The University of Colorado Boulder is hosting its Peak to Peak Series, though the coronavirus pandemic means the annual program will be held through Zoom, with two more events scheduled for this summer. The events are free to attend and open to the public.
Peak to Peak has been around since 2015, when CU Boulder professor of Jewish Studies Nan Goodman took over as head of the Jewish Studies Program. From there, the program began sending speakers to towns such as Trinidad, Alamosa and Steamboat Springs.
“What we want to do is reach rural Coloradans who have less access to university resources,” CU’s Office of Outreach and Engagement community outreach program manager Lisa Schwartz said. “It’s been almost five years that Peak to Peak has been going around to different communities.”
Goodman said the series has been successful and popular in the past. She is hoping they will be able to reach more communities across Colorado due to it being over Zoom.
Elias Sacks, the current head of the Jewish Studies program at CU Boulder, will host the series of talks along with professors.
“The idea is that we’re getting to create these connections and have these conversations with individuals from such diverse backgrounds, from some diverse communities across Colorado and beyond,” said Sacks. “It’s just a tremendous privilege for us.”
Communities that do not have easy access to larger towns can use the Peak to Peak series this year to enhance their fall school curriculum or allow for a change of pace during the pandemic, according to Goodman.
“In some sense it makes it easier for people to join in,” said Goodman. “I’m pretty confident that given the nature of the talks this summer we’re going to draw more people in than ever.”
Peak to Peak has three talks scheduled for the fall. In the following weeks, more talks will be announced for spring sessions. Normally the focus is in the summer but, according to Sacks, the ability to Zoom has allowed more flexibility. In-person presentations will resume when public health allows them to safely do so, because there isn’t a substitution for in-person learning, according to Sacks.
Last year was Dr. Samira Mehta’s first teaching at CU as a professor of Jewish Studies as well as in the Women and Gender Studies program. Her July 23 Peak to Peak talk was on the Eco-Kashrut movement and Jewish dietary laws.
David Shneer, who is a professor of Jewish Studies and history, will host a talk at noon Aug. 20 on “Grief: The Biography of a Holocaust Photograph,” the book he is scheduled to release Aug. 3. The book is about a photo he calls the “first Holocaust commemoration scene,” taken in 1942. Shneer explains why the photographer chose to take the photo, its journey through time and how it has made an impact.
“I think this is his way of showing off what the atrocities looked like,” Shneer said. “I trace this frame from the moment that he captured it in 1942 all the way up until the present.” The photo is currently in a Moscow art gallery.
The talk at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 will be given by Goodman about her book on Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish U.S. Supreme Court Justice. Goodman makes the argument that Brandeis’ theories on privacy were inspired by his Jewish ancestry and upbringing.
“We attract a completely nonsectarian, ecumenical audience and we try to talk about things that are interesting to a wide group of people,” said Goodman. “Talking about Louis Brandeis, I think this is an example that will attract people who are interested in his Jewish heritage but also people who are very interested in his jurisprudence.”
Each Peak talk will start with a 20-minute presentation on the topic, followed by a 20-minute conversation with Sacks and the speaker. Another 20 minutes is set aside for questions and answers. This is similar to previous years, but will now be done over Zoom.
“We are really imagining this revision Peak to Peak Series as a yearlong program where we are able to be in conversation with these communities on an ongoing basis,” said Sacks.
Peak to Peak is partnering with Colorado organizations such as the Corazón de Trinidad Creative District, Garfield Public Library District, Temple Aaron in Trinidad, Aspen Jewish Congregation, Boulder JCC, Trinidad Carnegie Public Library and Western Colorado University in order to reach audiences across Colorado. Those who are interested can sign up through the CU Boulder Jewish Studies website, colorado.edu/jewishstudies/peak-peak.