LAKELAND, Fla. (April 7, 2011) – Florida Southern College students are helping to preserve and present the compelling life stories, cherished memories, and societal contributions of Lakeland’s long-time Jewish community. The students will present “Capturing a Moment: Life-Writing, Oral History and the Temple Emanuel Archive,” this Thursday, April 14 at 6:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and will be held in the new Christoverson Humanities Building on the Florida Southern College campus.

The students presenting the histories are members of a senior-level service learning class taught by Dr. Catherine R. Eskin, Associate Professor of English. In preparing the histories, the class is participating in an on-going project to archive and preserve the evidence of the customs, histories, and culture of Lakeland’s Jewish community. According to Eskin, this physical evidence is in danger of being lost due to the passage of time and the manner in which families are storing photographs, documents, and other items of historical note.

The semester-long course requires at least 25 hours of community service. Students meet this requirement through visiting, interviewing, researching, and recording memories and images from local Jewish community members.

Support and encouragement for both the project and the presentation is being provided by Temple Emanuel, the only synagogue in Lakeland.

The Christoverson Humanities Building is located at the corner of Johnson Avenue and Lake Hollingsworth Drive. Admission to the presentation is free.

For additional information, contact Dr. Eskin at 863-680-4345 or via e-mail at ceskin@flsouthern.edu.