Dr. Jenny Labendz: The Effects of Global Migration

Guest speaker: Dr. Jenny Labendz

Dr. Labendz's area of specialization is Jewish Studies, and her research focuses on ancient Jewish literature and religion. Her first book, Socratic Torah: Non-Jews in Rabbinic Intellectual Culture (Oxford, 2013), examines Late Antique rabbinic literature's attitudes and discourse about non-Jews. Her current research project is on rabbinic eschatology and addresses why and how the rabbis of the Talmud talked about the end of the world. Dr. Labendz studied at Barnard College, Hebrew University, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, and has taught at various colleges in New York and New Jersey.

Dr. Labendz's lecture will explore how the consequences and implications of migration intersect dramatically with the interests of religion. She will show that in 4 examples in the context of Judaism that are also broadly applicable:

1. Stories about migratory origins: A migratory people are a people who understand vulnerability and relationships.

2. Exiles: The pain and challenge of historical forced migrations in the early period of Judaism built community and resilience.

3. Ethnicities: Diverse Jewish communities throughout the world in the medieval and early modern periods led to both broad Jewish identity and religious and communal adaptability to a range of cultures and environments

4. Transplants: When communities of Hasidic Jewish refugees were transplanted post-Holocaust to America, their perceived connections with the old world maintained their sense of authenticity and continuity.

Dr. Labendz currently teaches a Survey of the World's Religions, Hebrew Bible, and Judaism.

Forum on Migration Presents a Film Screening

Dawn Scibilia's debut documentary, HOME
(2006) won an Emmy Award for writing and two Emmy Award nominations for Best Documentary and Best Photography.

Dawn co-produced, directed, photographed, and edited the documentary, which explores the concept of "home" from the perspective of recent Irish immigrant Alan Cooke and New York-based notables Susan Sarandon, Liam Neeson, Rosie Perez, Woody Allen, Elaine Kaufman, Pete Hamill, Frank and Malachy McCourt, Fran Lebowitz, Colin Quinn, Alfred Molina, and a host of immigrants and native New Yorkers.

Dawn began her career in the industry as a Screenplay Analyst, Film Runner and Production Assistant, and has worked on New York-based TV shows, music videos, and major studio motion pictures. She has written, directed, shot and edited short films and directed full length and one act plays with material ranging from Noel Coward to modern original comedy and period drama.

Dawn is a native New Yorker and graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. In her next film After the Vote
, Dawn explores women in politics in post-suffrage era New York. She will join those in attendance as a special guest after HOME screens.

On Wednesday, May 1, SFC Forum on Migration hosted a presentation of the book Leading While Muslim by Dr. Debbie Almontaser, a proud alumna of St. Francis College and perhaps the first Muslim female graduate of our college. Debbie has become an influential national interfaith leader and a forceful defender of human rights.

Dr. Debbie Almontaser was the founding and former principal of the Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn, New York the first Arabic Dual Language public school in the United States. A 25-year veteran of the NYC Public School System, she taught and served as a director in special education and inclusion, trained teachers in literacy, and served as a multicultural specialist and diversity adviser. Currently she is the Founder and CEO of Bridging Cultures Group Inc and a Professor at the College of Staten Island’s School of Education in the Post Master's Advanced Certificate Program for Leadership in Education. Dr. Almontaser was a featured speaker at the 2016 National Democratic Convention and has been featured on the front page of the New York Times and profiled in Time Magazine, Newsweek and Daily News.

Leading While Muslim examines the lived experiences of American Muslim principals to determine whether global events, political discourse, and the media coverage of Islam and Muslims post 9/11 have affected their leadership and spirituality. This book is intended to help readers to gain an understanding of the adversities that American Muslim principals have experienced post-9/11 and how to address these adversities, particularly through decisions about educational policy and district leadership.

Copies of her book are available for purchase.

This event was co-sponsored by the Office of Mission, Ministry and Interfaith Dialogue, Institute for International and Cross-Cultural Psychology, and the International Cultural Club.

The Forum on Migration at St. Francis College expands your understanding of current immigration policies through a series of guest lectures and public events developed to enhance your civic consciousness, volunteerism and advocacy of immigrant rights

Leading academics, mental-health clinicians, advocates took part in Coming to America in the 21st
Century, a day-long conference on March 29th that shed light on often-overlooked daily challenges immigrants face, and revealed treatments and programs that improve their mental health and well-being.

The conference was the first of two flagship events to kick off the college's new Forum on Migration, an education center that promotes immigration research, and provides tools and resources for the growing numbers of immigrants, migrants and refugees in the St. Francis community and beyond.

Growing up in Two Worlds: Young Chinese Americans in New York City

Transforming Trauma of Migration: Utilizing the 7-Step Integrating Healing Model

Challenges New Immigrants Face Within the Latin Population

Understanding the Experience of Forced Migration among Latinx Children and their Families

Education at the United Nations to Counteract Xenophobia Around the World

Historical Accounting of Immigration in NYC Chinatown

Mental Health and Psychological Support for Refugees and Migrants, featuring a Musical Performance

Human sex trafficking is among the world's fastest growing criminal industries, becoming a global multi-billion-dollar enterprise. Millions of women, men, and children around the world become victims of human sex trafficking each year.

Through this impressive educational video, False Promises
highlights the modern-day scourge of sex trafficking and the shattering impact it could have on young lives globally.

The courage and testimony of a young woman can change the world and prevent individuals from becoming victims of false promises. Shamere Mckenzie, portrayed in False Promises
, was a victim of sexual exploitation. Now she has become an activist and an expert in human trafficking issues. Due to this notoriety, Shamare has been invited to share her experience at numerous universities, conferences, community events, state agencies, private companies, and NGOs. She continues to raise awareness and trains people on how to identify situations that may end in exploitation and abuse of human rights. Her goal, in sharing her experience, is to carry a message of the danger involved in human sex trafficking to children, adolescents, and parents through the distribution of this documentary in schools and digital channels. Followed by a discussion with Paula Nahr, Producer of the film and President of Switch Foundation in Aruba.

Uwe P. Gielen (Ph.D. in Social Psychology, Harvard University) is Professor-Emeritus and Executive Director of the Institute for International and Cross-Cultural Psychology at St. Francis College, New York. His work centers on Chinese American immigrant children and young adults, cross-cultural and international psychology, and international family psychology. His publications include 28 edited and co-edited volumes. He has served as president of the Society for Cross-Cultural Research, the International Council of Psychologists, and the International Psychology Division of the American Psychological Association.

Dr. Anita Ravi is the founder and medical director of the PurpLE Clinic at the Institute for Family Health, and an emerging leader in the field of human trafficking and health. Dr. Ravi's vision for the PurpLE (Purpose: Listen and Engage) Clinic was simple but pioneering: a community health center-based clinic targeted to the needs of survivors of human trafficking and individuals impacted by other forms of trauma, including rape and domestic violence.

Today, PurpLE has served over 300 people and Dr. Ravi publishes and speaks regularly about how primary care must radically adapt to meet the needs of survivors of trafficking and other forms of exploitation.

Dr. Ravi is a board-certified family physician with specialized training in reproductive health epidemiology, public health, and health policy. She leads the PurpLE Clinic and maintains an active patient panel there.

In 2016, she received the Family Medicine Education Consortium's "Emerging Leader" Award, and in 2018, she was chosen as a main stage speaker at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students.

Dr. Ravi regularly blogs, publishes and speaks on her experiences as a primary care provider for survivors of gender-based violence