Professor Marc Ellis invited me to speak through the Jewish studies program at Baylor University. I think I spoke three times. Once to a larger group and then to a class and finally to a seminar but I don't remember the order. Marc was a wonderful host. My book on American Judaism had just been published and that was what all the lectures were about.

The students were very bright and extremely interested. I also spoke at the local synagogue where Rabbi Mordechai Rotem was then the Rabbi. He was also extremely hospitable and I remember going out with them to a Texas steak restaurant which was very Texan.

I don't know if Marc avoided talking about Israeli politics or it just didn't come up but either way we didn't have a single discussion about Israel except perhaps how it affected American Jewish identity.

I also met Marc's son who helped me with some technical things.

I believe that he just passed away and I was very sad to hear that.