Assumption to Host Lecture on Catholic-Jewish Friendship
Assumption University will host the annual Rabbi Joseph Klein Lecture on Tuesday, September 30 at 6 p.m. featuring Rabbi Meir Soloveichik and Dr. Matthew Tapie. The event is free and open to the public and will be hosted in the Curtis Performance Hall, with a reception to follow.
Sponsored by Assumption’s Center for Civic Friendship and the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts (JFCM), this year’s lecture, Catholic-Jewish Friendship: 60 Years After Nostra Aetate, will examine the Vatican II document that redefined the Catholic Church’s approach to interfaith dialogue.
Rabbi Meir Soloveichik is the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel in Manhattan—the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States—and Director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University. A renowned scholar and speaker, Soloveichik is widely recognized for his insights on Jewish thought, religious freedom, and interfaith engagement.
Dr. Matthew Tapie is an Associate Professor of Theology and Director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies at Saint Leo University in Florida. Tapie is a leading voice in Catholic-Jewish relations and interreligious dialogue, with extensive academic work on the theology of religious pluralism and reconciliation.
“The Rabbi Klein Lecture has a rich legacy of fostering conversations about enduring theological and sociological questions,” said Mary Jane Rein, director of the Center for Civic Friendship. “We are excited to welcome the greater Worcester community to campus for this dialogue – one which speaks directly to our center’s mission of cultivating an understanding of civic friendship that promotes shared progress above any difference and disagreement.”
The Center for Civic Friendship, founded in 2024, advances the foundational belief that ideas should be exchanged openly and disagreements should be voiced respectfully. Last year, its inaugural event assembled a panel of distinguished academic experts from across New England to examine the prospects for civic friendship in the wake of the 2024 presidential election.
About Assumption University
Assumption University, founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption, is a premier New England university for high-quality education, integrating career preparation and education of the whole person, drawing upon the best in the rich and centuries-long tradition of Catholic higher education. Assumption’s graduates are known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. The University offers 37 majors and 49 minors in the liberal arts, sciences, business, nursing, professional studies, and other areas, as well as graduate degrees and professional credentials. For more information about Assumption University, please visit assumption.edu or follow us @AssumptionUMA.