Jewish Diaspora and Diasporism, Then and Now
When and Where
Speakers
Description
Diaspora Studies is intricately connected from the outset to Jewish Studies. The term diaspora derives from the Greek translation of the Bible, where it translates and de-theologizes the Hebrew term exile; Jewish history provided a paradigmatic example of a dispersed people united by the memory of their historic homeland. The field of Diaspora Studies has moved beyond this conceptualization to encompass other varieties of movement and displacement. Despite this, conceptualizing Jewish diaspora is as pressing now as it was when the field took shape in the 1990s. Is Jewish diaspora a historical condition or a political/cultural stance? What might constitute a diasporic Jewish politics, ethics, culture, or identity? What are the historical forms that Jewish diasporism has taken and how should we understand them in relation to such other formations as religion, Zionism, anarchism, socialism, and indigeneity?
Roundtable Program: January 20, 2026 (5:00-8:00pm)
Session One: Doikayt (“hereness”) and Beyond (5:00pm - 6:00pm)
Madeleine Cohen, Anna Elena Torres, Jacob Hermant
Session Two: Neturei Karta and Religious Anti-Zionism (6:15pm - 6:45pm)
Sneak preview of Susan Rivo’s documentary and conversation with the filmmaker
Session Three: Varieties of Jewish Diasporism (7:00pm - 8:00pm)
Shaul Magid, Joshua Shanes, Oren Yirmiya, Tracy Lemos (moderator)
This is a free event. Light snacks and refreshments will be available.