2022 Society of Scholars of Zoroastrianism (SSZ) Conference

supported by Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America (FEZANA) & World Zoroastrian Organization

at the
Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr
8615 Meadowbrook Drive, Burr Ridge, IL 60527
on
Friday November 18 – Saturday November 19, 2022

Online attendance is available only for the Scholar Lecture / Meeting Sessions.

Registration

All community members, students, scholars and members of interfaith communities are invited and encouraged to participate.  Suggested donation is $10.  This will include dinner on Friday and breakfast, lunch and refreshments on Saturday.  Please RSVP (for Friday and Saturday separately) by November 10, 2022 to SSZ co-Director & Secretary Pervin Taleyarkhan (pervin.taleyarkhan@zamc.org).

To participate online please register here:

2022 SSZ Conference Program

FRIDAY – November 18, 2022
6:00    Meet and Greet
Welcome — Jamshed Rivetna (ZAC President)
7:00    Keynote Address – Prof. Dan Sheffield
8:00    Dinner.

SATURDAY – November 19, 2022

Conference Chair:  Prof. Dan Sheffield

8:30    Registration and Breakfast
9:00    Benediction – Mobedyar Boman Damkevala
Monajat – Mani Rao
Welcome — Jamshed Rivetna (ZAC President)
Welcome, Intro to SSZ, and Annual Report – Zal Taleyarkhan (SSZ President)
Morning Session – Scholarly Symposium conducted by Prof. Dan Sheffield and Zal Taleyarkhan
Session Chairs: Afshan Barshan & Sheroy Gonda
9:30    Opening Address: – Prof. Dan Sheffield introduced by Zal Taleyarkhan
10:00 Dr. Kerman Daruwalla – The History of Zoroastrian Priests in India
10:45  Dr. Benedikt Peschl – Zoroastrian Middle Persian Literature and its Relation to the Avesta: current research perspectives.
11:30  Prof. Dan Sheffield – The Pahlavi Book of Religious Decrees: a Forgotten Source for the History of Medieval Zoroastrianism.

12:15 Lunch & Reflection on Morning Session

Afternoon Session – Community-Led Scholarly Works
Session Chair:  Kamal Saher
1:00    Ervad Tehemton Mirza – Nature’s Spirituality (Online IZS class)
2:15    Meheryar Rivetna – Everything You Wanted to Know About the Younger Avesta (But Were Afraid To Ask)
3:00    Coffee break
3:15    Afternoon Panel: Moderator Dr. Persis Driver, Panelists: Delna Balsara, Sarosh Irani, Teshtar Irani, Vispi Karkaria: — Contemporary Identity and the Role of Intergenerational Memory in the Zoroastrian Diaspora
4:30    Networking with hors-d’oeuvres and drinks

SUNDAY – November 20, 2022

9:00    Roundtable to discuss SSZ Future Plans
10:00  Jashan Demonstration with Audience Participation — Er. Tehemton Mirza (Dean, NAMC Institute of Zoroastrian Studies) with support from other Mobeds.

About the SSZ.  The Society of Scholars of Zoroastrianism (SSZ) is an initiative to promote study and scholarship of the Religion of Zarathushtra.  The mission of the Society is to revive the tradition of scholarship within our community among athornans and behdins alike, and to promote interaction among academicians, theologians (priests), educationists, lay scholars and practitioners of Zoroastrianism, through roundtable discussions, conferences and publications.

History of SSZ Conferences.  SSZ Conferences have been held since 2006, when noted scholars and students present their research papers.  To encourage Zoroastrian studies within the community, these SSZ conferences also include sessions delivered by community members, especially the next-generation. Persons/Associations interested in the mission and vision of the Society of Scholars of Zoroastrianism, are invited to host future Conferences in their areas.  The organizers enjoy complete autonomy in regard to programming and organizing the Conference.

All community members, students, scholars and members of interfaith communities are invited and encouraged to participate.  Your presence gives support to the speakers, and your feedback is invaluable so that future research efforts may be directed in a constructive manner for the benefit of both the academicians as well as the community.