From the Director Pushing the Boundaries of Jewish Studies
Prof. David N. Myers is on sabbatical during the 2009-10 academic year, it is W hile my honor to serve as acting director and ensure that the Center’s activities con-
tinue on without interruption. As we begin the year, we look forward to collaborating with two important Los Angeles institutions in the spring: an April 7-8 conference on the LA Opera’s Recovered Voices project; and an April 14 Jewish Culture Salon, “The Art of Jewish Illustration,” in conjunction with an exhibition at the Skirball Cultural Center, Monsters and Miracles: A Journey Through Jewish Picture Books. Our students and faculty are also thriving, as they learn from, challenge and inspire each other to push beyond the established boundaries of Jewish studies. Among the highlights of this past year were our first undergraduate student conference, organized by Federica Francesconi, Visiting Viterbi Professor of Mediterranean Jewish Studies; an international junior scholars’ conference on the history of Jewish LA and Buenos Aires; and an impressive assortment of graduate student projects supported by the UCLA/Mellon program on the Holocaust in American and World Culture. These and similar accomplishments play an important role in the recognition and support that our Center receives. An example of this recognition came to us this year by way of a generous gift from the estate of a well-known Toronto philanthropist. The Bluma Appel Research Innovation Fund will support cutting-edge research in the field of Jewish studies by UCLA graduate students and faculty, as well as seminars and lectures by leading innovators in Jewish studies from around the world. On a sad note, we must share with you the passing of a dear friend to the Center, Mickey Ross. As many of you know, Mickey, an award winning writer-producer, was a dedicated supporter of Yiddish at UCLA; last year he very generously endowed a chair in Yiddish culture and language at our Center. In coming years, this gift will allow us to establish a first-rate Yiddish studies program. Mickey’s spirit and dedication to the Jewish community will be sorely missed. As the cover panorama illustrates, we are fortunate to be at the center of Jewish life in a most vibrant metropolis. We are grateful for the support of all our friends who make this possible. Your generosity is so vital to our mission, especially given the current economically challenging environment. Please do not hesitate to contact me at the Center office or by email (cbakhos@ucla.edu) to discuss our work and/or your interests. And please do join us at the Center as we continue to explore the corners of Jewish civilization. Carol Bakhos Associate Professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures and Acting Director
Center Advisory Board: Jerry Monkarsh, Stephen O. Lesser, Elaine Lindheim, Milton B. Hyman, Andrew J. Viterbi, Chic Wolk, Al Finci (chair), and Prof. David N. Myers. Not pictured: Rabbi Daniel Bouskila, E. Randol Schoenberg, Kerri Steinberg, Harold Williams, Rabbi David Wolpe and Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.
Photo: Chyna Chuan Farrell
Box 951485 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1485
www.cjs.ucla.edu
cjs@humnet.ucla.edu 2
editors
Mary Enid Pinkerson, Ph.D. Carol Bakhos design
David Wu