Isaac Amon

As an historian, attorney, and former ISIS war crimes investigator, Dr. Amon speaks on law and history, with a focus on the Inquisition and the Holocaust (isaacamon.com)

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About

The grandson of Ashkenazi, Sephardi, and Mizrahi Jews, Dr. Amon is a former Legislative Director at the Missouri Department of Corrections, ISIS war crimes investigator, and ICTY legal fellow in The Hague. He often speaks on international criminal justice issues and Jewish history, especially the Inquisition, Holocaust, and antisemitism (isaacamon.com).

Programs

The Story of Antisemitism: From the Hebrew Bible to October 7th

In this talk, join us on a haunting overview of the world's oldest hatred across time and space as we delve into the deeply rooted history of antisemitism, from antiquity to the Middle Ages and the Holocaust to the 21st century. Amid a global surge in antisemitism, this talk also shines a light on the extraordinary resilience of Judaism and the Jewish people across the generations.

SILENCE REIGNS AROUND US: THE HOLOCAUST & SEPHARDIC JEWRY

Holocaust awareness is usually associated with Ashkenazi Jews. Yet, the Shoah also devastated Sephardic Jewry, descendants of Iberian Jews who had survived massacres, forced conversions, expulsion, and the Inquisition. This presentation will be a meaningful overview of a largely unknown chapter (especially Salonica and Rhodes) in the annals of the Holocaust, WWII, and 20th century history.

EVIL ON TRIAL: NUREMBERG, EICHMANN, AND A LEGACY FOR TODAY

During the Holocaust, Raphael Lemkin created the term genocide as no word yet existed to describe the magnitude of the Shoah. Through prosecuting the highest ranking Nazi leaders, the Nuremberg and Eichmann Trials laid out and enshrined this legal concept for posterity. This talk will showcase the enduring significance of these trials, which were extraordinary moments in history.

JEWS IN EARLY AMERICA: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE CONSTITUTION

In 1791, the Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution. As this talk shows, leading Jewish figures who knew the Founders had suffered the Inquisition or were children of those who had. In correspondence, letters, and debates, the Founders invoked the threat of the tribunal. Their repugnance at it, alongside a Jewish presence, helped to enshrine religious freedom in the early Republic.

CRYPTO-JUDAISM: A STORY OF MEMORY, IDENTITY, AND REDEMPTION

In this talk, we will journey across the globe with Iberian crypto-Jews who were deprived of access to normative Judaism for centuries and lived their lives under threat of death by the Spanish & Portuguese Inquisitions. Nonetheless, they strove to remain faithful to their ancestral traditions. Their resilience created Jewish communities across Europe and the New World and continues today.

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Endorsements

Our Ezra Bessaroth Sephardic community enjoyed your talk, which was informative and enlightening. We retained much value from your presentation on Sephardic history and its display in our modern times. I thank you for your work and may Hashem bless your important mission.
— Rabbi David Benchlouch, Rabbi, Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, Seattle, Washington

Dr. Isaac Amon recently gave an absolutely amazing presentation surrounding The Jews in Early America. To say that this presentation was very informative is putting it lightly. His knowledge of the history of the Jewish people is awe inspiring. The attendees to our event gave rave reviews of this presentation, as well as his presenting style. We are very excited to have him return soon!
— Kathy Artis, Secretary, The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, New York City

Dr. Amon is a warm and personable presenter with a wellspring of knowledge on a wide range of meticulously-researched subject matter. By weaving little-known facts and vignettes on historical personalities, he makes his subject matter come alive in ways that bring relevance to today's most up to the minute headlines. Listeners can be assured of coming away with added appreciation for history.
— Rabbi Yaakov Berkowitz, Rosh Kollel, St. Louis Community Kollel, St. Louis, Missouri

Dear Dr. Amon, I'm thankful to you beyond words for your time with us. What I learned will haunt me for life, which is good. It wasn't till this morning over Shacharit that it fully sank in how lucky I am to have a siddur in hand and all the literature and knowledge I want. My deepest thanks, again, for your life-changing program. It will never leave me. May you go from strength to strength.
— R.S., Teacher, Temple B'nai Israel, Aurora, Illinois

My community, the Okanagan Jewish community in Kelowna, BC, Canada, co-hosted an educational presentation, which we were able to promote across Canada…[it was a] phenonemal presentation by Dr. Isaac Amon. The event was well received by attendees as evidenced by their tremendous feedback. Keep up the important work.
— Steven Finkleman, President, Okanagan Jewish Community, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

It was an honor and joy to listen to your lecture last Wednesday. No doubt, it was profound research, well-articulated, and an intense conjunction of philosophy, theology, history, tradition, and politics. I am truly blessed to have witnessed that. You are and will continue to be a towering, formidable, and yet kind and cordial figure in whatever you pursue.
— J.S., Law Student, Tulane University Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana

Dr. Isaac Amon gave a wonderful and highly informative talk about the Holocaust in the Balkans and Greece. Community members whose families came from Rhodes and Salonika were particularly moved and the students were fascinated. I heard very positive feedback from attendees afterwards. His speaking style well suited our audience and I warmly and highly recommend him.
— Dr. Jeffrey Blutinger, Director of the Jewish Studies Program, California State University, Long Beach, Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach, CA

Dr. Isaac Amon’s presentation to our high school students was fascinating and impactful. His presentation...sparked meaningful reflection among the students. They came away with a deeper appreciation of their heritage and a greater awareness of how the Hand of Hashem is evident in our people’s journey. We are grateful for Dr. Amon’s dedication and wish him continued success in his important work.
— Rabbi Dovid Fromowitz & Rabbi Shimshon Gewirtz, Dean & General Studies Principal, Missouri Torah Institute, St. Louis, Missouri

[We] sponsored...[a talk] [on] Religious Freedom featuring Dr. Isaac Amon...100 percent [of attendees] agreed that their time was well spent...97 percent agreed that he was articulate and eloquent...He is a warm, modest, empathic person with outstanding interpersonal skills, not just a brilliant scholar. We recommend Dr. Amon wholeheartedly as a speaker to both Jewish and interfaith audiences.
— Naomi B. McCormick, Ph.D., Secretary of Board, Sons of Jacob Synagogue, & Rev. Abigail Livingood, Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Cedar Valley Interfaith Council, Waterloo, Iowa

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