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November 2002

HEBREW UNIVERSITY HOSTS DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA

Mr. Rouben Shugarian informs faculty, students about The Identity of Armenia

--- JERUSALEM --- Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Rouben Shugarian was met with widespread applause following his Nov. 26 lecture entitled The Identity of Armenia, hosted by the Hebrew University Armenian Studies Program.

In attendance were the head of the Department of Indian, Iranian and Armenian Studies Michael E. Stone, HB Torkom Manoogian, Patriarch of the Armenians in Jerusalem, Armenian Ambassador Dr. Edward Nalbandian, Ambassador of Israel to Armenia Ms. Rivka Cohen, Honorary Consul of Armenia in Jerusalem Mr. Tsolag Momjian. Professor S. Barzilai, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Humanities extended greetings on behalf of the University.

Mr. Shugarian spoke to a packed room, with people spilling out into the corridor. Attendees were from the Armenian Studies Program, from the University and Armenian communities, and the general public.

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September 2002

"SHOGHAKN" SUPPORTS HEBREW UNIVERSITY ARMENIAN STUDIES

Jerusalem: On September 2, Michael Stone, Professor of Armenian Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, visited the "Shoghakn" diamond polishing plan in Nor Hachin, in the Kotayk region, about 20 m,intues drive from Yerevan.

Professor Stone was the guest of the General Director of "Shoghakn", Mr. Sergei Gasparyan. He was warmly received at the factory and was given a detailed tour. "Shoghakn" is a joint Armenian-Israeli undertaking; it is flourishing and in the last year has increased its work force, Sergey Gasparian reported, from 300 employees to 1,000. Gasparyan hopes that "Shoghakn" will reach a total of 2,000 workers in another year.

The factory, which is located in a previous Soviet-period diamond polishing plant, is growing apace. The latestcomputerized equipment guides the work and, combined with joint Armenian-Israeli expertise, brings achieves the highest level in diamond polishing. It is an enterprise of the industrialist Lev Levayev.

Mr. Gasparyan, representing "Shoghakn", welcomed Professor Stone to the plant and the firm has made a donation to the Armenian Studies Program at the Hebrew University. "We share," he remarked, "the common goal of Armenian-Israeli cooperation and the deepening of the cultural and educational, as well as the economic relations between the two countries."

In response, Professor Stone invited Mr. Gasparyan to be a guest of the Armenian Studies program and the Hebrew University on his next visit to Israel. "This marks," he remarked, "the beginning of a unique cooperation" as he expressed thanks for "Shoghakn"s support given to the Armenian Studies Program.

Further information: stone@vms.huji.ac.il or +972 2 641-2906

Patriarch Mesrob II of Istanbul was guest of
the Armenian Studies Program for Lunch

on the Mt. Scopus Campus of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem

May 7, 2002

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THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM

ARMENIAN STUDIES PROGRAM

LIFE AFTER DEATH: VITALITY AND CREATIVITY AFTER THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

at Beit Belgia, Givat Ram Campus

April 23, 2002

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April 2002

HU ARMENIAN STUDIES PROGRAM DIRECTOR WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Professor Michael Stone receives Landau Prize for Science and Research

--- JERUSALEM, ISRAEL --- Professor Michael E. Stone, director of the Armenian Studies program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem received the first-ever Landau Award for Science and Research on March 24 in Tel-Aviv. The Mifal HaPais Fund selected Professor Stone as the leader in the field of humanities, which includes the areas of philosophy, Jewish thought and religious studies. He will receive a grant of 80 thousand NIS for use in future research and teaching.

Professor Stone is the Gail Levin de Nur Professor of Religious Studies at Hebrew University and stands at the forefront of his discipline, conducting groundbreaking research in the areas of both Armenian studies and Jewish literature and thought in the Second Temple time period. He is author and editor of 48 books and over 250 articles. Among his most recent works are The Armenian Version of Epiphanius. On Weights and Measures; Synopsis of the Books of Adam and Eve: New and Revised Edition; and the Dead Sea Scrolls fragments of the Aramaic Levi Document in the Discoveries in the Judean Desert series.

Professor Stone received his BA from the University of Melbourne in Australia and holds two doctorates, a PhD from Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. and a D.Litt. degree from Melbourne University.

Prizes were also granted to professors in the areas of life science, computer science, and political science. The prize was awarded to only one person in each subject and awardees were selected from amongst all Israeli professors who are actively researching in their fields.

The award ceremony was followed by a reception. Journalists were invited to attend.

ABOUT THE MIFAL HAPAIS LANDAU AWARD
FOR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH

The Landau Award for Science and Research is a new award granted to individual Israeli professors for achievements in scholarship and research and for contribution to society. A grant of 80 thousand NIS is awarded to one recipient in each of the following areas: life science, computer science, political science, humanities and art.

For more information about the Mifal HaPais Fund or the Landau Award contact Mati Crystal at (03) 694-0192 or landau@pais.co.il.

March 2002

ARMENIAN RESEARCH CENTER SPONSORS PRESENTATION ON
"THE ARMENIAN QUEST FOR
NAGORNO-KARABAGH"

Dearborn, MI -- Dr. Dennis R. Papazian, director of the Armenian Research Center, has announced that Dr. Ara Sanjian, of Haigazian University, will speak to the metro Detroit Armenian community on"The Armenian Quest for Nagorno-Karabagh: Past, Present and Future" on Tuesday, April 16, 7:30 PM at Hagopian World of Rugs. "I am pleased," Dr. Papazian went on to add, "that we are able to continue to bring to the Armenian community lively and thought-provoking speakers such as Dr. Sanjian, continuing our sponsorship activities, which have allowed the Armenian Research Center to bring such renowned scholars as Dr. Michael Stone, Dr. Vahakn Dadrian, Dr. Taner Akam, and Dr. Levon Chookaszian to the Detroit area." This event, which will be the second one this year, is free to the public. Hagopian World of Rugs is located at 850 Old South Woodward, Birmingham, MI.

Although the fighting in Karabagh has been in abeyance for the past eight years, nation- building inside Karabagh and diplomatic activity outside Karabagh continue. Dr. Sanjian will speak on the past history of the Armenian struggle for Karabagh, its current state and recent negotiations, as well as its prospects for the future.

While in the metro Detroit area, Dr. Sanjian will also inspect the rich holdings of the Armenian Research Center. Also with the sponsorship of the Armenian Research Center, he will speak on "Turkey and Her Arab Neighbors, 1953-1958" on Monday, April 15, at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. With the rise and demise of the Baghdad Pact as his framework Dr. Sanjian will discuss Turkey's relations with her Arab neighbors, primarily Syria and Iraq, and will briefly touch on Turkish relations with some of the other Arab states of the Middle East, namely Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan in the mid-1950s.

Dr. Ara Sanjian holds a Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London and is currently an assistant professor in Middle Eastern and Armenian history and chairman of the Armenian Studies Department at Haigazian University, Beirut, Lebanon. His writings have appeared in Middle Eastern Studies (London), Bulletin of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies (Amann, Jordan), and the Armenian Center for National and International Studies series (Yerevan). His 1998 book Turkey and Her Arab Neighbours, 1953-1958: A Study in the Origins and Failure of the Baghdad Pact was recently reprinted by Archive Editions in 2001.

For more information please contact the Armenian Research Center at 313-593-5181 or gottenbr@umich.edu.

Armenian Research Center
University of Michigan-Dearborn
4901 Evergreen Rd.
Dearborn, MI 48128-1491
Contact: Gerald Ottenbreit Jr.
Tel: 313-593-5181
Fax: 313-593-5291
E-mail: gottenbr@umich.edu
Web: http://www.umd.umich.edu/dept/armenian/

Professor Michael Stone Lectures in Detroit Area: Co-operative Ventures Planned

Professor Michael Stone spent the weekend of 2-5 February, 2002 as guest lecturer in the Detroit area. He was invited jointly by the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies at Wayne State University and the Armenian Research Center at the University of Michigan, Dearborn.

His address on behalf of the Cohn-Haddow Center was devoted to "Scholars and the Dead Sea Scrolls: New Discoveries and New Insights". Nearly 200 people crowded the lecture hall at the Oakland Center of Wayne State University on February 4 to hear him tell the story of the edition of Dead Sea Scrolls. The completion of the official edition was celebrated in 2001. Stone addressed the challenges now facing scholars of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity in light of the discovery of this unparalleled hoard of first-hand ancient documents. He spoke of the role of the Hebrew University and of the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which he founded in this undertaking.Following the lecture, he was hard-put to leave the hall because of the long and lively question and answer session.

On Monday, February 4, at the AGBU Alex Manoogian School on the Campus of St. John's Armenian Church in Southfield, MI, under the auspices of the Armenian Research Center of the University of Michigan-Dearborn, he spoke on the excavations and study of the medieval Jewish cemetery in Armenia. This newly-discovered site, in the village of Eghegis, once the capital of the Vayots Dzor region, has yielded unparalleled tombstones, with Hebrew and Aramaic inscriptions. The inscriptions date from 1266-1337 and are witness to a previously unknown Jewish community in Armenia at that time. This find will have a revolutionary impact on the history of Armenia and of the Jews. His talk was attended by about 200 people; many questions and much excitement ensued.

While he was in the region Michael Stone was able to have extensive discussions with the Armenian Research Center's Director, and his host, Prof. Dennis Papazian. These discussions, as well as touching on issues of importance for Armenian Studies at the University level, explored possibilities of co-operation between the Hebrew University's burgeoning Armenian Studies Program and the Armenian Research Center at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Professor Stone visited the Armenian Research Center's premises, and was deeply impressed by the wealth of resources for Armenian Studies that have been assembled by Professor Papazian. Joint scholarly ventures are foreseen, including conferences and publications.

Professor Stone also met at length with Professor David Weinberg, Director of the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies at Wayne State University and they discussed current issues relevant to Jewish Studies.