Holy Cross Events Build Jewish-Christian Connections

Upcoming programs at the College of the Holy Cross will trace the history of encounters between Jews and the Jesuit order of Catholics, divulge the secret relationship between Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, reprise a critically-acclaimed performance of contemporary Israeli theatre, and tell the captivating story of a French priest who rescued thousands during the Holocaust. The programs, supported by the Kraft-Hiatt Fund for Jewish-Christian Understanding, are free and open to the public.

Monday, Feb. 9 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rehm Library, Smith Hall Jesuit Kaddish: Encounters between Jesuits and Jews and Why These Might Matter to Us — Rev. James Bernauer, S.J., is professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College, and co-editor of “The Tragic Couple: Encounters Between Jews and Jesuits" (Brill, 2013). His talk will offer an overview of how Jesuits became a leader in dialogue with Jews and will focus on encounters in the 20th century, with special attention on the historical context of the Holocaust.

Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m., Rehm Library, Smith Hall The Pope and Mussolini — Renowned author and scholar David Kertzer will talk about his recent book, “The Pope and Mussolini: The Secret History of Pius XI and the Rise of Fascism in Europe” (Random House, 2014). He is the Paul Dupee University Professor of Social Science at Brown University, where he is also professor of anthropology and Italian studies. This is event is part of the Worcester JCC Author Series.

Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m., The Pit, O’Kane Hall Oh God — The Israeli Stage, a Boston-based theatre troupe dedicated to producing the works of Israeli playwrights for college audiences, will reprise their American premiere of Amat Gov’s play about a psychotherapist and single mother to an autistic child who gets a visit from a new, desperate patient: God. A Q&A session will follow the performance.

Wednesday, April 15 at 4:30 p.m., Rehm Library, Smith Hall Père Marie-Benoît and Jewish Rescue  — Historian and author Susan Zuccotti will discuss her recent biography of the French Capuchin priest, “Père Marie-Benoît and Jewish Rescue: How a French Priest Together with Jewish Friends Saved Thousands during the Holocaust” (Indiana University Press, 2013). Zuccotti, also author of “The Italians and the Holocaust: Persecution, Rescue, and Survival,” has taught Holocaust history at Barnard College and Trinity College.

The Kraft-Hiatt fund, established approximately 20 years ago, supports campus and community-wide educational initiatives that foster understanding of Judaism and Jewish culture, and dialogue between Jews and Christians. The fund is administered by the Rev. Michael C. McFarland, S.J. Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, with the assistance of a Kraft-Hiatt faculty Advisory Committee.

To learn more about these events and find lectures online, visit the McFarland Center.