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Melissa Klapper
Rowan University
Dr. Melissa R. Klapper is Associate Professor of History at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ, where she teaches American, Jewish, and women's history. She is the author of _Jewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860-1920_ and _Small Strangers: The Experiences of Immigrant Children in the United States, 1880-1925._ She has received multiple awards and grants for her teaching and research. Dr. Klapper lives in the Philadelphia area and is a frequent public lecturer.
An Abridged Version of American Jewish History
Part I
Global History & Culture
- Friday 11:30AM–12:45PM Embassy Room 2
Have you ever wanted to know more about American Jewish history? It started long before the late 19th century. In this session, we will review the period from the first Jewish settlement in New York in 1654 through the beginning of mass eastern European Jewish migration to the U.S. in 1880. We will focus on a few key themes, such as religious development, economic opportunity, social integration, anti-Semitism, and patterns of settlement. This is a two part session; while it is better to attend both for continuity, you can attend the second without attending the first.
You Go Girl!
Female Empowerment in the Jewish Community
- Saturday 1:00PM–2:15PM Tower Board Room
In the past 25 years, Jewish women have transformed the Jewish community, bringing innovations in communal organizing, prayer, and ritual. At the same time, women still face challenges in achieving their desired level of participation and leadership in our community. What are the challenges women face today? What can we do to further empower Jewish women? Hear from our panelists, who are engaged in paving new roads for women in our community.
An Abridged Version of American Jewish History
Part II
Global History & Culture
- Saturday 9:00PM–10:15PM Embassy Room 2
Have you ever wanted to learn more about American Jewish history? In this second of a two-part session, we will review the period from the beginning of mass eastern European Jewish migration to the U.S. in 1880 through the end of the 20th century. We will focus on key themes, including social mobility, immigrant life and culture, suburbanization and denominationalism, reactions to the Holocaust and Israel, and political activism. We will also discuss American Jewish exceptionalism. Please note that participation in this session is not dependent on having been at Part 1.
Jewish Girls Coming of Age in America, 1860–1920
Global History & Culture, Identity & Responsibility
- Sunday 10:00AM–11:15AM Sports Bar
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, American Jewish girls carried the hopes of their families and communities as well as their own ambitions. They acted as both guardians of tradition and agents of change. In this session, we will explore the lives of adolescent Jewish girls in America during a time when the definitions of adolescence, Jewishness, and Americanness were all in flux. We will focus on their educational, religious, and social lives.
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