Interfaith Dialogue: Dalai Lama, Jews, and Cultural Survival

On March 30, Dr. Yudit Greenberg, Cornell endowed professor of religion and director of the Jewish Studies Program at Rollins College, is pleased to invite the community to a stimulating evening of dialogue with a presentation by Dr. Nathan Katz, distinguished professor emeritus, founder-director of the Program in the Study of Spirituality, and director of Jewish Studies/academic director of the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami.

The event will take place in the Galloway Room at 6 p.m.

Dr. Katz is best known for his work about Indo-Judaic Studies and has written award-winning books on Indian Jewish communities. He was selected as a delegate to the 1990 Tibetan-Jewish dialogue hosted by H. H. the Dalai Lama and reported in the best-selling “The Jew in the Lotus.” He reciprocated the hospitality in 1999 when the Dalai Lama first visited FIU for an honorary doctorate, as well as his 2004 and 2010 visits.

As the spiritual and temporal leader of a people who had been defeated by Communist China nearly 60 years ago, the Dalai Lama wanted to learn the “Jewish Secret” for surviving in exile. After all, he reasoned, the Jews had the expertise: 1,900 years of living in the Diaspora, all the while preserving their distinct religion. Surely the Tibetan people could benefit from Jewish experience, he reasoned.

Hear a first-hand account of this remarkable dialogue, one that spurred both Tibetans and Jews to understand not only one another, but themselves as well.

The dialogue will be accompanied by a light vegetarian meal

This event is organized by the Jewish Studies Program. Co-Sponsorship includes the Philosophy and Religion Department, Rollins Coexist, the Philosophy and Religion Club, and the Center for India and South Asia

Please more information please contact dames@rollins.edu.