Current Projects in need of continuing support

Increasing Library Judaica Holdings

The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program is currently expanding the Jewish and Holocaust Studies library holdings of Youngstown State University’s Maag Library and the Judaic and Holocaust Studies program’s own library housed in DeBartolo 524.  Books, DVDs, sound recordings and other media are all welcome.  Donors are encouraged to donate a book in memory or in honor of an individual or events.  For more information on how you can add to the library resources, please contact Dr. Helene J. Sinnreich at hjsinnreich@ysu.edu or by telephone at 330-941-1603.

Bus Trip to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program at Youngstown State University will be taking Youngstown State University students on a bus trip to the United State Holocaust Memorial Museum in March of 2006.  This trip will give Youngstown State University students an opportunity to tour the museum and receive a lecture from a museum staff person.  The trip also welcomes a small number of community members including family members of YSU students.  The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program would like to see this trip continue and be repeated each year.

Summer Workshop for Teachers on Holocaust Education

The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program at Youngstown State University has begun a program of educating high school teachers on how to teach the Holocaust.  This program led by Judaic and Holocaust Studies Committee member Jesse McClain brings together high school and middle school teachers for a summer workshop.  This summer of 2006 will be the first year of the workshop. 

Lecture Series on American Jewish ethnic and immigrant History

The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program had inaugurated an annual Lecture Series on Jewish ethnic and immigration studies.  This series examines American Jewish immigrant experiences.  The first lecture in the series was in Fall, 2005 when Dr. Joshua Zeitz of Cambridge University spoke on Jewish, Italian and Irish immigration to New York City in the post-war era.   The program hopes to continue bringing quality scholars to the Youngstown State University campus to share their knowledge with the student body and the wider community.

Upcoming Projects in need of funding

Creation of permanent Library and Center for Jewish and Holocaust Studies

Future projects to be completed by the Judaic and Holocaust Studies program at Youngstown State University include the restoration of the library and third floor of the historic Peck-Schaff House, the future home of the Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies Library and office spaces, on Wick Avenue in Youngstown, Ohio.  The new space would also include classrooms and program venues within the same building as the Judaic and Holocaust studies library. 

Visiting Scholars Program

The Judaic and Holocaust Studies program at Youngstown State University would like to   create a visiting fellows program allowing Judaic and Holocaust Studies scholars to be brought to Youngstown State University campus for a semester of teaching. This would allow specialists on specific areas of the Jewish religion, history or Israel to visit and share their knowledge with Youngstown State University students and the wider community.