Author Speaks at Judaic Studies Lecture

The University of Scranton recently hosted its Judaic Studies Institute Lecture, welcoming a guest speaker from Ematai and the Jerusalem Post.

Rabbi Shlomo Brody, Ph.D., presented, “Jewish Ethical Perspectives on Civilian Casualties in War: A Tale of Two Sieges,” on April 24 at the Pearn Auditorium inside Brennan Hall.

Rabbi Brody is the executive director of Ematai, where he leads a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people navigate ethical dilemmas relating to end-of-life care, and a columnist at the Jerusalem Post, the oldest and largest English language daily newspaper in Israel. He was previously the founding director of the Tikvah Overseas Student Institute, a senior instructor at Yeshivat Hakotel rabbinic seminary and a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute.

The author of two books — A Guide to the Complex: Contemporary Halakhic Debates (which received a National Jewish Book Award) and Ethics of Our Fighters: A Jewish View on War and Morality — Shlomo Brody is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard University. He received rabbinic ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, a master’s degree in Jewish philosophy at the Hebrew University and a Ph.D. from Bar Ilan University Law School.

Additionally, Patrick Clark, Ph.D., professor of theology and religious studies at The University of Scranton, presented a Christian perspective at the event. Dr. Clark, who earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke University, master’s degree from Boston College and Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame, has been at Scranton since 2010.

Founded in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community, the Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute fosters appreciation and understanding of Judaism, Israel and their histories. It supports scholarly endeavors, as well as outside visits from Jewish scholars and writers, among other items. The Institute’s work was further enhanced in 1990 by a $1 million gift from Harry Weinberg.