Ellen Eisenberg, Dwight & Margaret Lear Professor of American History, Willamette University
Western Jewish historians long
framed the high level of acceptance and inclusion experienced by early
Jewish settlers in the region in celebratory terms. Yet more critical
views of western pioneers, emphasizing narratives of settler
colonialism, land theft and genocide, are prompting a reassessment. In
this presentation, Eisenberg will explore the impact of these shifting
historical narratives from the point of view of a western Jewish
historian, sharing how she rethought, revised and reframed her own work
on Oregon Jewish pioneers in response to recent racial reckonings in
western history and society.
This talk was delivered as part of the 2026 Holocaust Memorial Program.
