Ematai Executive Director to Deliver Judaic Studies Lecture

Rabbi Shlomo Brody, Ph.D., executive director of Ematai and columnist for the Jerusalem Post, will present "Jewish Ethical Perspectives on Civilian Casualties in War: A Tale of Two Sieges" at The University of Scranton's Judaic Studies Institute lecture on Apr. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public. It will be followed by comments by Patrick Clark, Ph.D., professor of theology and religious studies at Scranton, who will be presenting a Christian perspective.

As executive director of Ematai, Rabbi Brody leads an organization dedicated to helping people navigate ethical dilemmas relating to end-of-life care. He previously served as the founding director of the Tikvah Overseas Student Institute, a senior instructor at Yeshivat Hakotel rabbinic seminary, and as research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute.

Rabbi Brody's career has focused on making Jewish texts accessible to broader audiences while applying them to contemporary social and ethical dilemmas. His writings have been cited in Israeli Supreme Court decisions and have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Public Discourse, City Journal, First Things and a range of popular and scholarly journals. His first book, A Guide to the Complex: Contemporary Halakhic Debates, received a National Jewish Book Award. His second book, Ethics of Our Fighters: A Jewish View on War and Morality, was published in 2024.

A summa cum laude graduate of Harvard College, he received rabbinic ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate, a master's degree in Jewish philosophy at the Hebrew University, and Ph.D. from Bar Ilan University Law School.

Dr. Clark joined the faculty at Scranton in 2010. He earned a bachelor's degree from Duke University, a master's degree from Boston College and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame.

The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute was created in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community. The Institute fosters a better understanding and appreciation of Judaism, Israel and their histories. It supports visits to the University by Jewish scholars and writers and supports library acquisitions, publications, faculty research, travel and other scholarly endeavors. The work of the Institute was further enhanced by a $1 million gift from Harry Weinberg in 1990.

For further information, contact Marc Shapiro, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies and the Weinberg Chair of Judaic Studies at The University of Scranton, at 570-941-7956 or marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.