Elliott Katz Lecture Series

Fall 2026

10:00 am -11:30 am in person and on zoom

$30 per lecture or all 6 Fall dates for $150

REGISTER FALL

LECTURES HERE

Lecture 1 on Monday, November 9

Belgium Heal Thyself First: Belgium has joined other anti-Israel countries by intervening at the International Court of Justice in its claims of genocide against Israel. This, from a country that has yet to formally apologize for the estimated 10 million deaths it caused in the Belgian Congo, courtesy of its murderous King Leopold the Second.

Lecture 2 on Friday, November 20

Come Fly With Me: In World War II, two German women were celebrated as the best female pilots in Nazi Germany. Because of who they were their fate was already determined. You may know one but you'll be surprised to learn about the other.

Lecture 3 on Monday, November 23

Practicing For The Holocaust: Decades before the implementation of “The Final Solution”, Germany practiced the art of mass murder in its colony in Southwest Africa, the Herrero and the Nama ethnic groups were the victims in what is now Namibia.

Lecture 4 on Monday, December 7

The Most Beautiful and Smartest Woman in the Room: Considered the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, actress Hedy Lamarr was also the smartest. Learn how this Austrian Jewish woman captivated Hollywood- and why you should thank her every day for your iPhone.

Lecture 5 on Friday, December 11

Coco Was Bad, L'Oreal Was Worse: Coco Chanel is infamous for being a Nazi sympathizer and a collaborator. However, her actions pale in comparison to what one of France's most famous companies did during World War Two. Its name is L'Oreal and you will be shocked.

Lecture 6 on Wednesday, December 16

America's Very Own Final Solution: On Oct. 27, 1838, Missouri Gov. Lilburn Boggs issued Executive Order 44, calling for the extermination of Mormons in Missouri. Why did he issue that order? What happened next was to be expected.

Winter 2027

10:00 am -11:30 am in person and on zoom

$30 per lecture or all 7 Winter dates for $180

REGISTER HERE FOR THE WINTER LECTURES

Lecture 1, Wednesday, January 13

Not a Nice Jewish Girl: 14-year-old Pearl Adler arrived at Ellis Island alone, uneducated, and penniless. She was determined to realize the American dream. She did, but in a way she never imagined. She would become the most famous Madam in America. This is her story and it's unbelievable ending.

Lecture 2, Friday, January 22

Funny You Don't look Jewish. The Forced Conversion of Jews in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15^th, 16^th, and 17^th centuries created a worldwide Jewish dispersion. Called Conversos, they and their descendants would migrate to New Spain known as Mexico and then the United States. Many are now discovering their Jewish roots. This is their story.

Lecture 3, Monday, February 8

We Lost the War Whom Should We Blame?  In 1862 Judah Benjamin became the Secretary of State of the newly formed Confederate States of America, the second highest position in the Confederacy. Prior to his appointment, he was considered the South's brightest star. His light would soon begin to dim and eventually be extinguished as he would be blamed for the Confederacy's loss during the Civil War. Why him? Perhaps you can guess the answer.

Lecture 4, Wednesday, February, 17

Messiahs, The Famous and The Not So Famous. Although the Messianic age has not yet arrived, Christianity and Judaism have shared a Messianic tradition that has defined their theology. Today you will learn about commonality. You might very well be surprised.

Lecture 5, Monday, March 8

Popes, The Good, The Bad and the Somewhere In-between. Historically, the treatment of Jews living in predominantly Catholic countries depended almost entirely on the attitudes of the then reigning supreme pontiff, the pope. Today you will learn it could be malignant, benign, or somewhere in between.

Lecture 6, Monday, March 15

The NY Times: A Pattern of Editorial Oops and the Apologies That Followed. From the Holodomor and the Holocaust to Fidel Castro's Cuba and Israel's response to the October 7th massacres, The New York Times has repeatedly found itself walking back its own reporting. This presentation examines those specific moments, what was reported, what was missed or distorted, and the corrections and apologies that followed.

Lecture 7, Monday, March 22

The Oslo Syndrome, Self Destruction on Steroids. There is an old proverb: "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” Equally as foolhardy and dangerous is to assume that unreasonable hatred and hostility directed towards Israel can be eliminated by accepting its veracity. Thus, the evil of the Oslo Syndrome.