Speaking

Randi Madonik Skurka is a writer and Jewish Studies scholar whose work explores Jewish identity, antisemitism, Israel and contemporary Jewish life in Canada. She is a speaker with the Association for Canadian Jewish Studies Speakers’ Bureau.

Current AJCS talks

Who Counts? Canadian Women, Minyan and the Book of Ruth

A talk exploring the intersection of biblical interpretation and Canadian Jewish life through the Book of Ruth. Drawing on my own research and experience, I examine how feminist readings of Ruth contributed to conversations that culminated in a congregational vote to include women in the minyan for the first time in my shul, illustrating how scholarship can inform evolving religious practice within Canadian Conservative Judaism.

Beyond Polarization: Reclaiming Dialogue in a Time of Division for Canada’s Jews

Since October 7th, Canada’s Jews have found themselves navigating fractured relationships, rising antisemitism, and increasingly polarized public discourse. This presentation explores how dialogue, curiosity and moral clarity can coexist, drawing on Canadian experiences and encounters with Jewish, Palestinian, Indigenous and other community voices.

Other areas of speaking and writing

Randi’s broader work addresses antisemitism and anti-Zionism, Jewish identity, Israel, campus culture, political narratives and the changing landscape of Jewish life in Canada.