Jews on the silver screen to be topic of lecture, April 16 at Vassar

"The Limits of Empathy: Hollywood's Imagination of Jews in 'Crossfire' and 'Gentleman's Agreement,'" will be the topic of a lecture by Donald Weber at Vassar College on Tuesday, April 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Blanche Brumbach Spitzer Auditorium, Sanders Hall.

Weber, professor of English and American studies and chair of English at Mt. Holyoke College, will deliver the Dr. Maurice Sitomer 2001 Lecture. There will be screenings of "Crossfire and "Gentleman's Agreement" on Monday, April 16, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Blanche Brumbach Spitzer Auditorium, Sanders Hall

The lecture and both screenings are free and open to the public.

Weber has written on a variety of topics related to the American Jewish experience, focusing primarily on areas of popular culture. He is writing a book on Jewish American culture tentatively titled "Table Manners and Civility."

Weber was a visiting lecturer in Jewish studies at Smith College where he was the Sosland Scholar and currently serves on the Five College Committee on American Studies.

The Dr. Maurice Sitomer Lecture Fund, established at Vassar College in 1984 with a gift from Arlene Sitomer supports Weber's talk. The fund honors her late husband. Sitomer was a community leader in Poughkeepsie and had a strong appreciation of Vassar College.

The purpose of the lecture fund is to invite speakers to the campus who enlighten, inspire, and encourage understanding of Jewish culture and concerns.

For additional information, contact the Office of the Dean of Faculty at (845) 437-5305. Individuals with disabilities requiring assistance should contact Cathy Jennings, Office of Campus Activities, (845) 437-5370, as far in advance as possible to request appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Vassar is located on Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Monday, April 16th, 2001.