UCR Jewish Studies Lecture Series

This series is presented by UCR Jewish Studies and Jewish Federation of the Desert. Each free lecture is open to the public. 

Holocaust Denial and the Myth of White Genocide

6 p.m. Jan. 28, 2025

The Mark & Pamela Rubin Lecture in Hate, Genocide, and Ethnic Cleansing examines how Holocaust denial and the myth of 'white genocide,' or 'great replacement,' function as key recruitment tools in contemporary white nationalist movements. Drawing on her doctoral research, Tessa Harmon traces these narratives to colonial-era constructions of Aryanism and explores their role in erasing Jewish victimhood and fueling radicalization in digital spaces. RSVP now.

Fey Lecture in Jewry and Innovation: Writing Jewish Stories in a Changing World

6 p.m. Feb. 25, 2025

NY Times bestselling author Tod Goldberg discusses his new curated anthology of eleven delightfully twisted Hanukkah capers, designed to entertain through all eight nights of the Festival of Lights. 

Tod Goldberg is the bestselling author of over a dozen books, including the award-winning Gangsterland trilogy and Living Dead Girl, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His short fiction has been published widely, including in Best American Mystery & Suspense, and his nonfiction appears regularly in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Alta, and has been anthologized in Best American Essays. He lives near Palm Springs, CA, where he founded and directs the Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts at UC Riverside. RSVP now.