Dr. Avinoam Patt will examine how in the Holocaust humor was both a psychological weapon and a defense mechanism. He will show how in the face of unspeakable it established camaraderie and helped boost morale.

At the University of Hartford since 2007, Dr. Patt teaches courses on Modern Jewish History, American Jewish History, the Holocaust, the History of Zionism and the State of Israel, Jewish film, and Modern Jewish Literature among others.