A photo of a pink rose with green leaves in the background

Evening of Roses

The Sister Rose Thering Fund would like to thank our Trustees, Clergy award honoree, Rev. Dr. Forrest Pritchett, Sister Rose Thering Fund Award in the Humanities and Holocaust Education Honoree, Rabbi Dr. Michael Berenbaum and all who so generously supported our Evening of Roses Gala and our celebration of Sister Rose’s Legacy and the mission of the Fund in her name.

Please view the beautiful Ad Journal with a message from our Chair or view pictures from the event »

About the Evening of Roses

"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.

Interim President Mary J. Meehan at the 2019 Evening of Roses with (L to R) featured speakers the Most Reverend Roberto Octavio González Nieves and Elisha Wiesel, along with honorees David M. Bossman and Deborah Lerner Duane.

The Evening of Roses is the major fund raising vehicle for the Sister Rose Thering Fund for Jewish-Christian Studies. Its aim is to promote the Fund's work by honoring outstanding scholars in the field of Jewish-Christian relations and conferring honorary Doctor of Humane Letters as well as Humanitarian of the Year awards upon individuals who have demonstrated outstanding compassion, altruism, and courage in various endeavors. Honorary degrees have been bestowed upon Professor Elie Wiesel, Cynthia Ozick, Sister Rose Thering, Judith H. Banki and Sir Martin Gilbert, Nechama Tec, Theodore Bikel and Dr. Eugene Fisher.

Students perform an original staging of "Brundibar" at the 2011 Evening of Roses.

Each Evening of Roses event has attracted between 300-500 attendees whose participation and financial support have been rewarded by an outstanding program followed by a reception. Honored guests offer to sign copies of their most recent publications or serenade all with a song, such as our friend Theodore Bikel has done.

Previous Programs and Honorees

2024
Honoring Daniel Mendelsohn, author of the international bestseller The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million, Cantor Perry S. Fine of Temple Beth Shalom (Livingston, New Jersey) and the Founding Supporters of the Sister Rose Thering Fund
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View photos from the event »

2023
Honoring Rabbi Noam Marans, American Jewish Committee's Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations and Rev. Msgr. C. Anthony Ziccardi, Coordinator For Undergraduate Admissions and Retention and Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies.
View the 2023 ad journal »
View a recording of the 2023 event »

2022
Honoring Oren Jacoby, director of the Oscar-nominated documentary Sister Rose's Passion
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View photos from the event »

2021
Honoring the Curt C. and Else Silberman Foundation and philanthropist, Gene Hoffman, D.S.