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Evening of Roses

A Musical Celebration

in Honor of DR. MARCIA ROBBINS-WILF

June 11, 2026

“I know the power of teachers. It is my deepest wish that teachers in our public and parochial schools, with scholarship assistance, will be able to enroll in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University to stem the tide of ignorance in our schools and in society.”

— Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D.

Full tuition scholarships are available from the Sister Rose Thering Fund for teachers and educators from New Jersey public, private or religious-affiliated schools in grades K – 12 to enroll in graduate courses in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University.

Visit www.shu.edu/sisterrose

E-mail: srtf@shu.edu or call 973-761-9006

MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

WELCOME

INVOCATION

REMARKS

INTRODUCTION

REMARKS

INTRODUCTION

REMARKS and INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

PRESENTATION

Sister Rose Thering Fund Award for Vision in Philanthropy and Education

REMARKS

BLESSING

DINNER

BENEDICTION

Program

East Coast Inspirational Singers

Anthony C. Sciglitano, Jr., Ph.D.

Executive Director, Sister Rose Thering Fund

Associate Professor of Religion, Seton Hall University

Rabbi Mendel Solomon

Chabad at Short Hills

Leigh Onimus, J.D.

Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs and Strategic Initiatives Seton Hall University

Heather Mecka

Chair, Sister Rose Thering Fund

Minna Schmitz

2023-2025 SRTF Teacher-Scholar

Heather Mecka

Maud Dahme

Chair, New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education

Orin Wilf

Founder & President, Skyline Developers

Anthony C. Sciglitano and Orin Wilf

THANK YOU and FAREWELL

Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf

Rabbi Mendel Solomon

Rev. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, STD, SSL

Trustee, SRTF

Coordinator for Undergraduate Admissions and Retention

Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Seton Hall University

Heather Mecka

Greetings from Anthony C. Sciglitano,

Jr., Ph.D.

SRTF Executive Director

Associate Professor of Religion

Dear Friends,

We are truly grateful for your presence here this evening in honor of Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf and her legacy of education and philanthropy. We are honored to have her as a member of our Board. This is a special year for many reasons, but I will touch on two of them. First, this is the 20th anniversary of Sister Rose’s passing. Sister Rose’s mission was so powerful that two decades after her passing, the Board founded in her name continues her work with the passion, intelligence, creativity, and generosity characteristic of Sister Rose herself. And we face similar challenges: antisemitism, religious animosity, people looking to build walls rather than bridges. While the context has shifted, some of the issues remain unchanged. I want to note that Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf’s Lecture series is designed to advance interreligious dialogue and sow seeds of understanding and peace. In the last three years, Dr. Robbins-Wilf’s Lecture series has welcomed concert pianist Carolyn Enger, Manhattan University professor of Religious Studies Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, and Dartmouth College professor of Jewish Studies Dr. Susannah Heschel. Please make these lectures a priority! You will not be disappointed. They are just one way we continue Sister Rose’s vision.

This past year we also held our wonderful Celebration of Education and a renaming ceremony to mark the beautiful and passionate life of our friend and Trustee, Luna Kaufman. Luna’s family joined us and received the proclamation from Msgr. Joseph R. Reilly, President of Seton Hall, renaming this event the Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education. Young students reflected on the life of Sister Rose Thering, focusing on the importance of moving from apathy to empathy and responsible action for others. They shared their reflections through visual art, poetry, video, and essays.

Our teacher-scholars this year took a new course on the literature of the Holocaust, offered by Dr. Courtney Sender. They were supported by the generosity of people like you. Your contributions make it possible for these educators to bring to their classrooms substantive lessons on the Shoah and thus fulfill the New Jersey mandate. As Sister Rose knew, these teachers are central to the task of remembrance (Zakar) and education we all take so seriously. I want to thank all of you for your attendance this evening, and for your generosity. We can do nothing without the kindness and support of people like you. I also want to thank Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf, our Board of Trustees, Program Manager Maisie Mountcastle, the East Coast Inspirational Singers, and SRTF work-study student Gabriela Tineo for all their work to make this evening special.

I truly hope to see all of you at our future events!

Yours,

Anthony C. Sciglitano, Jr.

A Message from the Chair

Heather Mecka SRTF Chair

It is our honor to welcome you to the 2026 Evening of Roses to celebrate a year marked by dedication, inspiration, and partnership. Tonight, we proudly recognize Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf, a founding trustee of the Sister Rose Thering Fund, passionate advocate for both children and educators, committed philanthropist, and a true force for positive change. Her unwavering efforts have advanced Holocaust education, championed civil rights, and strengthened interreligious understanding.

As we mark our 33rd year and reflect on the 20th anniversary of Sister Rose’s passing, I am reminded of how this work has shaped my own teaching. Just nine years ago, I was introduced to the Sister Rose Thering Fund and was honored to receive one of its teacher scholarships. This opportunity has deepened my ability to guide students in understanding the causes and consequences of the Holocaust, while helping them consider how its lessons can inspire a more compassionate and just world. I am only one of many educators impacted by the Fund’s mission, and I am sincerely grateful.

Eight years later, I am deeply honored to serve as Chair of this remarkable Board, whose members truly live out the principle of Tikkun Olam, the belief in repairing the world. I extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Anthony Sciglitano, our Executive Director, for his guidance, patience, and encouragement throughout my second year in this role. I also want to recognize Deborah Lerner Duane and Susan Feinstein for their dedication in making this evening so meaningful, and for their continued commitment to Sister Rose’s vision. It is a privilege to help carry forward her mission by supporting New Jersey educators in expanding their knowledge of Holocaust studies, empowering them to return to their classrooms ready to inform, inspire, and motivate the next generation.

Sister Rose believed that educating teachers is one of the most powerful ways to shape future leaders—ensuring they understand the significance of the Holocaust and the responsibility we all share in building a better society. At a time when antisemitism is on the rise and confidence in interfaith dialogue is being tested, our work is more important than ever. The Sister Rose Thering Fund remains committed to addressing these challenges, promoting understanding, and encouraging meaningful change.

Early in November, we came together with students, community members, and trustees to commemorate Kristallnacht. We were fortunate to have Evelyn Gurland, mother of SRTF trustee James Gurland, who shared her family’s inspiring story of Kristallnacht and its impact. Shortly thereafter, we welcomed professional musician and storyteller Caroline Enger, who performed her work The Mischlinge Exchange at the 2025 Dr. Marcia Robbins Wilf Lecture. Ms. Enger drew a full audience, and offered powerful insights into a lesser-known Holocaust experience, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended. As always, we are grateful to Dr. Robbins-Wilf for the gift of this inspiring lecture series, which would not be possible without her ongoing sponsorship and support.

In April, we hosted 165 guests to acknowledge and enjoy the work of our student winners of the 16th Annual Sister Rose Thering Fund Literary & Video Arts Competition, which celebrates young voices in writing, art, and multimedia. The middle and high school-age entrants explored this year’s theme, "Transforming Apathy into Empathy." We also recognized our Teacher-Scholars at this time, as well as the amazing Dr. Luna Kaufman, one of our founders, a friend of Sister Rose, Holocaust survivor, and human rights activist. We were honored to rename the occasion in her memory, and blessed to share this first Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education with her children, grandchildren, other family members, and friends.

Tonight, we celebrate Sister Rose, her devotion to education and young people, and the generosity of those who make this work possible. Your support is vital, and we are deeply thankful for your continued commitment to sustaining her legacy.

I look forward to all we will accomplish together in the year ahead. Our 2026–2027 calendar is filled with exciting opportunities, and we are eager to share them with you. Thank you for all you do to help keep Sister Rose’s vision alive.

With love and respect,

Heather Mecka

Honoree

MARCIA ROBBINS-WILF, Ed.D

Philanthropist and Founding Trustee, Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies

Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf combines the generous heart of a philanthropist with the profound desire to educate. She is a true humanitarian and beloved founding member of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Board of Trustees.

Dr. Robbins-Wilf received a B.A. from George Washington University, a master's degree in education from New York University and another master's and a doctoral degree from Yeshiva University. She has trained educators to teach reading at several universities, and founded a nursery school that focuses on reading readiness and recognizing potential reading problems at an early age.

More than 30 years ago, Dr. Robbins-Wilf and a colleague, prompted by their concern for Russian Jewry, co-founded a medical clinic in Ukraine for children suffering from diseases resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster. Dr. Robbins-Wilf has been active in Tzivos Hashem, an international organization that aims to strengthen Jewish identity among children, and has received the organization’s Community Service Award. In addition to being recognized by several worldwide listings of outstanding leaders, Dr. Robbins-Wilf was a founding member of the Board of Directors of Stern College for Women. When she was president of New Jersey's Seton Essex Reading Council, she met Sister Rose Thering, who personally invited her to join the Board of the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies. Dr. Robbins-Wilf subsequently endowed the Dr. Marcia RobbinsWilf Lecture, which has supported interreligious dialogue and education for the past 16 years, and will continue to do so well into the future.

THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies

Our History

The concept of teaching about interfaith relations in this Catholic university dates back to the arrival in 1953 of Monsignor John M. Oesterreicher, who established the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. Oesterreicher, a convert from Judaism to Catholicism in 1927, had been lecturing, conducting research and creating publications for 15 years when he sensed the need for a program coordinator to flesh out his work and bring his lessons to the wider community at Seton Hall. Thus, in 1968 he advertised for someone to fill this position. As fate would have it, Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D., with a background in education and Jewish-Christian Studies and a keen interest in the Jewish roots of Christianity and the State of Israel, responded to his ad and was hired for the position. Its tasks included organizing summer trips to Israel for teachers and lay persons to learn about the Holy Land. Called the Menorah Institute, the program’s positive impact, both on Monsignor Oesterreicher and teachers, led to the establishment of a Master’s degree program, directed by Father Lawrence Frizzell, now offered in the Department of Religion.

During the more than 30 years of her career as professor of higher education in the College of Education and Human Resources, Sister Rose continued to lead the Menorah Institute and became a close colleague of David M. Bossman, Ph.D., who had arrived at Seton Hall in 1985, served for a time as Provost and then as chair of the Department of Jewish-Christian Studies. Dr. Bossman and a group of close friends of Sister Rose wanted to offer teachers more courses in Jewish-Christian Studies, and eventually discussed the possibility of offering scholarships to teachers. The idea of developing a significant fund to help defray costs of tuition

led to the establishment in 1993 of such a fund and program. Originally called the Sister Rose Thering Endowment—later changed to the Sister Rose Thering Fund—it is overseen by an elected Board of Trustees who created a set of working by-laws.

In 1994, the State of New Jersey, then led by Governor Christine Todd Whitman, and urged on by Sister Rose and others, including former Governor Thomas H. Kean, signed into law a mandate to teach about the Holocaust and Genocide in all public schools in New Jersey, grades K-12. This law created the mandate and was bolstered by the message of Pope John Paul II to Catholic schools, We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah (March 1998). Sister Rose became a founding member of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, charged to carry out the mandate, and served until her death in 2006.

Today, the Fund offers annual scholarships and has reached more than 500 educators during its existence. It raises funds through donations received primarily at the Evening of Roses, held each Spring, a program that has honored outstanding educators and individuals who have shown traits of compassion, altruism and courage in various endeavors. The Sister Rose Thering Fund and the Graduate Program in Jewish-Christian Studies have been called “the hidden jewels” of Seton Hall University, but as Dr. Bossman has remarked, in reality they are "no longer hidden but treasures found" as the Fund contributes annually in scholarship funding to the University. Through advocacy and education, the Program continues to promote understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians and people of other religious traditions.

Sister Rose Thering Fund Milestones

1993

Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies is formed. Full-tuition scholarships are made available to educators who take courses in the graduate program in Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University.

1998

Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel is awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Seton Hall University at the annual Evening of Roses. He chants Ani Ma’amin at the event, echoing his childhood chanting at the Auschwitz and Buchenwald concentration camps.

2004

Documentary film Sister Rose’s Passion, directed by Oren Jacoby, wins Best Documentary Short at Tribeca Film Festival. It is nominated for an Academy Award in 2005.

2005

Anti-Defamation League honors Sister Rose with its ADL Cardinal Bea Interfaith Award, recognizing her contributions to Catholic-Jewish relations.

2006

Sister Rose passes away May 6. An interreligious memorial attended by hundreds of admirers is held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

2007

Cooperman-Ross Endowed Chair for Jewish-Christian Studies in honor of Sister Rose Thering established through the extraordinary generosity of Leon Cooperman and Eric Ross. Rabbi Alan Brill is awarded Endowed professorship.

2008

SRTF Essay Competition’s first celebration of high school essayists whose personal reflections about Sister Rose’s Passion were selected for their proficiency in writing and their plans to use Sister Rose’s ideals in their own lives.

2009

SRTF founding trustee and Chair Emerita Luna Kaufman receives an honorary degree from Seton Hall. She donates all her papers to the University.

2011

Through the exceptional generosity of SRTF trustee Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf, the Fund launches the Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Endowed Lecture. The annual event, open to the community at no charge, has featured luminaries and public intellectuals, including, among others, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine, Ambassador Dennis Ross, author Mark Oppenheimer, Rabbi Ron Kronish and Dr. Susannah Heschel.

2018

SRTF Trustee Alan Silberstein presents a paper on Sister Rose’s contribution to fighting anti-Semitism at an international symposium in Vienna, co-sponsored by the University of Vienna, Tel Aviv University and New York University. He later presents it at the inaugural Sister Rose Thering Legacy Day event at Seton Hall in 2019.

2019

SRTF Founding Executive Director and Professor of Jewish-Christian Studies Dr. David Bossman retires. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi is named Interim Executive Director of the Fund.

2021

Seton Hall Associate Professor of Religion Dr. Anthony Sciglitano is named Executive Director of the Fund.

2023

SRTF presents a Kristallnacht Remembrance on the SHU campus to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the first atrocity of the Holocaust. 2023-2024

The Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies celebrates its 30th anniversary.

2026

The Sister Rose Thering Fund recognizes student winners of its Literary, Visual and Digital Arts Competition at the newly-named Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education, in memory of its beloved Founding Trustee

May 6, 2026

To The Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies,

I want to honor you all as you gather for your Evening of Roses Gala. Your contributions to New Jersey have been admirable, and I am excited to see what your future holds. The diligence and perseverance that has contributed to your success is exemplary, and I am grateful that you have been a part of the New Jersey community for a number of years.

I am thankful for SRTF's ability to connect people from different faiths and foster camaraderie in our state. You have done a commendable job creating a welcoming environment in New Jersey, and your rich history of volunteerism has created a compassionate group of public servants. I am extremely glad that you are uplifting the New Jersey community and empowering individuals to adopt different perspectives while learning about other faiths and cultures.

I want to especially recognize Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf, who has been a selfless leader in your organization. She has displayed a strong commitment to advocacy throughout her career. From being a co-founder of a medical clinic in Ukraine for children suffering from diseases resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster to leading programs to train teachers to teach reading at colleges, I am beyond grateful for Dr. Robbins-Wilf's contributions to public service.

I join the entire state in honoring your commitment to strengthening faith in New Jersey. Spiritual and religious fulfillment is an important part of our nation, and I admire your selfless dedication to this ideal. I hope that you are able to take the time to enjoy SRTF’s accomplishments. I look forward to seeing your future impact on New Jersey.

Sincerely,

Andy Kim United States Senator

OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Hall of Records, Room 405, Newark, New Jersey 07102

973.621.4400

973.621.6343 (Fax) www.essexcountynj.org

Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

Essex County Executive

June 11, 2026

Dear Friend:

Welcome to the Sister Rose Thering Fund’s Annual Evening of Roses Celebration!

As the Essex County Executive of one of New Jersey’s largest and most diverse counties, I always have said that our strength is our diversity, and have worked to find common ground so that all our residents are treated fairly, equally and with dignity. Created more than 30 years ago, the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies has shared this vision and has continued the legacy of Sister Rose by promoting understanding, respect and appreciation among Jews, Christians, and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education.

Congratulations to this year’s honoree – Marcia Robbins-Wilf –whose lifetime of philanthropy and helping others exemplifies the spirit and kindness of Sister Rose.

Best wishes to all. Working together we will continue Putting Essex County First.

Sincerely,

Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. Essex County Executive

State of New Jersey

Commission

on Holocaust Education

State of

New Jersey

P.O. Box 500

Commission on Holocaust Education

Trenton, NJ 08625

P.O. Box 500 Trenton, NJ 08625 (609) 376-3968

(609) 376-3968

holocaust@doe.nj.gov

http://www.nj.gov/education/holocaust/

holocaust@doe.nj.gov http://www.nj.gov/education/holocaust/

Seton Hall University

The Sister Rose Thering Fund For Education in Jewish-Christian Studies

400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079

The Sister Rose Thering Fund For Education in Jewish-Christian Studies 400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079

Dear Friends of the Sister Rose Thering Fund,

It is an honor for the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education to support the Sister Rose Thering Fund and the impactful academic programs the Fund has developed at Seton Hall University.

We often quote, with appropriate attribution, the instructional building blocks and positive thoughts that Sister Rose initiated and that the Fund has faithfully maintained. Her example stands as a monument to her beliefs and has created educational guidelines that teachers appreciate and that students admire. Her leadership and her ability to project her ideas into lessons that foster good fellowship among scholars have already served two generations of attentive students and await a third, now maturing in our grade schools. The fact that these children were born into a world increasingly motivated by mutual respect adds to Sister Rose’s legacy and makes us proud to have known her.

It gives me a great deal of pleasure, as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education and on behalf of the Commission, to congratulate both Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in the Humanities and Holocaust Literature, and Reverend Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett, recipient of the Sister Rose Thering Fund Clergy Award

On behalf of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, it is my distinct honor to offer our warmest congratulations to Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf as she is celebrated at the 2026 Sister Rose Thering Fund Evening of Roses Gala.

These two outstanding individuals exemplify the spirit and mission of Sister Rose in striving to build a better, more compassionate world. Their lifelong commitments to truth, education, justice, and interfaith understanding reflect the core values that Sister Rose championed.

This year's Evening of Roses holds particular significance, not only as an annual gathering of those committed to education, interfaith understanding, and the fight against antisemitism and bigotry, but as a celebration of a lifetime of extraordinary dedication embodied in Dr. Robbins-Wilf. From her presence at the very founding of the Sister Rose Thering Fund in 1992, to the enduring legacy of the lecture series that bears her name, her contributions to Holocaust and genocide education and to the promotion of Jewish-Christian understanding have left an indelible mark on our field and on our state.

The Commission applauds your ongoing efforts and looks forward to continuing our shared work in promoting the legacy of the Holocaust and ensuring that its lessons are never forgotten.

With warmest regards and sincere congratulations,

Sincerely,

The mission that animates the Sister Rose Thering Fund, fostering understanding among people of diverse faiths and traditions through advocacy and education, resonates deeply with the work of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. We recognize in Dr. Robbins-Wilf a lifetime of service, a shared conviction: that education is among the most powerful tools we have to combat prejudice, prevent hatred, and build a more just and humane world.

Doug Cervi, Executive Director

New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education

It is a privilege to bear witness to the recognition she so richly deserves. We are grateful for all that she has contributed, and we look forward to honoring her legacy alongside the broader community of educators, advocates, and humanitarians who have been inspired by her example.

With deepest congratulations and admiration,

Brianna Doherty, Managing Director New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education

Maud Dahme

Born in Amersfoort, The Netherlands, in January 1936, Maud Peper was four years old when the Nazis invaded her country. In 1942, as Nazi officials were deporting several thousand Dutch Jews to Auschwitz, a member of the Dutch Resistance who was a Peper family friend, provided Maud’s parents Hartog and Lilly with the address of a safe house. Six-year-old Maud and her four-year-old sister Rita were separated from their parents and taken to another part of the country into hiding. Hartog and Lilly were themselves subsequently hidden for the duration of the war in the attic of friends in Amersfoort.

Three years later the family was reunited. Maud, now nine years old, and Rita, seven, not only did not recognize their parents, but at first refused to go with them. These were difficult post-war years in Europe, and for the Pepers, along with other Jewish families, the pain continued as they discovered that their entire extended families had been killed by the Nazis.

In June 1950, Maud and her family emigrated to the United States, settling in Kew Gardens, New York. Because of her limited skills in speaking English, 14-year-old Maud found herself placed in a fourth grade classroom. She and Rita soon discovered a solution to the language dilemma, however, and became more fluent by spending their first American summer in the local movie theater, staying all day to watch feature films, cartoons and newsreels. Maud was able to enter high school in September 1950, and in 1954 she received her diploma. Her first job with Pan American World Airways at Idlewild (now JFK) Airport, was where she met Hans Dahme, who had emigrated from Germany in 1951. Married in July 1957, Maud and Hans were together until his death in early 2001. They raised four children, and Maud speaks proudly of them, along with her nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

In her 2015 memoir Chocolate, The Taste of Freedom, Maud writes, “Since 1982, when I became a member of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education, I have devoted my life to Holocaust and genocide education, as well as to public service. Initially I was reluctant to deal with my painful past; however, I had come to realize the importance of witnessing to others about my Holocaust experiences.”

Maud is currently the chair of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. She spent 24 years on the New Jersey State Board of Education, her tenure beginning in 1983. She served as its president for five years. Between 1976 and 1983 Maud was a member of the Annandale, NJ Board of Education.

The Sister Rose Thering Fund recognized Maud at its 2009 Evening of Roses for her work in educating people worldwide about the Holocaust. She is currently a member of its Honorary Board.

Associated with and a leader of many organizations, committees and boards, and honored by scores of others, Maud was inducted in the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2025, Willem-Alexander, King of the Netherlands, bestowed upon her the Royal Decoration of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau in recognition of her commitment to Holocaust education and the commemoration of WW II victims.

SISTER ROSE THERING FUND BOARD

OF TRUSTEES 2025-2026

Chair Heather Mecka

Vice Chair Franklin Stebbins

Treasurer Wayne Hanlon

Secretary Ruth M. Ross

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Paula Becker Alexander, Ph.D.

Rabbi Alan Brill, Ph.D.

Ann Burgmeyer

Lisa Capone-Steiger

Deborah Lerner Duane

Susan Feinstein

James Gurland

Edward Meinhardt

Steven Pomerantz

Robin Sanders

Ruth Loew Schildiner

Alan Silberstein

Rachel Slutsky, Ph.D.

Jason Tramm, D.M.A.

Robert Werbel, Esq.

Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf

Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L.K

ADVISORY COUNCIL

Julia Altholtz

Gail Barry

David M. Bossman, Ph.D.

Concetta Donvito, Ed.D.

Piotr Dudek

Judith Elbaum

Steven Elbaum

Miki Fine

Eugene Fisher, Ph.D.

Kenneth Gaines

Sister Mary Gomolka, R.S.M.

Melinda Hanlon, Ed.S.

Louis Izzi

Allan Janoff

Murray Laulicht, Esq.

Jacqueline Levine

Przemyslaw Murczkiewicz

Robin Neuman

Karan Oleckna

Kenneth Oleckna, Esq.

Sylvia Orenstein, Esq.

Teri Rosen

Emmanuel Ruranga

Gary Survis

Joseph Volker, Ph.D.

STAFF

HONORARY BOARD

Trustee Laureate

Msgr. Robert Sheeran, ’67, S.T.D., President Emeritus, Seton Hall University

Senator Cory Booker

Honorable Chris Christie

Honorable Jon Corzine

Maud Dahme

Blu Greenberg

Rabbi Irving Greenberg

Honorable Thomas H. Kean

Senator Andy Kim

Sister Maryann McMahon, O.P.

Honorable Phil Murphy

Rev. Msgr. Joseph R. Reilly, S.T.L., Ph.D., President, Seton Hall University

Honorable Mikie Sherrill

Sister Sharon Simon, O.P.

Regina Townsend

Anthony C. Sciglitano, Ph.D., Executive Director

Mary Mountcastle Prussak, Administrative Assistant

Chair Emeritus/Emerita

M.A., Jewish-Christian Studies, SHU Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Holocaust Studies

Executive Director Emeritus KPast Interim Executive Director

With Thanks to our Underwriters

2026 Evening of Roses Gift of Distinction

DR. MARCIA ROBBINS-WILF

Annual Sister Rose Thering Fund

Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education

ERIC AND RISA SIEGEL

Cocktail Reception

MARTIN AND AHUVA GROSS

Kristallnacht Remembrance

BETTY AND HOWARD SCHWARTZ

The Trustees of the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies are profoundly grateful to Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf for her selfless commitment to our Mission

To advance the legacy of Sister Rose Thering by fostering understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education

Carol and Alan Silberstein join in singing the praises of Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf for her generous Heart, her lifelong commitment to children and to Christian-Jewish Relations.

Congratulations to Marcia Robbins-Wilf on this well-deserved honor and her tireless efforts on behalf of The Sister Rose Thering Fund.

Nancy and Larry Pantirer

Betty and Howard Schwartz

Elisa and Alan Pines

Best Wishes, Marcia

Your continued support of the Sister Rose Thering Fund has made a difference in our world!

Susan Feinstein

The Gurland family is enormously grateful to Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf for her tireless leadership, endless devotion and exemplary philanthropy to ensure that Sister Rose’s life and teachings remain forever in hearts and lives.

In honor of my friend Marcia.

How nice it is to have a friend that you aspire to be like.

Someone that teaches you while she teaches the world.

Someone who makes you feel it is an honor just to honor her.

I am so proud just to be her friend.

Sherry Izak

HARWOOD & BERMAN FAMILIES HONOR

THE LEGACY

OF SISTER ROSE

Best Wishes, Marcia

Karan and Ken Oleckna

Mom….

You Continue To Lead By Example!!!

Thank You for Guiding Us Every Day!

You Are Our Inspiration!

Sister Rose Would Be Proud!!!

All our love always,

Geoff, Adena, Lane, Gayle, Lauryn, Ari, Reid, Lance and Sophie

A woman of valor who will find?

Congratulations to our wonderful honoree, Dr. Marcia-Robbins Wilf, on this well-deserved honor

Steven Pomerantz

For her value is far greater than rubies. (Proverbs 31:10)

Dear Marcia,

We are grateful and admire you for all you do throughout the years for our community!

B'ahava, Miki and Cantor Perry Fine

In honor of Deborah Lerner Duane and Steven Pomerantz — for all they do for SRTF and for our wider interfaith community - your TSTI family celebrates you! "

In Loving Memory of Marilyn Rosenbaum

Tributes

Remembering

Linda & Kenny Wasserman

Thank you Marcia for all you do. Ann

Msgr. John J. Gilchrist

Thomas P. Giblin y

In honor of my inspirational friend Deborah Lerner Duane.

Love, Rachel y

Congratulations to Dr. Marcia Robbins Wilf! From, Dr. Barbara S. Starr

THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND

TEACHER-SCHOLARS

The following educators in Seton Hall's graduate program in Jewish-Christian Studies have been awarded sponsored scholarships since the 2019-2020 academic year. Generous foundations, bequests, individuals from the Board of Trustees and the community at large have donated funding to cover tuition for a single course for each student, thereby furthering Sister Rose Thering's legacy of understanding and cooperation among Christians, Jews and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education.

FALL 2021

Darlene Claussen

Sally Leara

Jeanette Pine

Pamela Romanchuk

SPRING 2022

Pamela Romanchuk

FALL 2022

Sara Voorhees

Brian Beyer

SPRING 2023

Sara Voorhees

Brian Beyer

FALL 2023

Daniel Hrdina

Father Akash Kurian

Sister Irene Musindi

Christina Rozanski

Satu Minna Schmitz

Sara Vorhees

SPRING 2024

Daniel Hrdina

Stanley Membreno

Satu Minna Schmitz

Kathleen Walsh

Nathaniel Houston

Christina Rozanski

FALL 2024

Stanley Membreno

Daniel Hrdina

Satu Minna Schmitz

Kathleen Walsh

Leah Genuario

SPRING 2025

Kathleen Walsh

Father Akash Kurian

Daniel Hrdina

Irene Musindi

Stanley Membreno

Satu Minna Schmitz

Leah Genuario

FALL 2025

Stanley Membreno

SPRING 2026

Brooke Alvine

Diane Schustermann Bank

You have completed one milestone today, but you have many more goals to attain. As you do this, you must question, everything and always. When you and I stop questioning, you and I stop learning. It is that simple!

— Sister Rose Thering, O.P., Ph.D.

THE SISTER ROSE THERING FUND SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Begun in 2004, the SRTF Sponsored Scholarship program has awarded more than 150 scholarships for one course per semester to selected teachers. These awards, made by foundation and individual support, are a means of introducing sponsor to student, allowing them to learn about one another while also providing an opportunity for sponsors to follow students through their paths of study. Students and their sponsors are honored at an annual event in the Spring.

We gratefully acknowledge the following donors whose gifts and generosity have provided scholarships this year, allowing the legacy of Sister Rose to live on.

Lowell Harwood Memorial Scholarship

Luna Kaufman Endowed Scholarship

We welcome scholarship donations in honor of or in memory of someone. If you would like to donate a Sponsored Scholarship, please contact us at 973-761-9006 or e-mail us at srtf@shu.edu.

Past Honorees

1992 Drs. Charles and Gloria Steiner

1995 Rabbi Jehiel and Sylvia Orenstein

1997 Rev. Edward F. Flannery and Abraham Foxman

1998 Professor Elie Wiesel, Eva Fleischer and Murray Laulicht, Esq.

1999 Cynthia Ozick, Rabbi Israel Singer and Christophe Meili

2000 Sister Rose Thering, Archbishop Peter L. Gerety and Luna Kaufman

2001 Judith Banki, Anneke Burke-Kooistra and Nicholas & Margaret Pogany

2002 Sir Martin Gilbert, Rev. John F. Morley and Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf

2003 Dr. Nechama Tec, Theodore Bikel, David & Julia Altholz and Dr. David Bossman

2004 Dr. Eugene Fisher, Blu Greenberg and Dr. Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral E Abranches (posthumously)

2005 Sylvia and David Steiner

2006 Karan & Kenneth Oleckna and Toby & Leon Cooperman

2007 Monsignor Robert Sheeran

2008 Pearl Randall Lehrhoff and Seymour Lehrhoff

2009 Maud Dahme and Irena Sendler (posthumously)

2010 Joshua Bell

2011 Ela Weissberger

2012 Drs. Charles & Gloria Steiner and Raoul Wallenberg (all posthumously)

2013 Dr. Paul B. Winkler

2014 Sister Rose Thering Fund Founders

2015 Holocaust Survivors and Liberators

2016 Our Women of Valor — Sister Rose Thering, O.P.; Mary Vazquez; Ellin Cohen (all posthumously) and Marilyn Zirl

2017 Father Lawrence Frizzell, Luna Kaufman, Pearl Randall Lehrhoff and Hattie Segal

2018 Marilyn Rosenbaum and Darrell Terry, Sr.

2019 David M. Bossman, Ph.D. and Deborah Lerner Duane

2021 Peter Friedmann, Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation; Evi Meinhardt (posthumously) & Edward Meinhardt, Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation and Gene Hoffman

2022 Oren Jacoby, Director of the Oscar-nominated documentary Sister Rose's Passion

2023 Rabbi Noam Marans, American Jewish Committee’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations

Rev. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, S.T.D., S.S.L., Coordinator for Undergraduate Admissions and Retention and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies, Seton Hall University

2024 Dr. Daniel Mendelsohn, Award in Humanities and Holocaust Literature Cantor Perry Fine, 2024 Clergy Award

2025 Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum, Distinguished Professor and Director, Sigi Ziering Institute, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, American Jewish University, Award in Humanities and Holocaust Literature

Rev. Dr. Forrest M. Pritchett, Director, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Program, Seton Hall University, 2025 Clergy Award

2026 Winners of the Literary, Digital & Visual Arts Competition

Our Competition winners were honored on April 19, 2026 at the Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education, newly named to honor the memory of our beloved SRTF Trustee.

ESSAYS

First Place • ADITI MAGAL • 8th Grade • Millburn Middle School

Honorable Mention • BRANDON URGILES • 8th Grade • Hackensack Middle School

First Place • KIROLLOS YAKOUB • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • BOGNA LEKAN • 9th Grade • Academy of the Holy Angels

First Place • EMMA (SEOHYUN) KIM • 10th Grade • Academy of the Holy Angels

Honorable Mention • BIANCA SCARDINO • 10th Grade • Trinity Hall

First Place • OKEEN SORIAL • 11th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • KEIRY VASQUEZ • 11th Grade • José Martí STEM Academy

First Place • AMEN CHAUDHRY • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • MICHAEL OCEGUERA • 12th Grade • José Martí STEM Academy

POETRY

First Place • CLARA GOMIS • 8th Grade • Hackensack Middle School

Honorable Mention • SANTINA MANNINO • 8th Grade • Hackensack Middle School

First Place • EMI PIPET • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • HANNAH NAQVI • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School

First Place • STELLA BENINGHOVE • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • ABADEER RAZK • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School

First Place • LINEILER MORÓN • 11th Grade • José Martí STEM Academy

Honorable Mention • VALERIA SLOMAN • 11th Grade • Bayonne High School

First Place • VINCE VON-PAUL • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • CHARLIZE OLMO • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School

DIGITAL ART

First Place • CLARA BOULOS & NISHKA DAS • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School

Honorable Mention • JOSEPH ADWUMI • 9th Grade • Bayonne High School

First Place • LIZBETH GEORGE & KRISTEN KURIAN • 10th Grade • Academy of The Holy Angels

Honorable Mention • GIA CIPRIANO • 10th Grade • Bayonne High School

First Place • KERMINA FARAG & NATALIE MORRIS • 12th Grade • Bayonne High School

VISUAL ART

First Place • ISABELLA SANTOS • 8th Grade • Warren Middle School

Honorable Mention • ALLYSON MARTINEZ • 8th Grade • Hackensack Middle School

First Place • MICHELLE CHEN • 9th Grade • Academy of the Holy Angels

First Place • JHALEAL SNYDER • 11th Grade • Bergen Technical High School

Honorable Mention • LISNEIDY MORÓN • 11th Grade • José Martí STEM Academy

Thank You

We would like to thank the committee members who worked tirelessly to make this day very special for all.

Ann Burgmeyer, Deborah Lerner Duane, Susan Feinstein, James Gurland, Heather Mecka, Steven Pomerantz, Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf

The SRTF staff would like to thank Gabriela Tineo for her hard work and the positive energy she brings to the office.

The Board also thanks the amazing Maisie Mountcastle for all her hard work and insight!

Thank you to all who have generously shared your treasure with us, gifts big and small, in support of the important mission of the Sister Rose Thering Fund.

Throughout this journal, we have tried to acknowledge the many people who have contributed to this event and gifts received through June 1, 2026 . If somehow we missed your name, please know how grateful we are for your support. We apologize for any omissions or errors.

Save the Date

Academic Year 2026-2027

Among Neighbors (a film screening)

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Kristallnacht Remembrance

Tuesday, November 11, 2026

Dr. Marcia Robbins- Wilf Lecture Fall 2026 (Date to be Determined)

The Luna Kaufman Celebration of Education

Sunday, April 11, 2027

The Evening of Roses

Thursday, June 3, 2027

MISSION STATEMENT

of The Sister Rose Thering Fund for Education in Jewish-Christian Studies

To advance the legacy of Sister Rose Thering by fostering understanding and cooperation among Jews, Christians and people of other religious traditions through advocacy and education