The New Anti-Antisemitism: Interview with Professor Charles Selengut — Frank Kaufmann

Professor Charles Selengut continues his important scholarship, taking on challenging and controversial issues with courage and rigor.

In this episode of the PWPA Scholars interview series Professor Selengut discusses his recent article “The New Anti-Semitism” published in The Jewish Standard , in which he posits the dire prospect that Jewish life in America teeters on the brink of radical change, a kind perhaps too haunting to entertain.

The interview examines evidence, implications, and causes. It is captivating:

Near the opening of the article, Selengut writes:

The article, “The New Anti Semitism” is here:

Find Professor Selengut’s Sacred Fury here:

 The new anti-Semitism     

JULY 11, 2020 RIGHT NOW

The new anti-Semitism By DR. CHARLES SELENGUT  February 13, 2020, 9:45 am |  0     6 shares

The current wave of anti-Semitic knifing and murderous attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions all over the United Sates, most prominently in the greater New York area but also in places like Texas and Pittsburg, rightly have frightened and terrorized many Jews about their safety in the Doing well by doing United States. Rarely a day goes by without a report of harassment or good violence in Jewish neighborhoods. These horrific attacks, however, are but By JOANNE PALMER an outward sign of the radically changed position of Jews and Judaism in Cross River Bank, with its only branch America. in Teaneck, made 107,000 PPP loans. Only three big banks made more. This is not at all to minimize this spate of violence, but to see the terror as emerging from frightening new manifestations of anti-Jewish political and cultural ideologies emanating from elite circles in government, academia, and the arts. These unprovoked violent attacks often are carried by racists and deranged individuals, but they are encouraged by the growth of now- acceptable anti-Semitic and anti-Israel rhetoric from leading political officials, including members of Congress and among some leading leftist progressive intellectuals. This new anti-Jewish violence is not simply criminal but has roots in the now respectable anti-Semitism that seeks to Health-care professionals need support too displace Jews from their position in the United States. By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

CoronaCare Israel offers virtual mental This view of the American Jewish situation may be unpopular, and health aid to workers battling covid sometimes unconventional and unpopular views are simply wrong, even foolish. At times, however, they are prophetic. Only the future can tell.

Sat. 7/11, 9:30 p.m. – “An Irrepressible Woman” Get The Jewish Standard Newsletter by FREE SIGN UP email and never miss our top stories

Mon. 7/13, 1:30 p.m.: You Be the Detective: A Family Tour of Jerusalem Ze’ev Jabotinsky, the inspiration and leader of the Revisionist Zionist movement in pre-war Poland, took what was then, in the 1930s, widely unpopular positions, predicting that European Jewry was approaching a terrible fate. He talked about mass killings and organized persecutions against then-well-established European communities. In a speech he delivered in Warsaw in July 1938, Jabotinsky offered a doomsday prophecy. “I see a terrible picture … the volcano that will soon spew out its flames of extermination,” he said. He was alarmist and his warnings were ignored, and the European Holocaust did come.

Sports after covid I do not think at all that America’s Jews find themselves in a similarly precarious situation. America’s history of tolerance, its freedom of religion, and its strong civil rights legislation all protect religious, racial, and sexual minorities. Still there are disturbing dangers facing the Jewish community in the United States. And it is best both for the Jewish community and for the Americans of all backgrounds to be aware of the movements and trends that threaten the condition of the American Jewish community.

Change is a constant in the long Jewish history, and Jews must remain fully aware of and vigilant about impending dangers. New digital course: “A Seat at the Table: A Journey Into Jewish Food” For Jewish immigrants the United States was once the “goldene medine,” the golden land, a place where Jews could live as full citizens without the governmental discrimination that was a reality in the lands from which they had had migrated. In America, Jews found economic and educational B&H Dairy: A Home for Everyone opportunity as they had in no other country. Indeed, America was a wondrous land for Jews. Arriving in large numbers from Germany in the middle of the 19th century and in massive numbers from Eastern European lands in the early 20th century, the Jewish immigrants adopted quickly to American ways. By the later part of the 20th century, Jews reached the highest levels in American society; in business, in government, in university life, in the arts and sciences, and today they remain an affluent

and prominent element in American life.

Prototyping the future in It is a mythic tale. Senator Joseph Lieberman, an observant Jew, was a cardboard nominee for the vice presidency of the United States, and three Jewish By LARRY YUDELSON Justices now are serving on the Supreme Court. Dozens of American Jews Frisch inventors bring home innovation are members of Congress. World-renowned Jewish American university prizes professors and researchers have been awarded the Nobel Prize, and Jewish authors are among the most distinguished members of the American literati. Notably, there are Saul Bellow, a Yiddish-speaking author whose writing style is considered among the best examples of midcentury literature, and Bernard Malamud, as well as the bestselling Philip Roth. In business and finance as well, American Jews have reached great affluence as creative entrepreneurs and innovators, contributing to America’s economic successes.

‘Be the Match’ Despite this wonderful history and the many glorious Jewish achievements, By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN the situation of the American Jewish community now has been radically Covid doesn’t stop cancer, so local family transformed. Increasingly among influential progressive movements and reaches out for bone marrow matches academic groups, Jews are no longer welcomed. Once lauded for their liberal and charitable activity on behalf of human rights, economic equality, and workers’ rights, American Jews now are viewed as part of a white elite that has encouraged economic inequality and the subjugation of racial minorities. And most serious of all, there is widespread anger at what many progressives view as Jewish support of the xenophobic and racist state of Israel.

Many American Jews, the majority of whom were and are staunch ‘This is a time when people supporters of liberal and progressive democratic political movements, need connections’ understandably refuse to recognize the radically different — and in my view now precarious — situation of American Jewry. Liberalism, its progressive By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

JFCS offers online bereavement groups for the surreal reality of covid deaths politics, and its support for unions, minority rights, and the working class was the natural home for the masses of Jewish immigrants, and this stance continued for generations. As one contemporary Jewish college student explained, given his family history and his Jewish roots, “it shouldn’t be a surprise that so many young Jews, myself included, can’t imagine being anything else other than political progressives.”

This view is entirely understandable. The Democratic Party and its progressive programs were good for immigrant Jews as well as for other minorities, legislating for religious equality, workers’ rights, and protection Not playing golf — but for the needy and the elderly. It all was consonant with Jewish values and raising funds — online culture. Liberalism and progressive social policies were good for Americans By LOIS GOLDRICH and good for Jews and accorded well with traditional Jewish culture. Jewish Home Family offers big names in sports on Zoom this year as it responds to covid-19 costs The sad and painful reality is that large portions of the progressive left now have turned against the State of Israel, viewing it as a colonialist entity illegally occupying Arab lands. This view of Israel has not been confined to legitimate political disagreement, but has led to a rejection of American Jewish supporters of the Israeli state, who now are viewed with suspicion as supporters of a racist state.

I do not think it too extreme to say that for the many in the progressive left, Jews— even those with impeccable progressive histories and YuConnects even during thecredentials — now are shunned as unworthy political partners. time of covid By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN This current perception of Jews as all deeply Zionist and opposed to peace Helping Orthodox singles meet in and equality in the Middle East has resulted in a general stigmatization of challenging times all Jewish people — leftists, conservatives, religious or secular. It appears that to many progressives, the very fact of Jewishness itself is now a reason OPINION to refuse to cooperate and to refuse to include Jewish people in progressive BEN BERMAN political action. Yes, Jews can and should support Black Lives Matter This erroneous categorical treatment of all Jews as against Palestinian political rights, of seeing all Jews as advocates for Israeli extremist policies, has resulted in discrimination, harassment, and sometimes violence D’VAR TORAH against Jews particularly in some, including some elite, universities. Not RABBI JENNIFER SCHLOSBERG infrequently, progressive meetings or political rallies for better wages for Parashat Pinchas: Women, working people, for immigrant rights, for health care turn into anti-Israeli don’t ask and anti-Jewish demonstrations. This is particularly the case in university

settings. In a moving New York Times op-ed essay, Bruce Flaton, a sophomore at George Washington University and a self-proclaimed progressive and supporter of Palestinian rights, bemoaned that his leftist colleagues still viewed him as an enemy of the left. “I am a left-wing Jew. BANJI GANCHROW Yet I am called ‘baby killer’ and ‘apartheid enabler,’” he wrote. He described how in his experience any variant of Zionism — including support Life cycles and Modell’s for an independent Palestinian state — is considered racism. O ne of the things that many of us have learned in quarantine is the way every day is a similar cycle — a hamster wheel,Jewish and Israeli students often are harassed and physically threated at some of America’s most prestigious universities. Ofir Danon, a student at if you need a visual. You get up, you have breakfast, you might pray (some even pray before breakfast),… Columbia University and the daughter of the Israeli ambassador, Danny Danon, was regularly bullied and called baby killer and terrorist. Israeli CONTINUE READING  speakers are frequently interrupted, to the point where their appearances are cancelled. Alan Dershowitz is a civil libertarian and strong supporter of free speech but is now regularly, harassed booed and threatened during his appearances on college campuses because of his support of Israel.

To those outside academia, this may appear difficult to imagine, but in many university settings to be seen as an identifying Jew is to invite scorn and derision. I experienced this at an academic conference on the Middle East conflict, where in the midst of my scholarly comments, one rather Come together well-known political scientist shouted, “How many Palestinian babies did By LARRY YUDELSON you people kill today?” Fortunately, the majority of the other participants Paramus, Fair Lawn shuls to launch shouted him down. But the discomfort and anger in me continued. Community Hebrew School of Bergen County The comments I made were not political, but that did not matter. To be known as an identifying Jew and a supporter of Israel is grounds is for rejection and harassment in most academic settings. Some Jewish academics have the courage to be vocal in support of Israel, but many others do not disclose their pro-Israel feelings. home page

It is not just in academic settings where Jews are stigmatized. In many political rallies and protests, in demonstrations protesting racism or poverty or in support of immigrant rights, Jews are unwelcome. Both their Becoming an American support for Israel and their economic success make them unworthy partners in progressive politics. Linda Sarsour, then one of the leaders of By JOANNE PALMER

Kurt Roberg’s odyssey from Germany to Tena y the Women’s March on Washington, spoke for many when she told Jewish progressives that they were unwelcome to join progressive events because of their support of Israel. As she put it, “how can you be against white supremacy in America and the idea of being in a state based upon race and class, but then you support a state like Israel that is based on the idea that Jews are supreme to everyone else?”

Several progressive Jewish groups, like Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, a generally anti-Israel group, attempted to challenge this view. They explained that despite their supposed whiteness and economic success, Scholarship winner says, prejudice, discrimination, and violence against Jews still exists. ‘Be proud of who you are’ By LOIS GOLDRICH Progressives, however, refuse to recognize both the negative consequences NCSY leader will spend next year of historical anti-Semitism and similarly will not acknowledge the studying in Israel increasingly serious rise of anti-Semitic violence, both in the attacks on Jewish institutions and the street violence against Jews in chasidic communities.

To many contemporary leftist movements, Jews, despite all protestations, are viewed as either part of the white elite, who take advantage of the poor and minorities, or they are seen as Zionists who support a dangerous and xenophobic Israeli state and therefore are unwelcome in progressive political action. The old stereotypes of the devious and money-grubbing The community of MagnoliaJew are unfortunately still alive in elements of the American left. Road By TZIVIA BIELER The now well-known Muslim congresswomen IIhan Omar gave voice to Re ections on 40-plus years on one this view when she tweeted that for Jews “It’s all about the Benjamins,” Teaneck street quoting from an entertainer’s ode to the power of money. Sadly, there was no immediate or outright censure of her statement, either by progressive groups or her Democratic colleagues. Even after the horrific attack and murders at a kosher grocery in Jersey City, an official of the NAACP, speaking at a New Jersey education conference, told the group that Jews took unfair advantage of city budgets to support their religious institutions.

The rejection and negative labeling of Jews has left many Jews feel isolated and politically homeless, uncomfortable in what they believed was their Who were those men? natural habitat in America. The Jewish liberal religious denominations By ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN particularly have identified both theologically and politically with the Scholar Nechama Price of Bergen eld liberal left, and this has contributed to their growing sense of alienation looks at the fathers of the 12 tribes and anxiety over the Jewish future. This growing anti-Jewish rhetoric unfortunately has not remained political and ideological, but has encouraged and legitimated the strong pockets of latent anti-Semitism D’VAR TORAH RABBI NEAL BOROVITZ that always existed but now could emerge and have respectable allies and justifications. Hukat-Balak: Choose to be God’s voice It is no accident that leftist anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli rhetoric have emboldened the virtually everyday violence against Jews all over the country. This does not mean that the Democratic left is violent, but the result of their talk and positions has brought out long-submerged anti- Jewish sentiments. Progressives and minorities, have, in their view, much BANJI GANCHROW to be disappointed with the social and economic inequalities in American Backyard survival society, and the Jews are now increasingly the scapegoat for their anger and disappointment. W hen we first moved to Teaneck over 22 years ago — 22 years???? Sorry, I just realized how old I am. Anyway, yes, so The progressive left is but one element in the rise of anti-Jewish when we first moved here, son #1 was about 17 months old, and son #2 was sentiment. Perhaps less well known and acknowledged is the continued about two months old… rise and importance of virulently anti-Semitic groups associated with the Christian Identity movement. For these groups, there is a war going on in CONTINUE READING  the United States between the forces of good, represented by Christian Identity believers, and the forces of evil represented by a satanic Jewish Federation sets up campaign in world conspiracy. Jews are viewed as the archenemy of white Christians. In response to pandemic their view, their Lord and Savior cannot return to usher in an end time era of world peace until this satanic element is destroyed.

Rockland JFS covid-19 fund Militant Christian Identity groups see the coming apocalypse as a race war between Aryans — who include all white northern Europeans — and the Jews and nonwhites who are in Satan’s grip, working on the side of the PAGE 3 Antichrist, acting to persecute white Christians and stop Christ’s return to usher in messianic world transformation. Jewish Standard rocks award ceremony By LARRY YUDELSON The Christian Identity groups are opposed to racial minorities as well, but view the Jewish people and Zionism as the greatest danger to white Christians and their program for world domination. In their view, Jews use Israeli firm makes the deception, guile, and deviousness to manipulate the darker races — “mud steak of the future By LARRY YUDELSON & MARCY OSTER/JTA people” in Christian Identity talk — to challenge and rebel against the superior white race. Jews and Judaism must be eliminated if Christians are to achieve their rightful world superiority. Hack the Torah, win a prize By LARRY YUDELSON In such a situation, confronted by such a formable Jewish enemy, it is necessary for believers to store weapons, train solders, and organize violent attacks on their enemies. Christian Identity, most ironically, sees Adventures in Shabbat dinners the justification for attacks against Jewish institutions in a perverted By LARRY YUDELSON reading of the Phineas narrative in the Hebrew Bible, in which the priest Phineas kills those who desecrated the Mishkan, the Jewish holy sanctuary. Christian identity followers see themselves as a Phineas brotherhood K-pop-style single in Hebrew becomes global destroying Jewish religious enemies, as did the ancient Phineas. hit By JESSICA STEINBERG/TIMES OF ISRAEL This theology of violence, which sees the Jews as subhuman, has led in the past and now to an increasing number of attacks against Jews. The most ‘Who knows nine? By LARRY YUDELSON recent attacks specifically targeted against Jews as enemies of white Christian American were the attacks on synagogues in Pittsburgh and Mishna commentator meets Poway. In the 2018 attack on the Pittsburg synagogue attack during Prince Albert’s fate By LARRY YUDELSON Shabbat services, 11 Jews in shul were killed by Robert Bowers, a white supremacist who claimed to authorities that the “Jews were committed Israeli teen in record genocide against my people.” By “my people,” he meant to white record deal By TIMES OF ISRAEL Christians. He went on to explain that Jews were such a danger that “I want to kill Jews.”

John Earnest, a 20-year-old follower of anti-Semitic hate groups, attacked ONLINE the Texas synagogue during Passover services in 2018. When confronted by the arresting police officers, he explained that his action was necessary EXPERIENCES because Jews “were trying to destroy white people.”

Earlier attacks occurred at the Washington Holocaust Museum and many LOCAL other Jewish institutions all around the country. These attacks by those most committed to Christian Identity and allied anti-Semitic groups, including neo-Nazis, has been followed by almost daily street attacks on READ FULL JEWISH STANDARD clearly recognized individual Jews, particularly in Orthodox neighborhoods. ISSUE It appears that the coverage given to these well-publicized shootings encouraged latent anti-Jewish animosities to emerge in violent street crime.

The ideological violence, although it is relatively rare, still has the effect of emboldening local anti-Semites to attack innocent Jews in the shops or on the way to synagogues. What was latent anti-Jewish attitudes is now acted upon and justified theologically.

Christian Identity is an extremist cult, and it is disavowed by all establishment Christian denominations. Still, such groups attract followers all over the country, and they are fairly prominent on the internet all over the Christian world, particularly in Norway and Germany.  VIEW RECENT PRINT ISSUES SUBSCRIBE FOR MAIL DELIVERY Some racist right-wing American groups, including elements in the extremist right wing of the Republican party, while not members of Christian Identity groups, advocate and support identity programs. These LATEST LATEST BLOGSgroups believe that the elimination of Jewish influence and culture will lead ARTICLES to a flourishing of Christian values, and it will liberate America from the 2 DAYS AGO degeneracy and immorality of modern secular culture. Mon. 7/13, 1:30 p.m.: You Be the LEONARD Detective: A GRUNSTEIN The popular media does not give much coverage to the religious and Family Tour of Funding of Jerusalem Yeshiva Day theological motivations of the growing violence against Jewish synagogues, Schools Ju… community centers, and schools, and also against individual Jews. 3 DAYS AGO Coverage of these acts of violence frequently report them as acts of Yes, Jews can and should disturbed individuals, who have little backing. The truth, however, is that support Black MORDECHAI Christian Identity has a strong theological base, and some of the recent Lives Matter WEISS purveyors of violence had personal contact or internet connections with Leadership 3 DAYS AGO theses hate groups. Only a minority of its followers engage in violence, but Parashat many who are affiliated contribute money and support the movement in Pinchas: Women, don’t ask other ways. DAVID J. FINE 3 DAYS AGO Symbols of There is a tendency both in the popular media and in the Jewish Life cycles and an Modell’s (un)usable establishment to see these recent violent outbursts as the action of past disturbed individuals, or as merely criminal acts. There is truth to these views, and indeed some of these perpetrators may be mentally ill, but the 3 DAYS AGO Doing well by doing good fact remains that the surge of anti-Semitic violence is deeply ideological JOANNE PALMER and it is organized and supported by committed religious believers. There 3 DAYS AGO OJC weekly Life with actually are no real lone wolf terrorist attacks. An individual terrorist may social summer meals distancing execute the violence, but the motivation, support, and guidance is always initiative and s… given by a larger cell or an ongoing internet chat room. 3 DAYS AGO

 SEE ALL There is no way to have an accurate idea of the number of followers these  SEE ALL groups have. Estimates from various research groups report that there are between 50, 000 and 150,000 members in these affiliated Identity groups. My own research suggests that the number of Americans sympathetic to LATEST BLOGS these views far exceeds these estimates. JULY 9, 2020, 9:06 PM LEONARD GRUNSTEIN The growing violence and the constant threats have transformed Jewish Funding of Yeshiva Day life in the United States. Virtually all synagogues, Jewish community Schools Ju… centers, and schools, and all Jewish-sponsored events, are policed by JULY 9, 2020, 5:50 PM armed guards and security cameras. Most synagogues have a special lock MORDECHAI WEISS with numbers known only to members. Many synagogues also have armed Leadership a number of members who carry weapons during services, including during JULY 9, 2020, 8:03 AM Shabbat prayer times. Announcements are made periodically urging DAVID J. FINE synagogue regulars to report and question any visitors who are not known Symbols of an to be a part of the community. (un)usable past

JULY 8, 2020, 11:55 PM This might not sound strange to many Israelis, but to somebody like me, JOANNE PALMER who grew up in midcentury American, it is astounding and frightening, and Life with social it was entirely unpredictable. Jewish public places were open and accessible. distancing and s… No one thought of them as possible places of danger or violence. Here we JULY 6, 2020, 10:55 PM see the radically different place of Jews on the American landscape. MICHAEL WILDES

Proclamation nation — Making s… Nothing described here should encourage passivity. And no one political party is the progenitor of this new anti-Jewish mood. Rather, we are facing JULY 6, 2020, 7:12 AM an uncertain future and a cultural and political transformation. Political JOSEPH ROTENBERG action, lobbying, legal action, and public demonstrations, which The Suburban Succah fortunately already have begun, must continue and increase. Jews, JULY 3, 2020, 11:26 PM however, cannot live in the past and revel in nostalgia but instead must JOANNE PALMER acknowledge the new reality of their place in America. A more perfect union

JUNE 26, 2020, 7:50 PM Dr. Charles Selengut of Teaneck is a professor of sociology at the County JOANNE PALMER College of Morris. The re ies have no idea

JUNE 26, 2020, 7:40 AM READ MORE: LEONARD GRUNSTEIN

Just the Facts · Opinion

JUNE 25, 2020, 9:43 PM JOSEPH C. KAPLAN

Erasing History vs. Just     6 shares

Smudging… COMMENTS  SEE ALL

0 Comments Sort by Oldest

JEWISH STANDARD Add a comment…

DAILY EDITION FREE TO YOUR INBOX Facebook Comments Plugin

EMAIL ADDRESS

By signing up, you agree to our terms

Jewish Sports Hall of Fame is SPECIALTY launching at Kaplen JCC PUBLICATIONS February 13, 2020, 9:35 am |  0     2 shares

The Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly recently founded the New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame to honor Jews who have distinguished themselves as leaders in athletics in New Jersey and who have fostered their Jewish identity successfully through sports. The inaugural inductees, who will be honored at the JCC’s third annual Sports Night of Champions on Thursday, March 5, include Jeff Kurtz, Leonard Rubin z”l, and Joseph Taub z”l. These community leaders were nominated and chosen based on the following criteria: they identified themselves publicly as Jewish; they demonstrated outstanding accomplishments as athletes, coaches, sports media, sports administrators, or sports figures who made a significant, positive impact on our community; they displayed excellence in leadership, sportsmanship and character; and they either were born in New Jersey,  VIEW ALL MAGAZINES lived in New Jersey for at least four years, or played professionally for a New

Jersey or tri-state area sports team.

The evening will include an elegant strolling dinner, a celebratory program PAGE 3 with award presentations, a live auction, and the presentation of the Joseph Taub Scholar Athlete awards to one female and one male high school senior from Bergen County. Both scholars will be presented with a $3,600 college scholarship in recognition of their excellence in sports, academics, and in their communities. Runner up and honorable mention awards also will be distributed. Since the establishment of this community- wide event two years ago, the JCC has raised more than $400,000 in Whole and holy foods support of scholarships at the JCC.

“Every year, our Sports Night exceeds our expectations as a high-energy By LARRY YUDELSON fundraiser that fills us with pride, knowing we can help countless children, families and seniors in need in our community,” the JCC’s CEO, Jordan Shenker, said. “Launching our New Jersey Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

substantially adds to our pride, as it allows us to honor both living and COMMUNITY deceased leaders in our community who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to sports, their Jewish identity, and the desire to inspire the next generation when it comes to both sports and sportsmanship.”

Get The Jewish Standard Newsletter by FREE SIGN UP email and never miss our top stories

FIDF delivers shmurah matzah to Israeli soldiers Joseph Taub z”l, the former co-owner of the New Jersey Nets, was a founder of Automatic Data Processing. A longtime member of the JCC family, Taub was dedicated to Jewish life and the Jewish community. He was an avid philanthropist who promoted Jewish scholarship. He was well known for his kindness and generosity, as well as for his lifelong dedication to providing assistance to at-risk teens, and for inspiring young athletes to  FULL realize their goals. COVERAGE / ROCKLAND Leonard Rubin z”l, a JCC founding member and president, was a driving force behind many JCC programs. Because he believed that Jewish education was the key to Jewish continuity, at the JCC, he established the first Judaic-scholar-in-residence program and a teen scholarship to Israel program. He and his wife, Syril z”l, established the JCC flagship nursery school, which bears their name. He also played a pivotal role in creating the ‘It seems to be saving JCC’s Adult Reach Center for seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia and people’s lives’ established the JCC annual Rubin Run as a community-wide athletic event to encourage and promote healthy living. By LARRY YUDELSON

Jeff Kurtz, the president of the Kamson Corporation, serves on the board of the Hope & Heroes Children’s Cancer Fund and other charities. A graduate of the University of Miami, he played on the Miami tennis team, went on to  FULL play football, and was a member of the 1987, 1989, and 1991 National COVERAGE / ABOUT OURChampionship Football Teams for the University of Miami. An avid golfer CHILDREN and tennis player, he coaches and runs the Tenafly Youth Football program for third through eighth graders, and also is an assistant basketball and lacrosse coach for his children. Kurtz also prides himself on coaching young quarterbacks to boost their skill sets, watching them grow into exceptional high school athletes.

JoJo Rubach and Jeff Levitt are the evening’s co-chairs; the committee includes Kenny Albert, Noah Garden, Jeff Kurtz, Danny Rubin, Craig Silver, Kidspiration Art Gordon A. Uehling III, Tracy Wolfson, and Barry Zeller. The scholarship awards have been made possible by the Joseph and Arlene Taub Foundation in memory of Joseph Taub z”l.

For more information, including VIP sponsorship opportunities and tickets, go to jccotp.org/sportsnight, call (201) 408-1412, or email Hilary Baris, hbaris@jccotp.org.