Middle East Society presents lecture on “The Fall and Rise of India-Israel Relations”

WHAT: The Middle East Society (MES) of the School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University will present a lecture titled “The Fall and Rise of India-Israel Relations” by FIU religious studies professor Nathan Katz. The closeness between India and Jews was highlighted by recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India. During the attacks, nine Jews, most of them Israelis, were killed in the city’s Chabad House. Katz will focus on the modern-to-contemporary period and also will examine the difficulties in establishing ambassadorial relations between India and Israel. The event is co-sponsored by the Navon Program for the Study of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry at FIU, Temple Beth Sholom and the India-US Chamber of Commerce Inc. South Florida.

WHO: Katz is professor of Religious Studies and director of the Center for the Study of Spirituality at FIU. A leading authority on Indian Jewish communities, he is a pioneer in the field of Indo-Judaic Studies and has been involved in Jewish-Hindu/Buddhist dialogue for three decades. His “Who are the Jews of India” was a Finalist for the 2000 National Jewish Book Award in Sephardic Studies, and he has been awarded four Fulbright grants for research and teaching in South Asia.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 from 7-8:30 p.m.

WHERE: Temple Beth Sholom, 4144 Chase Avenue, Miami Beach. The event is free and open to the public.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Shlomi Dinar, director of the Middle East Society, at 305-919-4839.

-FIU-

About MES:

MES is a component of the School of International and Public Affairs at Florida International University. Headquartered in the Biscayne Bay Campus, MES is in the midst of its third year of operation. By bringing different speakers to campus, MES' ultimate goal is to help secure FIU's place as a center of debate and learning on matters concerning the Middle East. In addition, through its outreach to the local community, MES hopes to become a funding source for student scholarships and auxiliary programming. MES prides itself on presenting a balanced view of a variety of issues related to the region including ancient and modern history, current events, U.S. and international policies toward the Middle East, art, culture, and religion. MES hosts approximately six lectures throughout the academic year. Our speakers have included published scholars, featured pundits, and award-winning reporters.

About FIU:

Florida International University was founded in 1965 and is Miami’s only public research university. With a student body of more than 38,000, FIU graduates more Hispanics than any other university in the country. Its 17 colleges and schools offer more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations and law. FIU has been classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a “High Research Activity University.” In 2006 FIU was authorized to establish a medical school, which will welcome its first class in 2009. FIU’s College of Law recently received accreditation in the fastest time allowed by the American Bar Association.