EMU Center for Jewish Studies

I wanted to send a note reminding you about one upcoming event that you have already heard about and alerting you to a new one that has just been added to our calendar. Both of these events are free and open to the public.

First, Mike Rothschild will talk about his recent book, Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories on March 9th at 7:00 pm in the EMU Student Center (310A) where he will be delivering the Fourth Annual Martin B. Shichtman Lecture. Mike is the author of 2021’s The Storm is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything; as well as Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories published in 2023. He has been interviewed or featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New Yorker, the BBC, NPR, Rolling Stone, the Guardian, and many others. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and PBS Newshour, and as a guest on numerous major podcasts and radio shows.

Second, the EMU Center for Jewish Studies is teaming with Hillel at EMU (and the Hillel Campus Alliance of Michigan) to bring acclaimed comedian and disability and mental health advocate, Pamela Rae Schuller to perform at EMU. From viral TikToks to Netflix reality dating shows, Pamela shakes up how we think about inclusion through comedy and storytelling. Pamela will perform on Monday, April 13 at 7:00 pm in the EMU Student Center Ballroom. You don’t want to miss this.

I hope you can join us for one or—preferably—both of these events. As always, for questions please contact [email protected].

A quick heads up - on at least one community bulletin the time of the Samira Mehta's talk at EMU on Monday, Feb 16th has been listed incorrectly. The event at EMU will take place at 7:00 pm on Monday, Feb 16th in the EMU Student Center (room 300). Hope to see you there.

The Eastern Michigan University Center for Jewish Studies is excited to announce that it is bringing Professor Samira Mehta to Southeastern Michigan. Professor Mehta will deliver a talk titled “Jews of Color: One Term, Many Communities” on two different days and at two different locations in Southeastern Michigan. In this talk, Professor Mehta will explore the many ways that Jews of color come to and understand their Jewish identities, dispelling common misperceptions and answering questions about the experience of Jews of color in the United States.

Under the auspices of the EMU Center for Jewish Studies and in partnership with SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment), Professor Mehta will deliver this talk on Sunday, February 15 at 4:30 pm at the J in West Bloomfield (66000 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield, MI 48322. Then, on Feb 16th at 7:00 pm, Professor Mehta will deliver this talk at the EMU Student Center (900 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48197) in Room 300. This event is free and open to the public and no pre-registration is required. The Network: Jewish People of Color of Greater Ann Arbor is a co-sponsor for both talks.
We hope to see you either Feb 15th or 16th.

Quick Announcement: We have rescheduled Mike Rothschild's visit. He will be delivering the 4th Annual Martin B. Shichtman Lecture in the EMU Student Center (room 300) at 7:00 pm on March 9, 2026.

The Eastern Michigan University Center for Jewish Studies is excited to announce that it is bringing Professor Samira Mehta to Southeastern Michigan. Professor Mehta is author of Beyond Chrismukkah: The Christian-Jewish Interfaith Family in the United States, which was published in 2018 with the University of North Carolina Press, and The Racism of People Who Love You: Essays on Mixed Race Belonging with Beacon Press in 2023. She has another book, God Bless the Pill: The Surprising History of Contraception and Sexuality in American Religion coming out in April 2026, again with the University of North Carolina Press. Professor Mehta is also the primary investigator of a Henry Luce Foundation funded collaboration titled “Jews of Color: Histories and Futures,” and it is on this topic that she will speaking in Southeastern Michigan.

Professor Mehta will deliver a talk titled “Jews of Color: One Term, Many Communities” on two different days and at two different locations in Southeastern Michigan. In this talk, Professor Mehta will explore the many ways that Jews of color come to and understand their Jewish identities, dispelling common misperceptions and answering questions about the experience of Jews of color in the United States.

Under the auspices of the EMU Center for Jewish Studies and in partnership with SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment), Professor Mehta will deliver this talk on Sunday, February 15 at 4:30 pm at the J in West Bloomfield (66000 W Maple Rd, West Bloomfield, MI 48322). Pre-registration with the J is required. This continues a trend begun last January, when the Center for Jewish Studies brought another speaker, Professor Rachel Gross, to present both at EMU and at the J in West Bloomfield.

Then, on Feb 16th at 7:00 pm, Professor Mehta will deliver this talk at the EMU Student Center (900 Oakwood Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48197) in Room 300. This event is free and open to the public and no pre-registration is required.

The Network: Jewish People of Color of Greater Ann Arbor is a co-sponsor for both of these talks.

We hope to see you either Feb 15th or 16th.

Today is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Shayla Mostyn, EMU senior and social media consultant for the EMU Center for Jewish Studies, has been talking with some EMU professors about important books on the subject. Here is the list she has compiled.

Unfortunately, due to inclement weather, Mike Rothschild's visit to EMU will be postponed. We will have more details about the rescheduled visit soon.

Please come out and join us for the Fourth Annual Martin B. Shichtman Lecture taking place on January 26th. It is free and open to the public.

For the second year in a row, the EMU Center for Jewish Studies is partnering with SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Education) to host one of our speakers at the J in West Bloomfield. On Sunday, February 15th at 4:30 pm, Professor Samira Mehta (University of Colorado, Boulder) will deliver a talk titled "Jews of Color: One Term, Many Communities" at the J in West Bloomfield (Janice Charach Gallery at The J, 6600 West Maple Road. Pre-registration with the J is required). On Monday, February 16th at 7:00 pm, Professor Mehta will deliver this talk in the EMU Student Center (900 Oakwood St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, Rooom 300). This event is free and open to the public. The Network: Jewish People of Color of Greater Ann Arbor is our partner in this venture and is a co-sponsor for both of these events.

The EMU Center for Jewish Studies has two really exciting events coming up. On Monday, January 26th, Mike Rothschild will be here for the 4th Annual Martin B. Shichtman Lecture to talk about his book, Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories. And then on February 16th, Professor Samira Mehta will present Jews of Color: One Term, Many Communities. These events are free and open to the public. For questions, please contact [email protected].

There are 14 hours left in our Lighting-the-Way: CJS Match campaign. I know there are so many important causes to support, but please consider the Center for Jewish Studies. With this year's matching gift, your donations go farther than ever.

Lighting the Way: CJS Match DOUBLE your gift to the Center for Jewish Studies at EMU! Every dollar is matched up to $25K.