Thomas and Diann Mann Symposia

The Thomas and Diann Mann Symposium Fund was established in 1997 to support annual symposia in The Ohio State University’s College of Humanities, in which eminent scholars, along with Ohio State University faculty, present lectures on a chosen topic around Jewish studies. Since the College of Humanities merged with other colleges to form Ohio State’s College of Arts and Sciences in 2010, the annual Mann Symposium has supported Jewish inquiry across the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

• The first program was a day-long series of panel discussions featuring Rabbi Laura Geller, Richard Siegel, Shaul Magid (Indiana University), Riv-Ellen Prell (University of Minnesota), Or Mars (Wexner Foundation), and Pamela Nadell (American University). Topics included spirituality, women rabbis, Judaism at home, the renewal movement of the 1970’s, and the future of Jewish institutions.
• The second program in the series featured Arnold Eisen, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, who spoke on the Conservative movement.
• The final programs in the series focused on Chasidism, and a new wave of “liberal orthodox” rabbis.

2015 - China and the Jews
One day conference featuring an international group of scholars explored aspects of the relationship between Jews and China in modernity. Speakers: Noam Urbach, Bar-Ilan University, Moshe Bernstein, University of Western Australia, Jonathan Goldstein, University of West Georgia, Bei Gao, University of North Carolina, Wilmington, Rabbi Anson Laytner, Seattle University

• Rabbi Andrea Myers, "The Choosing: A Rabbi’s Journey from Silent Nights to High Holy Days."
• Shaye Cohen, Harvard University, Sylvia Barack Fishman, Brandeis University, “Nature and Nurture: Is Jewishness in our Genes?”
• Tamar Rudavsky, OSU, "Was Maimonides a Convert?"

• Menachem Kellner, Professor, Jewish Thought, University of Haifa, "Is There a New Anti-Semitism?"
• Jonathan Cohen, Professor, Communications, University of Haifa, "“Shaping of the Media in a Global Context.” 
• Avi Becker, Goldman Visiting Professor, Georgetown University, "Chosenness and its impact on the Middle East Crisis."
• Dov Waxman, Professor of Political Science, Baruch College, "Can Israel End the Occupation?” 

Ancient Ornamentalism conference on how Jews, Christians, and members of other Middle Eastern relgions in antiquity interacted as they composed prayers and poetry of their faiths.

• Lois Dubin, Professor of Religion and Jewish Studies, Smith College, "Trieste: Ashkenaz on the Adriatic."
• Howard Lupovitch, Pulver Family Associate Professor of Jewish Studies, Colby College, "Coming of Age in Times of Crisis: Budapest Jewry and the Great Flood."
• Deborah Dash Moore, Frederick G. L. Huetwell Professor of History at the University of Michigan and Director of the Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, "Imaging Gotham: New York Photographers at Mid-Century."

• Yiddish films 
• Dov-Ber Kerler, Professor of Jewish Studies and Yiddish Language and Literature, Cohn Chair in Yiddish Studies, Indiana University, Beyond When All Is Said and Done: The Last Living Remnants of Jewish Culture in the Ukraine 
• Neil Jacobs, Professor of Yiddish Linguistics, OSU, A Code of Many Colors: The Language of Jewish Caberet.  
• Performance: The Klezmatics 

• Alfred L. lvry, Skirball Professor of Jewish Thought, New York University, "The Confrontation of Philosophy and Theology in Maimonides' Thought" 
• Charles H. Manekin, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Maryland, "Maimonides' Philosophical Journey" 
• James T. Robinson, Assistant Professor of the History of Judaism, University of Chicago Divinity School, "Maimonides and Maimonideanism in Southern France: On the Growth of a Philosophical Tradition." 
• Josef Stern, Professor of Philosophy, University of Chicago, "The Unbinding of Isaac: A Case-Study of Maimonidean Philosophical Scriptural Exegesis." 

• Faculty Panel Discussion - OSU Professors Matt Goldish, Tamar Rudavsky, and Sam Meier, "Habent sua fata Jibe/Ii: Unusual Tales of Jewish Books and their Fate." 
• Lecture by Brad Sabin Hill, Dean and Senior Research Librarian, VIVO Institute for Jewish Research, NY, "The Art of the Hebrew Book."  
• Stefan C. Reif, Director of the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit, Cambridge University Library, "The Importance of the Genizah for Jewish Scholarship." 

• Concerts with Avihu Medina and Khevrisa - The Roots of Klezmer Music. 
• Lecture by Amy Horowitz, The Ohio State University, "Dissonant Melodies in Search of Resolution: Contemporary Music of Israeli Jews from Islamic Lands." 
• Professor Dan Ben Amos, University of Pennsylvania - "Jewish Canon and the Folktale: Challenges and Negotiations" 
• Lecture by Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, New York University, Kodak Moments, "Flashbulb Memories: Jewish Responses to Memory and Trauma after 9/11." 

• Lecture by Professor Edwin Seroussi, Hebrew University, "Israel -Sound and Music of the Synagogue." 
• Performance - The OSU Chorale, Hilary Apfelstadt, conductor and by the OSU Symphonic Choir, James Gallagher, conductor. 
• 19th Century Synagogue Music From Hamburg, Paris, Vienna and Livorno, Italy 
• Performance - Chamber Music From the St. Petersburg Schoo/ - Performed by Ohio State faculty and guest artists. 
• Performance - Chamber Music from the Mediterranean School. Performed by Ohio State faculty and guest artists. 
• Professor Kay Kaufman Shelemay, Harvard University Echoes from Beyond Europe's Borders: Music and the Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish) Transformation. 

• Professor Shulamit Volkov, Tel Aviv University, "Israel Language as a Site of Confronting Jews and Judaism in Germany (1782-1933)." 
• Professor Ephraim Kanarfogel, Yeshiva University, New York, "Looking to the Future in an Era of Decline: The Life and Works of Meir of Rothenburg." 
• Professor Robin Judd, The Ohio State University, "The Making of Modern Jewish Politics in Germany." 
• Professor David Sorkin, The University of Wisconsin, Madison, Did German Jews Assimilate? 

• Katherine H. Burkman, Professor Emerita of English, OSU, "Memory and Guilt: Albert Speer as Key to Harold Pinter's Ashes to Ashes." 
• Harold Pinter's play "Ashes to Ashes" produced by WOMEN AT PLAY - Directed by Katherine H. Burkman - Performed by David Fawcett and Christy Stanlak.
• Arie Nadler, Professor of Social Psychology, Tel Aviv University, "Shifting Perceptions of Holocaust Survivors in Israeli Society." 
• James Edward Young, Professor of Judaic & Near Eastern Studies, University of Massachusetts, "After-Image: The Uncanny Arts of Holocaust Memory." 
• Geoffrey Hartman, Professor of Comparative Literature, Yale University - "Holocaust Testimony, Videography and Education" 

• Professor Isaiah Gafni, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem , "Re-imaging the Holy Land: On the Nature and Functions of 'Eretz Yisrael’ in Babylonian Talmud." 
• Professor Moshe ldel, The Hebrew University, "Jerusalem Colored Tetragrammata in Mystical Jewish Prayer."
• Professor Michael Swartz, The Ohio State University, "The Priestly Vestments in Jewish Interpretation."
• Professor Joseph Yahalom, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem - "Iconography and Poetry in the Ancient Synagogue." 
• Professor Elliot R. Wolfson, New York University, "Imaging and Imageless: Iconic Representations of God in Kabbalistic Symbolism."  

• Dr. David Biale, Director of the Center for Jewish Studies, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California and Rachel Biale, M.S.W., author and senior clinician with Jewish Family and Children's Service of the East Bay, "Jewish Sexuality."
• Prof. David Ruderman, University of Pennsylvania, "Science, Medicine and the Transformation of Jewish Culture in Early Modern Europe Biology and Culture."
• Professor Aryeh Kasher, Tel Aviv University, "The Origin and Background of Anti-Semitism in the Greco-Roman World."
• Professor Tamar Rudavsky, OSU, "Genesis, Big Bang Cosmology and God: A Jewish Appraisal."
• Professor Tzvi Langermann, Bar llan University, "Science, Astronomy and Theology in the Medieval Jewish World."