Academics

Dr. Eric Weitz, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, presenting his paper, “Toward a Critical History of Human Rights: On the Problems of Self-Determination and Territorial Partitions," on March 8.

Filmmaker Richard Kaplan (left) at the Q&A following the screening of his documentary about Martin Luther King, “Legacy of a Dream,” on March 21

Students and community members listening to Jaimie Taff’s presentation on “Holocaust Restitution in the Context of Swiss Deposited Assets Litigation”
on March 22.

Sheila Isenberg on April 12 speaking about her new book, Muriel’s War: An American Heiress in the Nazi Resistance.

Dr. Jean Bodon introducing his film “Leon Blum: For All Mankind” on April 12.

Rabbi Dr. David Fine (Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center of Ridgewood) speaking on April 18 about The Experience of Jewish Soldiers in the German Army in World War I.”

Dr. Edward Shannon, professor of Literature at Ramapo College, during his presentation
on “Comics and Graphic Novels in Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide.”

Participants at the May 17 Gumpert Teachers’ Workshop on “Reading and Writing in Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide.”

Mr. Erwin Ganz with his wife Sandi before speaking about his experiences as a child in Nazi Germany at the May 17 Gumpert Teachers’ Workshop.

On September 22, 2011, Ridgewood psychoanalyst Dr. Sylvia Flescher examines the legacy of being child of a Holocaust survivor who was also in the same mental health profession.

Queens College historian Dr. Elissa Bemporad spoke  on October 6,2011 about attitudes towards the ritual murder myth in the Soviet Union under Stalin.

Kenneth Jacobson, Deputy National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, at a dinner Dr. Peter P. Mercer  and Dr. Jacqueline Ehlert-Mercer hosted at Havemeyer House for the Center Advisory Board and other Ramapo College activists on November 1.

(Left to Right) Ms. Florence Paley, Jane Zaretsky, and Laurie Paley at the November 1 Havemeyer House Dinner.

(Left to Right) Center Advisory Board members Phyllis Roberts, Ernest Hass, and Myrna Hass.

Hillel Co-Presidents Brad Rosen (Left) and Michael Chenanie (Right) with Center Director Dr. Michael A. Riff (center left) and Ramapo College President Dr. Peter P. Mercer.

(Left to Right) Advisory Board member John Gunzler, Marianne Gunzler and Ruth Susnick, Esq.

Dr. Peter P. Mercer, President of Ramapo College, welcoming guests to the November 1, 2011 dinner he and Dr. Jacqueline Ehlert-Mercer hosted for Center Advisory Board members and other College supporters.

“Online Testimonies in the Classroom” was the topic of the Gumpert Teachers’ Workshop that Center cosponsored with the New Jersey State Commission on Holocaust Education and USC’s Shoah Visual History Foundation on November 1, 2011. The presenters were Center Advisory Board member Colleen Tambuscio (L.) of New Milford High School and Sandy Rubenstein (R.) of the Horace Mann School, New York City.

Professor Samuel Moyn discussed the genesis of the ideal of human rights at a joint program with the History Club of Ramapo College on November 3, 2011.

Dr. Michael A. Riff (L.), Director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies,  Dr. Samuel Moyn (R.), Professor of History at Columbia University,  prior to speaking on November 3, 2011 about his book The Last Utopia: Human Rights in History.

At a November 7, 2011 screening of their film, Granito: How to Nail a Dictator, Pamela Yates (L.) and Paco de Onis (R.), its Director and Producer, answered questions their work.

Professor Paul Mendes-Flohr of the University of Chicago's Divinity School responded to questions after his November 7 lecture on the relationships between the Indian Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and German-Jewish Luminaries Albert Einstein and Martin Buber. Seated to Prof. Mendes-Flohr's left is Mr. Eric Mayer of Wayne, one of the Center's supporters.

On November 10, Dr. Kathleen O'Connell of the University of Toronto discussed "Rabindranath Tagore: the Poet as Educator and Environmentalist"

Filmmaker Suzanne Khardalian responded to questions from students and community members after the screening on December 9, 2011 of her film on the abduction and abuse of women and children during the Armenian Genocide, Grandma’s Tattoos.

The principal speaker at the reception was Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, former director of Yad Vashem's Department of the Righteous.

Catherine Taub, chair of the Committee to Honor Varian Fry (Ridgewood), who at the reception for "Varian Fry, Assignment: Rescue, 1940-1941" spoke about her organization's efforts to recognize Fry's achievements in his own country.

Ms. Jeanette Berman of Saddle River, who as a young girl and with her family, was saved by Fry.

October 5, a group of survivors under the auspices of the “Café Europa” program of the Jewish Family Services of North Jersey visited “Varian Fry, Assigment:Rescue, 1940-41.”

Michael Bobelian spoke at Ramapo College of New Jersey on October 7 under the auspices of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Armenian National Committee of New Jersey about his recent book, Children of Armenia: a Forgotten Genocide and the Century-long Struggle for Justice (Simon and Schuster).

On October 14, 2010, author, attorney and Shoah survivor Louis Begley delivered the second annual William K. Gumpert Memorial Lecture on Human Rights and Genocide at Ramapo College of New Jersey.  The topic of Begley's talk was "In Defense of Human Rights: Why the Dreyfus Affair Matters."

At an October 28, 2010 dinner hosted by President Peter P. Mercer and Dr. Jackie Ehlert-Mercer at Havemeyer House and attended by Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Advisory Board members, activists, and Ramapo College Alumni Association and Foundation Board members, Ramapo Alum and and then Acting President of the Save Darfur Coalition spoke about strategies of preventing genocide.

Prior to the dinner, (Left to Right) Ani Tchaghlasian, Maral Sahagian, James Sahagian and Mark Lotwis

After his talk, Mark chats with guests (Left to Right) Selena Goldstein, Mark Goldstein, Nancy Kossowsky, Robert Kossowsky, David Bindleglass (hidden), Gail Bindleglass and Mark Grannon.

Dr. Peter P. Mercer, president of Ramapo College (Right) with Mark Lotwis and Dr. Michael A. Riff, director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

(Left to Right) Alicia Gujardo, Pricilla Taylor-Williams and Dr. Mary Emilie Steinacker, presenters Gumpert Teachers' Workshop, "Exploring Humanitarian Law: Protecting Life and Human Dignity, " held at Ramapo College on November 2, 2010 and sponsored by the American Red Cross and Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in cooperation with the New Jersey State Commission on Holocaust Education. 

During lunch, Professor Hassan Nejad, Dean of Ramapo College's American and International Studies, gave briefing on Human Rights violations in present-day Iran.

Cantor David Perper of Beth Haverim Shir Shalom rehearsing the congregation choir and the Ramapo Chorale prior to our joint Kristallnacht Commemoration on November 9, 2010.

Ralph and Jill Tejeda at a pre-concert dinner is association with recital by Shanghai Quartet that included early works of Felix Mendlelssohn at the Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on December 4.

Shanghai Quartet leader Weigang Li explains rationale of concert to dinner guests.