Speaking Engagements

Nathan Katz is a popular award-winning teacher, visionary educator, author and sought-after speaker. Covering a wide range of topics from contemporary global spirituality to the Dalai Lama’s “Jewish Secret,” Katz offers a variety of presentations that include dynamic keynotes, workshops, seminars and other appearances (including television). With a wealth of experience that takes him from large lecture halls to intimate classroom settings, Katz’s openness, passion, and engaging style are compelling and memorable.

Katz has spoken before a wide range of audiences. He has been a popular scholar-in-residence for synagogues, spiritual retreats, film festivals and aboard cruise ships; taught in adult education/lifelong learning programs; spoken before a public meeting on environmental ethics led by the Governor of Florida; introduced His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to packed arenas; and delivered commencement addresses at colleges and high schools.

A dedicated educator, Katz was named a “Master Teacher” by the Florida Humanities Council for an unprecedented 12 consecutive years, and his classroom excellence was recognized with a Florida State University System Teaching Incentive Program award. He has been a keynote speaker for academic and general gatherings, as well as conducting teacher training seminars on religious diversity for the Florida Humanities Council.

Katz has been awarded four Fulbright grants for research and teaching, and has lectured at major universities around the world, including Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Penn State, Oxford, Vienna, Salzburg, Hebrew University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the Royal Nepal Academy, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Wonkwang University in Korea, SUNY Stony Brook, Saskatchewan, Trinity, Amherst, Pittsburgh, University of Kansas, Alabama, Yeshiva, The National Humanities Center in North Carolina, University of Florida, UC-Santa Barbara, Duke, Southern Methodist, Manhattan College, California State-Long Beach, UCLA, Wesleyan Universty, Chulalongkorn in Bangkok, William & Mary, Peradeniya in Sri Lanka, Devi Ahilya University in Indore, Jain Vishwa Bharati University in Rajasthan, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Resort Bahamas, the Jerusalem Center for Public Affaira, and the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.

Recent appearances include the following:

2017

• Co-organizer, XIIth Miami International Conference on Torah and Science, “Nature/Nuture: Intellect, Emotion, Behavior, and Ethics.” Surfside, FL. Dec. 21-24.
• Convener, conference on spirituality, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Resort Bahamas. Nov 12-16.
• Convener, conference on “Spiritual Hybridity and Syncretism among Jews in North America and Israel.” Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem. Aug. 3-4.
• “Meeting the Jews of India.” Forum Nashim, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center, Aventura, FL. March 23.
• “Nehemia, Elijah, Ezra: Jewish ‘Village Deities’ and Indian Acculturation.” Shire Hodu: Celebrating the Jewish Saga of India international symposium, organized by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, New Delhi. Feb. 6. (In absentia.)
• Co-leader of tour, “India My Second Home.” Jan 10-23.

2016

• Convener, conference on “Altered States of Consciousness.” Sivananda Ashram Yoga Resort Bahamas. Nov. 13-18.
• “Prospects for Indian Aliyah: India’s Three Judaizing Movements.” Congregation Beth Abraham, Bangor, ME. Nov. 5.
• “India is Israel’s #2 Ally.” Congregation Beth Abraham, Bangor, ME. Nov. 3.
• “The Dalai Lama’s ‘Jewish Secret.'” University of Maine, Orono, ME. Nov. 2.
• “Meeting the Jews of India.” Temple Beth Torah Sha’ary Tzedek, Plantation, FL. Oct. 23.
• “Meeting the Jews of India.” Miami Beach JCC, Miami Beach, FL. Sept. 28.
• “Cultural Islands, Cultural Bridges: The Jews of Kochi and their Neighbors.” Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. Sept. 26.
• “Two Models of Jewish Continuity from India.” Temple Menorah, Miami Beach. Sept. 24.
• “Meeting the Jews of India.” Temple Beth Am, Pinecrest, FL. Sept. 18.
• Scholar-in-Residence, “Spirituality: Mine, Yours, the World’s” program, Sivananda Ashram Yoga Resort Bahamas. July 11-14.
• Convener, conference on “Heart and Mind – Mysticism and Medicine.” Sivananda Ashram Yoga Resort Bahamas. May 1-5.
• “Two Models of Jewish Continuity.” UCLA, Los Angeles, CA. April 11.
• “Who Are the Jews of India?” California State Univ., Long Beach. April 10.
• “The ‘Jewish Secret’ and the Dalai Lama.” Wesleyan Univ., Middletown CT. April 4.
• “Contemporary Global Spirituality.” Rollins College, Winter Park, FL. March 30.
• Co-leader, “India My Second Home” tour. Feb. 16-29.
• “The Jews of South Asia.” AJC and American Center, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Feb. 3.