Second Edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica. He was Project Director overseeing the creation of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the first director of its Research Institute and later served as President and CEO of the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which took the testimony of 52,000 Holocaust survivors in 32 languages and 57 countries. His work in film has won Emmy Awards and Academy Awards. He has developed and curated museums in the United States, Mexico, North Macedonia, and Poland and his award-winning exhibition Auschwitz: Not Long Ago. Not Far Away has been in Madrid and Malmo, New York, Kansas City, and, most recently, at the Ronald Regan Library in California and will soon open in Boston.
S I S TER R OS E T HERIN G F UND
C LER G Y A WARD
REV. DR. FORREST M. PRITCHETT
Director, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Program
Senior Adviser to Provost on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Seton Hall University
Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett, more commonly addressed as Rev. Pritchett, is a longtime civil rights activist, mentor, and adviser. With 53 years of experience in higher education, including his over 40-year career at Seton Hall, which began in 1978, he currently serves as the director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Program, and the senior adviser to the provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Throughout his years at Seton Hall, he has functioned as the Assistant Dean of the Black Studies Center, a faculty mentor in Freshman Studies, an adjunct professor in the departments of Africana, Interdisciplinary, and Religious Studies, and the program director of the Seton Hall Gospel Choir. He is well known for coordinating the annual MLK, Jr. Day Symposium, which provides perspectives on racism, privilege, and justice while educating students on the principles of MLK as a civil rights leader. He has seen initiatives like the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Association grow immensely, now supporting up to 20 students each year financially. As someone who has inspired generations of Pirates through his many roles and has contributed greatly to numerous campus organizations, the university continues to embrace Pritchett as a servant leader and a pillar of the campus community who has helped to challenge the University to be and do better.
THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies
Our History
The concept of teaching about interfaith relations in this Catholic university dates back to the arrival in 1953 of Monsignor John M. Oesterreicher, who established the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. Oesterreicher, a convert from Judaism to Catholicism in 1927, had been lecturing, conducting research and creating publications for 15 years when he sensed the need for a program coordinator to flesh out his work and bring his lessons to the wider community at Seton Hall. Thus, in 1968 he advertised for someone to fill this position. As fate would have it, Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D., with a background in education and Jewish-Christian Studies and a keen interest in the Jewish roots of Christianity and the State of Israel, responded to his ad and was hired for the position. Its tasks included organizing summer trips to Israel for teachers and lay persons to learn about the Holy Land. Called the Menorah Institute, the program’s positive impact, both on Monsignor Oesterreicher and teachers, led to the establishment of a Master’s degree program, directed by Father Lawrence Frizzell, now offered in the Department of Religion.
During the more than 30 years of her career as professor of higher education in the College of Education and Human Resources, Sister Rose continued to lead the Menorah Institute and became a close colleague of David M. Bossman, Ph.D., who had arrived at Seton Hall in 1985, served for a time as Provost and then as chair of the Department of Jewish-Christian Studies. Dr. Bossman and a group of close friends of Sister Rose wanted to offer teachers more courses in Jewish-Christian Studies, and eventually discussed the possibility of offering scholarships to teachers. The idea of developing a significant fund to help defray costs of tuition
led to the establishment in 1993 of such a fund and program. Originally called the Sister Rose Thering Endowment—later changed to the Sister Rose Thering Fund—it is overseen by an elected Board of Trustees who created a set of working by-laws.
In 1994, the State of New Jersey, then led by Governor Christine Todd Whitman, and urged on by Sister Rose and others, including former Governor Thomas H. Kean, signed into law a mandate to teach about the Holocaust and Genocide in all public schools in New Jersey, grades K-12. This law created the mandate and was bolstered by the message of Pope John Paul II to Catholic schools, We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah (March 1998). Sister Rose became a founding member of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, charged to carry out the mandate, and served until her death in 2006.
Today, the Fund offers annual scholarships and has reached more than 500 educators during its existence. It raises funds through donations received primarily at the Evening of Roses, held each Spring, a program that has honored outstanding educators and individuals who have shown traits of compassion, altruism and courage in various endeavors. The Sister Rose Thering Fund and the Graduate Program in Jewish-Christian Studies have been called “the hidden jewels” of Seton Hall University, but as Dr. Bossman has remarked, in reality they are "no longer hidden but treasures found" as the Fund contributes annually in scholarship funding to the University. Through advocacy and education, the Program continues to promote understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians and people of other religious traditions.
1993
Sister Rose Thering Fund: 30 Years of
Milestones
Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies is formed. Full-tuition scholarships are made available to educators who take courses in the graduate program in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University.
1998
Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel is awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Seton Hall University at the annual Evening of Roses. He chants Ani Ma’amin at the event, echoing his childhood chanting at the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.
2004
Documentary film Sister Rose’s Passion, directed by Oren Jacoby, wins Best Documentary Short at Tribeca Film Festival. It is nominated for an Academy Award in 2005.
2005
Anti-Defamation League honors Sister Rose with its ADL Cardinal Bea Interfaith Award, recognizing her contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations.
2006
Sister Rose passes away May 6. An interreligious memorial attended by hundreds of admirers is held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark.
2007
Cooperman-Ross Endowed Chair for Jewish-Christian Studies in honor of Sister Rose Thering established through the extraordinary generosity of Leon Cooperman and Eric Ross. Rabbi Alan Brill is awarded Endowed professorship.
2008
SRTF Essay Competition’s first celebration of high school essayists whose personal reflections about Sister Rose’s Passion were selected for their proficiency in writing and their plans to use Sister Rose’s ideals in their own lives.
2009
SRTF founding trustee and Chair Emerita Luna Kaufman receives an honorary degree from Seton Hall. She donates all her papers to the University.
2011
Through the exceptional generosity of SRTF trustee Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf, the Fund launches the Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Endowed Lecture. The annual event, open to the community at no charge, has featured luminaries and public intellectuals, including, among others, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Ambassador Dennis Ross, author Mark Oppenheimer, Rabbi Ron Kronish and Dr. Susannah Heschel.
2018
SRTF Trustee Alan Silberstein presents a paper on Sister Rose’s contribution to fighting anti-Semitism at an international symposium in Vienna, co-sponsored by the University of Vienna, Tel Aviv University and New York University. He later presents it at the inaugural Sister Rose Thering Legacy Day event at Seton Hall in 2019.
2019
SRTF Founding Executive Director and Professor of Jewish-Christian Studies Dr. David Bossman retires. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi is named Interim Executive Director of the Fund.
2021
Seton Hall Associate Professor of Religion Dr. Anthony Sciglitano is named Executive Director of the Fund.
2023
SRTF presents a Kristallnacht Remembrance on the SHU campus to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the first atrocity of the Holocaust.
2023-2024
The Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies celebrates its 30th anniversary.
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Hall of Records, Room 405, Newark, New Jersey 07102
973.621.4400
973.621.6343 (Fax) www.essexcountynj.org e
Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Essex County Executive
June 12, 2025
Dear Friend:
Welcome to the Sister Rose Thering Fund’s annual Evening of Roses Celebration!
As the Essex County Executive of one of New Jersey’s largest and most diverse counties, I always have said that our strength is our diversity, and worked to find common ground so that all our residents are treated fairly, equally and with dignity. Created more than 30 years ago, the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies has shared this vision and has continued the legacy of Sister Rose by promoting understanding, respect and appreciation among Jews, Christians, and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education.
Congratulations to Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum who is being awarded the Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in Humanities and Holocaust Literature and Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett who is being awarded the Sister Rose Thering Fund Clergy Award
Best wishes to all. Working together we will continue Putting Essex County First.
The Sister Rose Thering Fund For Education in Jewish-Christian Studies
Seton Hall University
The Sister Rose Thering Fund
400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079
For Education in Jewish-Christian Studies
400 South Orange Avenue
Dear Friends of the Sister Rose Thering Fund,
South Orange, NJ 07079
Dear Friends of the Sister Rose Thering Fund,
It is an honor for the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education to support the Sister Rose Thering Fund and the impactful academic programs the Fund has developed at Seton Hall University.
We often quote, with appropriate attribution, the instructional building blocks and positive thoughts that Sister Rose initiated and that the Fund has faithfully maintained. Her example stands as a monument to her beliefs and has created educational guidelines that teachers appreciate and that students admire. Her leadership and her ability to project her ideas into lessons that foster good fellowship among scholars have already served two generations of attentive students and await a third, now maturing in our grade schools. The fact that these children were born into a world increasingly motivated by mutual respect adds to Sister Rose’s legacy and makes us proud to have known her.
It is an honor for the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education to support the Sister Rose Thering Fund and the impactful academic programs the Fund has developed at Seton Hall University.
We often quote, with appropriate attribution, the instructional building blocks and positive thoughts that Sister Rose initiated and that the Fund has faithfully maintained. Her example stands as a monument to her beliefs and has created educational guidelines that teachers appreciate and that students admire. Her leadership and her ability to project her ideas into lessons that foster good fellowship among scholars have already served two generations of attentive students and await a third, now maturing in our grade schools. The fact that these children were born into a world increasingly motivated by mutual respect adds to Sister Rose’s legacy and makes us proud to have known her.
It gives me a great deal of pleasure, as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education and on behalf of the Commission, to congratulate both Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in the Humanities and Holocaust Literature, and Reverend Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Clergy Award
These two outstanding individuals exemplify the spirit and mission of Sister Rose in striving to build a better, more compassionate world. Their lifelong commitments to truth, education, justice, and interfaith understanding reflect the core values that Sister Rose championed.
It gives me a great deal of pleasure, as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education and on behalf of the Commission, to congratulate both Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in the Humanities and Holocaust Literature, and Reverend Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Clergy Award
The Commission applauds your ongoing efforts and looks forward to continuing our shared work in promoting the legacy of the Holocaust and ensuring that its lessons are never forgotten.
These two outstanding individuals exemplify the spirit and mission of Sister Rose in striving to build a better, more compassionate world. Their lifelong commitments to truth, education, justice, and interfaith understanding reflect the core values that Sister Rose championed.
With warmest regards and sincere congratulations,
Sincerely,
The Commission applauds your ongoing efforts and looks forward to continuing our shared work in promoting the legacy of the Holocaust and ensuring that its lessons are never forgotten.
With warmest regards and sincere congratulations,
Doug Cervi, Executive Director
New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education
Sincerely,
Doug
Cervi, Executive Director
New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education
SISTER ROSE THERING FUND BOARD
OF TRUSTEES 2024-2025
Chair – Heather Mecka
Vice Chair – Franklin Stebbins
Treasurer – Wayne Hanlon
Secretary – Ruth M. Ross
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Paula Becker Alexander, Ph.D.
Rabbi Alan Brill, Ph.D.
Ann Burgmeyer
Deborah Lerner Duane
Susan Feinstein
Rev. Lawrence Frizzell, D.Phil.W
James Gurland
Luna KaufmanW
Steven Pomerantz
Marilyn RosenbaumW
Robin Sanders
Ruth Loew Schildiner
Alan Silberstein
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Julia Altholtz
Gail Barry
David M. Bossman, Ph.D.
Concetta Donvito, Ed.D.
Piotr Dudek
Judith Elbaum
Steven Elbaum
Miki Fine
Eugene Fisher, Ph.D.
Kenneth Gaines
Sister Mary Gomolka, R.S.M.
Melinda Hanlon, Ed.S.
Louis Izzi
Allan Janoff
Murray Laulicht, Esq.
Jacqueline Levine
Przemyslaw Murczkiewicz
Robin Neuman
Karan Oleckna
Kenneth Oleckna, Esq.
Sylvia Orenstein, Esq.
Teri Rosen
Emmanuel Ruranga
Gary Survis
Joseph Volker, Ph.D.
Rachel Slutsky, Ph.D.
Lisa Capone-Steiger
Jason Tramm, D.M.A.
Robert Werbel, Esq.
Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf
Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L.
HONORARY BOARD
Trustee Laureate
Msgr. Robert Sheeran, ’67, S.T.D., President Emeritus, Seton Hall University
Senator Cory Booker
Honorable Chris Christie
Honorable Jon Corzine
Rabbi Irving and Mrs. Blu Greenberg
Honorable Thomas H. Kean
Senator Andy Kim
Sister Maryann McMahon, O.P.
Honorable Phil Murphy
Rev. Msgr. Joseph R. Reilly, S.T.L., Ph.D., President, Seton Hall University
Sister Sharon Simon, O.P.
Regina Townsend
STAFF
Anthony C. Sciglitano, Ph.D., Executive Director
Mary Mountcastle Prussak, Administrative Assistant
With Thanks to our Underwriters
LERER
Kristallnacht Remembrance
DEBORAH LERNER DUANE AND DANIEL J. DUANE
DR. DAVID BOSSMAN AND DR. MARCIA ROBBINS WILF
Carol & Alan Silberstein
join in honoring Michael Berenbaum, distinguished scholar, author and filmmaker, who has dedicated his life to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive
The world is a better place because of your work
Congratulations
Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum
Reverend Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett
Deborah Lerner Duane and Daniel J. Duane
June 12, 2025
In Memory of Sister Rose
Karan and Ken Oleckna
Congratulations & Warmest Wishes to
RABBI MICHAEL BERENBAUM
for his outstanding work in Humanities & Holocaust Education
And
Being Honored by the 2025 Sister Rose Thering Fund.
Your dedication and unwavering loyalty to the memory of the Holocaust and your distinguished leadership in educating Jews, Christians and all people and traditions is renown throughout the globe.
As children of a father who was a first generation survivor of the Ausweitz/ Birkenau Concentration camp as well as children of a mother who survived the hostilities of war occupied Amsterdam, Netherlands, we know the importance of teaching the world to NEVER FORGET so that history does not repeat itself.
We are forever grateful for your tireless efforts, your warmth and your cherished friendship.
Thank you to Professor Anthony Sciglitano and to the SRTF for fostering understanding and cooperation at Seton Hall’s graduate program of Jewish-Christian studies. You’re all to be applauded for this vital and inspiring work.
With great affection and appreciation
Dr. Ron & Cheryl Nagel
Esther & Dr. Paul Lerer
David & Marnie Nagel
Careena & Drew Parker
In Loving Memory of our Sister Rose Thering Fund pillars
Luna Kaufman
You are missed!
Marilyn Rosenbaum
Reverend Lawrence Frizzell
Susan Feinstein
Harwood & Berman families
Honor The Legacy of Sister Rose
With Heartfelt Congratulations and Deepest Gratitude to Michael Berenbaum
The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, (Claims Conference), proudly congratulates Rabbi Michael Berenbaum for being named a 2025 Sister Rose Thering Fund (SRTF) Honoree for his work in Humanities and Holocaust Education.
Like Sister Rose, Michael, too, is a force of nature in his work expanding Holocaust knowledge and understanding.
For more than two decades, Michael has volunteered his considerable expertise, compassion and integrity to numerous committees at the Claims Conference. His insight has been indispensable in shaping impactful Holocaust research and educational initiatives worldwide.
Michael’s dedication reflects the highest ideals of service and scholarship, and his enduring impact on the field of Holocaust studies is both profound and immeasurable.
Congratulations Michael on this well-deserved award! We are deeply grateful for your partnership and continued inspiration.
The Claims Conference
Honoring Marilyn Rosenbaum
1928-2025
dear friend of Sister Rose
Ann
The Gurland Family wishes to acknowledge the heroic and inspiring achievements of our honorees, Dr. Michael Berenbaum & Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett.
In memory of: Luna Kaufman
Marilyn Rosenbaum
Rev. Lawrence Frizzell
World War II Liberators
“May their memories be a blessing to us all.”
Wayne and Melinda Hanlon
In Memory:
GAIL ABRAMS SCHILDINER
Class of '91
Congratulations to Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, for being honored with the Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in the Humanities and Holocaust Education. Your decades of work telling the horrific history of the Holocaust and creating museums and educational centers to make this history accessible to millions around the world is monumental. You have been our teacher of this history and, most important, a dear friend to us and our family. Mazel tov with love, Rob and Elisa
Thank you for your community partnership!
Love,
Your neighbors at TSTI
Rabbi Daniel Cohen,
Rabbi Alexandra Klein, Cantor Rebecca Moses
Mom….
You Lead By Example!!!
Thank You for Guiding Us Every Day
You Are An Inspiration
Sister Rose Would Be Proud!!!
All our love always, Geoff, Adena, Lane, Gayle, Lauryn, Ari, Reid, Lance and Sophie
In Loving Memory of Marilyn Rosenbaum
Sister Rose was near and dear to heart.
Linda & Kenny Wasserman
Best Wishes FROM
Melinda A. Hanlon, Ed.S., President www.holyangels.org
In memory of Marilyn Rosenbaum (1928-2025)
SRTF Founder, Board Member, Beloved Friend from Ruth Ross
Tributes
I Am André, German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy
— by Diana Mara Henry
Dr. Michael Berenbaum — Mazel Tov on a Well-Deserved Honor — Dr. Julie Golding
In memory of Sister Rose and my beloved husband, Robert M. Starr
— From Dr. Barbara S. Starr
To a man and friend, Michael Berenbaum, well-deserving of this great honor
— Peter Geffen, Founder, The Abraham Joshua Heschel School, NYC
THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND
TEACHER-SCHOLARS
The following educators in Seton Hall's graduate program in Jewish-Christian Studies have been awarded sponsored scholarships since the 2019-2020 academic year. Generous foundations, bequests, individuals from the Board of Trustees and the community at large have donated funding to cover tuition for a single course for each student, thereby furthering Sister Rose Thering's legacy of understanding and cooperation among Christians, Jews and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education.
FALL 2020
Sally Leara
Jeanette Pine
Karen Santos
Michelle Scheps
Darlene Claussen
Casey Boyle
SPRING 2021
Darlene Claussen
Sally Leara
Jeanette Pine
Pamela Romanchuk
Karen Santos
Michelle Scheps
FALL 2021
Darlene Claussen
Sally Leara
Jeanette Pine
Pamela Romanchuk
SPRING 2022
Pamela Romanchuk
FALL 2022
Sara Voorhees
Brian Beyer
SPRING 2023
Sara Voorhees
Brian Beyer
FALL 2023
Daniel Hrdina
Father Akash Kurian
Sister Irene Musindi
Christina Rozanski
Satu Minna Schmitz
Sara Vorhees
SPRING 2024
Daniel Hrdina
Stanley Membreno
Satu Minna Schmitz
Kathleen Walsh
Nathaniel Houston
Christina Rozanski
FALL 2024
Stanley Membreno
Daniel Hrdina
Satu Minna Schmitz
Kathleen Walsh
Leah Genuario
SPRING 2025
Kathleen Walsh
Father Akash Kurian
Daniel Hrdina
Irene Musindi
Stanley Membreno
Satu Minna Schmitz
Leah Genuario
You have completed one milestone today, but you have many more goals to attain. As you do this, you must question, everything and always. When you and I stop questioning, you and I stop learning. It is that simple!
— Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D.
THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND
SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Begun in 2004, the SRTF Sponsored Scholarship program has awarded more than 150 scholarships for one course per semester to selected teachers. These awards, made by foundation and individual support, are a means of introducing sponsor to student, allowing them to learn about one another while also providing an opportunity for sponsors to follow students through their paths of study. Students and their sponsors are honored at an annual event in the Spring.
We gratefully acknowledge the following donors whose gifts and generosity have provided scholarships this year, allowing the legacy of Sister Rose to live on.
Marsha Kreuzman Endowed Scholarship
Lowell Harwood Memorial Scholarship
Hattie and Arnold Segal Endowed Scholarship
Luna Kaufman Endowed Scholarship
Wayne and Melinda Hanlon
Marilyn Rosenbaum
Deborah Lerner Duane and Daniel J. Duane Scholarship in memory of Ruth & Murry Lerner and Katherine & Daniel J. Duane, Sr.
Susan Feinstein
We welcome scholarship donations in honor of or in memory of someone. If you would like to donate a Sponsored Scholarship, please contact us at 973-761-9006 or e-mail us at srtf@shu.edu.
Past Honorees
1992 Drs. Charles and Gloria Steiner
1995 Rabbi Jehiel and Sylvia Orenstein
1997 Rev. Edward F. Flannery and Abraham Foxman
1998 Professor Elie Wiesel, Eva Fleischer and Murray Laulicht, Esq.
1999 Cynthia Ozick, Rabbi Israel Singer and Christophe Meili
2000 Sister Rose Thering, Archbishop Peter L. Gerety and Luna Kaufman
2001 Judith Banki, Anneke Burke-Kooistra and Nicholas & Margaret Pogany
2002 Sir Martin Gilbert, Rev. John F. Morley and Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf
2003 Dr. Nechama Tec, Theodore Bikel, David & Julia Altholz and Dr. David Bossman
2004 Dr. Eugene Fisher, Blu Greenberg and Dr. Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral E Abranches (posthumously)
2005 Sylvia and David Steiner
2006 Karan & Kenneth Oleckna and Toby & Leon Cooperman
2007 Monsignor Robert Sheeran
2008 Pearl Randall Lehrhoff and Seymour Lehrhoff
2009 Maud Dahme and Irena Sendler (posthumously)
2010 Joshua Bell
2011 Ela Weissberger
2012 Drs. Charles & Gloria Steiner and Raoul Wallenberg (all posthumously)
2013 Dr. Paul B. Winkler
2014 Sister Rose Thering Fund Founders
2015 Holocaust Survivors and Liberators
2016 Our Women of Valor — Sister Rose Thering, O.P.; Mary Vazquez; Ellin Cohen (all posthumously) and Marilyn Zirl
2017 Father Lawrence Frizzell, Luna Kaufman, Pearl Randall Lehrhoff and Hattie Segal
2018 Marilyn Rosenbaum and Darrell Terry, Sr.
2019 David M. Bossman, Ph.D. and Deborah Lerner Duane
2021 Peter Friedmann, Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation; Evi Meinhardt (posthumously) & Edward Meinhardt, Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation and Gene Hoffman
2022 Oren Jacoby, Director of the Oscar-nominated documentary Sister Rose's Passion
2023 Rabbi Noam Marans, American Jewish Committee’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations
Rev. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L., Coordinator for Undergraduate Admissions and Retention and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Seton Hall University
2024 Dr. Daniel Mendelsohn, Award in Humanities and Holocaust Literature Cantor Perry Fine, 2024 Clergy Award
2025 Winners of Literary Arts & Video Competition Essay
First Place • NYNETTE MENSAH • 7th Grade • Hackensack Middle School • Mrs. McGuire
First Place • DAHLIA BITTERMAN • 8th Grade • Millburn Middle School • Mrs. Bryan
Honorable Mention • SARAH PELCYGER • 8th Grade • Millburn Middle School • Mrs. Bryan
First Place • AVA LAPCZYNSKI • 9th Grade • Academy of The Holy Angels • Ms. Ryan
Honorable Mention • ALEJANDRO URAGA CAMPOS • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Kowalski
First Place • CARLISE POWELL • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Russell
Honorable Mention • DUA NAQVI • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Russell
First Place • VICTORIA VIZUETA • 12th Grade • Jose Marti STEM Academy • Ms. Weisman
Honorable Mention • ESMERALDA SUSANO • 12th Grade • Jose Marti STEM Academy • Ms. Weisman
Poetry
First Place • CATHERINE MAGAT • 7th Grade • Hackensack Middle School • Mrs. McGuire
First Place • GIANO CEVALLOS • 8th Grade • Hackensack Middle School • Ms. Jimenez
First Place • HABIBA ERFAN • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Kowalski
Honorable Mention • TANISHQ GOYAL • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Kowalski
First Place • JOANA JAYANTH • 10th Grade • Chatham High School • Ms. Ruffner
Honorable Mention • AMNA MANZOOR • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Russell
First Place • LILLY ARPS • 11th Grade • Chatham High School • Ms. Ruffner
Honorable Mention • JOHN MAKAR • 11th Grade • Bayonne High School • Ms. David
First Place • DAVID GU • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School • Ms. David
Honorable Mention • ELIYAH KAHEH • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School • Ms. David
Video
First Place • LIZBETH GEORGE & KRISTEN KURIAN • 9th Grade • Academy of The Holy Angels • Ms. Ryan
Honorable Mention • JAELIN ISKRA & EMMA GEBRAEIL • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School • Mrs. Kowalski
IN MEMORY OF Reverend Lawrence Frizzell
The Reverend Lawrence Frizzell was born on May 28, 1938, in Calgary, Alberta Canada. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Edmonton on June 2, 1962, receiving a License in Sacred Theology from the University of Ottawa the same year. Fr. Frizzell received a License in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1967. From 1967-1970, Father Frizzell served as a professor of Sacred Scripture in St. Joseph’s Seminary in Edmonton. For many years, he would return to Edmonton during the summer to teach in the Seminary. Father Frizzell was granted a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford in 1974. In that same year, he came to Seton Hall University as a scholar-in-residence. In 1975, he joined the nascent Graduate Department of Jewish-Christian Studies, serving in rotation as Chairperson of the Department and Director of the Graduate Program until 2021. Father Frizzell became the Director of the Institute of JudaeoChristian Studies in 1993, a role he held until his passing.
Fr. Frizzell was appointed by Pope Benedict in 2008 to serve as a Consultant for the Commission on Religious Relations with the Jewish people in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (currently the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity). He was reappointed to this position by Pope Francis and served as a consultant until 2018. Father Frizzell served on the Advisory Committee for Catholic-Jewish Relations of Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Interfaith Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark at the time of his passing.
Father Frizzell’s passion was teaching. Decades of students will recall his introductory class, JCST 6001 Christian-Jewish Encounter, the survey of Jewish-Christian Relations. He would always say that it was a brief overview of the history and that books could be written and courses offered on even the smallest aspect of the course. For those of us who were his students, it was this survey that began our journey to study and work in the field of interfaith relations! Father Lawrence Frizzell left an indelible legacy upon the Institute of Judaeo-Christian Studies and the Graduate Program in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall and he will be missed by all those that had the privilege to know him. May his memory be a blessing. R.I.P.!
IN MEMORY OF Marilyn Rosenbaum
No one had any idea that Marilyn Rosenbaum, Cochair of the 2025 Evening of Roses Gala and decades of previous galas, would not be with us to celebrate this event. We were literally in planning and meeting mode until virtually her last breath. She was an ever-present icon of the Fund since its inception and was a founding member, recognized as such during the event last year. She wore almost every hat and participated on each committee through her long, storied life as a steadfast and totally dedicated team member.
Marilyn and Sister Rose Thering became close personal friends early on. They had dynamic personalities but approached issues and problem solving in completely different ways. Marilyn was very passionate about addressing injustice, antisemitism, education, poverty, and legacy. She had a kind and generous heart as well as a sharp focused mind. She listened and intelligently analyzed a situation and offered an incisive suggestion to address the issue at hand. She was a genuinely kind individual, deeply thoughtful, and had the ability to find just the right solution to address a need. She had a gift for recommending and inviting just the right person who might participate and strengthen the Fund with their talents. She often said to me and others, "Let me think about this..." She did just that and came up with a reasoned idea or plan to move forward. Marilyn was intelligently analytical and clear thinking. She was elegant, stylish, full of life, had a fine sense of humor, and great joie de vivre. She had exceptional foresight and enabled the mission of the Sister Rose Thering Fund.
I am blest to have known her as we became close friends. I will miss her but know she is that little angel on my shoulder whispering in my ear to help keep me on the right track. We all need a Marilyn in our lives.
Ann Burgmeyer
Reflections of Luna Kaufman
Luna Kaufman was a true “Eishet Chayil,” a woman of valor.
I first met Luna when I joined the Sister Rose Thering Fund in 1993. We shared many extraordinary board milestones.
Luna was born in Krakow, Poland and survived the horrors of three concentration camps. Luna had a wonderful outlook on life. Making the world a better place, Tikkun Olam, was her mantra. She spoke to many student and adult groups about forgiveness and acceptance of each other.
Luna was a founding member and later a chairperson of the Sister Rose Thering Fund for a number of years. With Monsignor Sheeran’s encouragement, Luna wrote her autobiography, “Luna’s Life.”
I was present when Luna received her honorary doctorate from Seton Hall University.
Luna helped raise the funds for the Holocaust monument, entitled “Liberation,” at Liberty State Park. We were together in Israel when Sister Rose was honored posthumously at Yad Vashem.
I learned much from Luna. Her kindness and compassion knew no bounds.
In November, we celebrated Luna’s birthday. She was 98 years young!
When Covid began, Luna asked if I would mind if she called me every day. We spoke every day for more than four years. I still reach for my phone to call her.
I miss you, dear friend!
And thank you for teaching me the goodness of life...,
Susan Feinstein
Thank You
We would like to thank the committee members who worked tirelessly to make this day very special for all Ann Burgmeyer, Deborah Lerner Duane, Susan Feinstein, James Gurland, Wayne Hanlon, Heather Mecka, Steven Pomerantz, Marilyn Rosenbaum, Ruth Ross
The SRTF staff would like to thank Gabriela Tineo for her hard work and the positive energy she brings to the office.
The Board also thanks the amazing Maisie Mountcastle for all her hard work and insight!
Thank you to all who have generously shared your treasure with us, gifts big and small, in support of the important mission of the Sister Rose Thering Fund.
Throughout this journal, we have tried to acknowledge the many people who have contributed to this event and gifts received through June 1, 2025. If somehow we missed your name, please know how grateful we are for your support. We apologize for any omissions or errors.
MISSION STATEMENT
of The Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies
To advance the legacy of Sister Rose Thering by fostering understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education
