Urecki will present his lecture, “The Journey of Life Through Dialogue and Encounter,” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Shawkey Dining Room of the Memorial Student Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Urecki, an Argentine-born rabbi, served as the spiritual leader of B’nai Jacob Synagogue from 1986 to 2025. A passionate advocate for the Jewish diaspora, he has also spent considerable time working among Latin American migrants on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border and in Central America. He is especially well known for his work promoting interfaith dialogue.
“I’ve known Rabbi Urecki for six years, and in that time, I have grown as a professor, a friend and a human being,” said Dr. Chris White, professor of history at Marshall and a Drinko Fellow. “It’s through his example as an interfaith promoter that I have become more open to learning about and spending time with people of all religious backgrounds. He is the definition of a true public servant, and I am proud to call him my friend.”
Urecki received the 2011 “Living the Dream Award” and the 2014 West Virginia Civil Rights Award for his efforts to build bridges among faith communities. He is also a contributing editor to the Charleston Gazette, where he frequently writes about religious tolerance and mutual respect.
“For nearly four decades, Victor Urecki has been far more than the rabbi of B’nai Jacob Synagogue — he has been one of the moral voices of West Virginia,” White said. “Through his leadership, empathy, openness and public engagement, he has reminded our state that faith should unite communities rather than divide them.”
Urecki also co-founded Root and Branch, an initiative promoting interfaith dialogue among Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in the Kanawha Valley.