Leonard J. Greenspoon - Who Is a Jew?: Reflections on History, Religion, and Culture

The 25th Annual Klutznick-Harris Symposium took place on October 28 and October 29, 2012, in Omaha, Nebraska. The title of the symposium, from which this volume takes its title, is Who Is a Jew? Reflections on History, Religion, and Culture.

As it happened, several symposium participants did not submit papers for this volume. Although their absence is regrettable, three scholarsAnnalise E. Glauz-Todrank, Judith Neulander, and Ori Soltescontributed papers that we would otherwise not be able to include in this collection.

Among our honored guests was Menachem Mor, University of Haifa, the first holder of the Klutznick Chair. A number of friends from his days as Klutznick Chair attended a special luncheon for him on the Sunday of the symposium.

This symposium attracted substantial, enthusiastic audiences consisting of students, Creighton University faculty and staff, members of the Jewish community, and other scholars. To put it another way, we may never settle on an answer (if there is one) to the question, Who Is a Jew, but everyone in town knew where to go for the best discussion and analysis of this perennial issue.

As in past years, the success of this symposium owed much to the generosity, wisdom, and patience of two of my colleagues, Ronald Simkins, director of the Kripke Center for the Study of Religion and Society at Creighton University; and Jean Cahan, director of the Harris Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We were once again happy to have the knowledgeable support of Pam Yenko, who worked with both Ron and me. We did not know it at the time, but this was to be Pams last symposium; she was subsequently hired by our colleges dean.

Colleen Hastings, whom we hired from among several strong candidates as our new administrative assistant, has been invaluable in the preparation of this volume. Were this not a volume of Jewish studies, I would be tempted to say that Colleen has acquitted herself well in this initial baptism by fire. Equally efficient was Mary Sue Grossman, who is affiliated with the Center for Jewish Life (part of the Jewish Federation of Omaha).

This volume is the fifth in our ongoing collaboration with the Purdue University Press, the staff of which, under director Charles Watkinson, continues to make us feel welcome in every possible way.

In addition to the Harris Center, the Kripke Center, and the Jewish Federation of Omaha, this symposium is supported by the generosity of the following:

The Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation

The Riekes Family

The Center for Jewish Living

The Henry Monsky Lodge of Bnai Brith

Creighton University Lectures, Films, and Concerts

The Creighton College of Arts and Sciences

Gary and Karen Javitch

The Dr. Bruce S. Bloom Memorial Endowment and others.

Although we do not have a formal dedication page for this volume, it nonetheless seems appropriatein celebration of our presenting a quarter century of Jewish studies at its bestto dedicate this volume to us, to everyone who has made these twenty-five years of accomplishment possible.

Leonard J. Greenspoon

Omaha, Nebraska

June 2014