by George J Elbaum

Seattle University (SU), a Jesuit Catholic university located in Seattle, is the largest independent university in the Northwest U.S., with over 7,500 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within 8 schools. In 2015 U.S. News & World Report ranked it the 5th best Regional University in the West, and Bloomberg Businessweek ranked it #1 in the U.S. for macroeconomics. One of its 8 schools, the School of Theology and Ministry, Campus Ministry, and SU’s Jewish Student Union hosted the annual International Holocaust Remembrance Day event at which I was invited to speak.

The event was organized by Victoria Carr, Campus Minister, Sarah Turner, Graduate Assistant in Ecumenical & Interreligious Dialogue, and Erin Beary-Andersen, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry, and was attended by the school’s Dean Mark Markuly, Bishop Kirby Unti of the Northwest Washington Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, other religious personnel, and students.  Introducing my talk were Dr. Michael Trice, Assistant Dean for Ecumenical & Interreligious Dialogue and Julia Thompson, Education Associate of the Holocaust Center for Humanity, who arranged my participation in the event.  After my talk and Q&A Sarah Turner played a haunting song “Harbor” for the audience’s contemplation, followed by separate groups reflecting on my talk and on personal responsibility.  Then Rabbi Kate Speizer of Temple de Hirsch Sinai conducted the Lighting of the Candles and Memorial for the event.

Event opening by Assistant Dean Michael Trice

Introduction by Julia Thompson