PHILADELPHIA (March 3, 2008) - A noted expert in the contemporary relationship among Jews and other Poles will speak at Saint Joseph's University on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m., in the Haub Executive Center of McShain Hall. Janusz Salamon, S.J., will present "Absent Neighbors: Changing Attitudes Towards Jews in Post-Communist Poland," in a discussion that will focus on the current state of affairs against the backdrop of historical tensions among Polish Jews and other Polish citizens. The event is free and open to the public.
"Fr. Salamon has argued courageously that failure to denounce anti-Semitism would be tantamount to abandoning the heritage of John Paul II, who did so much to bridge the gap between Jews and Christians," noted Gerald J. Beyer, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology. "He embodies the hopeful spirit of the late pontiff's teaching on Jewish-Christian relations – and more broadly – relations among members of all faith traditions."
An associate professor of philosophy at the Jesuit University School of Philosophy and Education – the Ignatianum – in Krakow, Poland, Fr. Salamon will also discuss challenges that must be faced in order to improve relations among the groups, and will propose ideas for overcoming contemporary difficulties.
In recent years, Fr. Salmon has been active in addressing and opposing anti-Semitism in Poland, and is well known for co-authoring a public letter of protest – signed by 600 leading Catholic intellectuals – condemning the anti-Semitic beliefs of another priest. He has also published articles denouncing anti-Semitism in the country's most widely read periodicals.
Sponsors for the event are the Office of Mission; the Office of the Dean, College of Arts and Sciences; the Jesuit Community; the Teaching Institute and the department of theology. For more information about the event, contact Beyer at gbeyer@sju.edu or 610-660-1873.
Background: Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph's University advances the professional and personal ambitions of men and women by providing a demanding, yet supportive, educational experience. One of only 139 schools with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and AACSB business school accreditation, Saint Joseph's is home to 4,200 full-time undergraduates and 3,100 graduate, part-time and doctoral students. Steeped in the 450-year Jesuit tradition of scholarship and service, Saint Joseph's was recently named to the 2007 President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for General Community Service. The University strives to be recognized as the preeminent Catholic comprehensive university in the Northeast.
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Contact: Patricia Allen, Associate Director of University Communications, 610-660-3240, patricia.allen@sju.edu