OCU will host Jewish studies scholar for public lecture
A prominent Jewish historian is set to give three virtual presentations for Oklahoma City University's annual Neustadt Lectures set for Feb. 9 through 11. Alvin H. Rosenfeld, professor of English and Jewish studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, will give three lectures via Zoom :7 p.m. Feb .9,“Antisemitism in Today's America: Causes and Consequences”; 2:30 p.m. Feb. 10, “History of Antisemitism and Its Culmination in the Nazi Genocide of the Jews during World War II”; 1 p.m. Feb. 11, “Connections Between AntiZionism and Antisemitism.”
Rosenfeld received his doctorate from Brown University in 1967 and has taught at Indiana University since 1968. He holds the Irving M. Glazer Chair in Jewish Studies and serves as the director of the university's Institute for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism. He founded Indiana University's well-regarded Borns Jewish Studies Program and served as its director for 30 years.
Rosenfeld is also the author of numerous scholarly and critical articles on American poetry, Jewish writers and the literature of the Holocaust. With his wife, Erna, Rosenfeld, translated Gunther Schwarberg's “The Murders at Bullenhuser Da mm ,” a book on Nazi medical atrocities. His most recent publications include “Resurgent Antisemitism: Global Perspectives” (2013), “Deciphering the New Antisemitism” (2015) and “AntiZionism and Antisemitism: The Dynamics of Delegitimization” (2019).
The lecture series at OCU's Wimberly School of Religion was established i n 1983 by Walter and Dolores Neustadt for the purpose of strengthening understanding of the contributions of the Judaic religious tradition to Western civilization and thought. Registration is required by emailing rsvp@ okcu.edu with name and preferred email address. The event is free and open to the public.
Oklahoma Baptists name new chief financial officer
Oklahoma Baptists have named Leslie Osborn as the faith organization's next chief financial officer. Osborn will officially begin her new post on March 1, as her predecessor Kerry Russell becomes special advisor until his official retirement at the end of the year.
She has been working with the Oklahoma Baptists state convention staff as controller since 2017, and with this promotion, becomes the first female to serve as CFO on Oklahoma Baptists' state convention staff.
“Leslie Osborn has the integrity, skills, financial acumen, and abilities to serve excellently as CFO. We are thankful for her heart for ministry and the great work she already has done in serving Oklahoma Baptists. We could not be more enthusiastic about Leslie taking on this key role,” said the Rev. Hance Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer for Oklahoma Baptists.
She is a certified public accountant and holds two degrees, including a bachelor of science in accounting from University of Central Oklahoma. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts and the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants. She previously worked as audit associate for BKD, a public accounting firm.
Osbern and her husband Rick have been married 27 years and have three grown children. They attend Putnam City Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.