In this event as part of the Jewish Studies Speaker Series, John Sears explores Eleanor Roosevelt’s efforts to secure the admission of more refugees from Nazi persecution to the United States before, during, and after World II, her role in the debate within the Truman administration about the future of Palestine, her advocacy for a two-state solution to the conflict between Arabs and Jews in Palestine and her ongoing support for Israel after its establishment.

Her involvement in these events occurred during the period when she served as chairman of the United Nations Human Rights Commission, which drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sears’s talk examines Eleanor Roosevelt’s vision of human rights concerning the Arab-Israel conflict in her time and recent events in Israel and Palestine, in particular, the work of Standing Together, a progressive grassroots movement mobilizing Israeli and Palestinian people against the occupation, to work for an end to the war in Gaza and to advocate for peace, equality and social justice. 

This event is sponsored by the Jewish Studies department.

Please register to attend this virtual event. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.