The Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies partnered with the YSU ROTC, the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, and the Ohio Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission to bring Dr. David Frey, Professor of History and Director of the Resnick Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at West Point Military Academy to YSU. Dr. Frey spoke to a large audience in the DeBartolo Auditorium on the history of the “Ritchie Boys,” a special unit in the U.S. Army during World War II for Holocaust refugees to go back to Europe and gather intelligence, helping the Allies defeat the Third Reich.
Symposium and Keynote Address (5/22-24)
CONTACT: Meetings and Movements of Jewish People and Artifacts across Cold-War Boundaries
Co-sponsored by the Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies at YSU and the Jewish Studies Program at Purdue University
May 22-24, 2022 at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor (Steel Museum), 151 W. Wood Street, Youngstown
Keynote: May 22 at 6:00 in person and online
Dr. Anat Plocker, “‘A Dream of Belonging’ The Expulsion of Jews from Communist Poland”
All sessions are open to the public. More information.


Hannah Klacik’s MA Thesis on Rodef Sholom
Please join Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz and the CJHS in congratulating Hannah Klacik on the submission and approval of her MA Thesis for a graduate degree in history at Youngstown State University. We appreciate her generosity in making it available here.
Hannah Klacík, “Architecture and Community: Congregation Rodef Sholom, Youngstown, OH” (MA Thesis, YSU, 2022).
Keynote Address Announcement
We’re excited for Dr. Anat Plocker’s keynote address, “‘A Dream of Belonging’: The Expulsion of Jews from Communist Poland”
Sunday, May 22 at 6:00 PM eastern at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor (Steel Museum). We also hope to livestream and record the talk.
Dr. Plocker’s Keynote will open our symposium, co-organized with the Jewish Studies Program at Purdue University, “Meeting and Movements of Jewish People and Artifacts across Cold-War Boundaries.”
More information / Purchase Dr. Plocker’s book.

Model Knesset, Spring 2022
What a wonderfully successful and educational event!
To learn more about Dr. Adam Fuller’s Model Knesset program, click here.
To view pictures from this year’s Model Knesset, click here.

From right to left: Jacob Stanko (Likud), Nicholas Spano (Labour), Casey Schwab (Ra’am)
Antonio Campolito (Religious Zionist Party), Ryan Sinopoli (Blue & White), Justin Madura (Shas) Ryan Scherer (United Torah Judaism)
Dr. Elly Moseson, “Protecting House and Hearth: Jewish Domestic Magic in Pre-Modern Europe,” Emerging Scholars Lecture Series (April 12, 2022, YSU / Kent State)
Dr. Elly Moseson joined us to deliver the last of three talks in our Emerging Scholars Lecture Series, which we co-organize with the Jewish Studies Program at Kent State University. For more information about our Emerging Scholars Lecture Series, click here.
“Models of Israeli-Palestinian Peace” – Dr. Ilan Peleg
We welcomed Dr. Ilan Peleg (Lafayette College) to YSU on April 11th for a discussion about different pathways to peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We are grateful to Dr. Peleg for his time and for allowing us to share his talk online for those who may have missed it or those who would like to revisit his ideas. We also thank Dr. Adam Fuller for inviting Dr. Peleg to join us.
Model Knesset (Israeli Parliament) / April 18 at 5:00 PM
Dr. Adam Fuller’s “Israeli Politics” course culminates in a Model Knesset (Israeli Parliament).
This semester’s Model Knesset will be held on April 18, 2022 at 5:00 pm at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor (Steel Museum). The event is free and open to the public. A light buffet dinner will be served.

For more information and videos, click here.
Dr. Adam Fuller on Russia’s War on Ukraine
CJHS faculty affiliate and Academic Advisory Committee member spoke with WFMJ about Russia’s war on Ukraine and US responses. For more, click here.