The Evening of Roses is the major fund raising vehicle for the Sister Rose Thering Endowment for Jewish-Christian Studies.  Its aim is to promote the Endowment's work by honoring outstanding scholars in the field of Jewish-Christian relations and conferring honorary Doctor of Humane Letters as well as Humanitarian of the Year awards upon individuals who have demonstrated outstanding compassion, altruism, and courage in various endeavors.  Honorary degrees have been bestowed upon Professor Elie Wiesel, Cynthia Ozick, Sister Rose Thering, Judith H. Banki and Sir Martin Gilbert, Nechama Tec, Theodore Bikel and Dr. Eugene Fisher. 

Each Evening of Roses event has attracted between 300-500 attendees whose participation and financial support have been rewarded by an outstanding program followed by a reception.  Honored guests offer to sign copies of their most recent publications or serenade all with a song, such as our friend Theodore Bikel has done.
 
Evening of Roses Programs and Honorees:

2009:  Humanitarians of the Year:  Maud Dahme and Irena Sendler (posthumously); Featured Speaker:  Senator Richard T. Codey

2008: Humanitarians of the Year: Pearl Randall Lehrhoff and Seymour Lehrhoff; Featured Speaker: Rabbi Matthew Gewirtz

2007: Sister Rose Thering Award for Exemplary Leadership: Monsignor Robert Sheeran; Featured Speaker: Hon. Brendan Byrne

2006: Humanitarians of the Year: Karan and Kenneth Oleckna and Toby and Lee Cooperman

2005: Premiere of Sister Rose's Passion; Humanitarians of the Year: Sylvia and David Steiner

2004: Honorary Doctorate: Dr. Eugene Fisher; Humanitarians of the year: Blu Greenberg and Dr. Aristides de Sousa Mendes do Amaral E Abranches (posthumously)

2003: Honorary Doctorates: Dr. Nechama Tec and Theodore Bikel; Humanitarians of the Year: David and Julia Altholz and Dr. David Bossman

2002: Honorary Doctorate: Sir Martin Gilbert; Humanitarians of the Year: Rev. John F. Morley and Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf

2001: Honorary Doctorate: Judith Banki; Humanitarians of the Year: Nicholas and Margaret Pogany and Family and Anneke Burke-Kooistra

2000: Honorary Doctorate: Sister Rose Thering; Sister Rose Thering's 80th birthday and 60th anniversary as a religious Sister; Humanitarians of the Year: Archbishop
Peter L. Gerety and Luna Kaufman

1999: Honorary Doctorate: Cynthia Ozick, Humanitarians of the Year: Rabbi Israel Singer and Christophe Meili

1998: Honorary Doctorate: Prof. Elie Wiesel; Humanitarians of the Year: Eva Fleischer and Murray Laulicht, Esq.

1997: Humanitarians of the Year:  Rev. Edward F. Flannery and Abraham Foxman

1996; Play by Herb Shapiro, A Journey through Sister Rose's Life

1995: Sister Rose Thering's 75th birthday and reception in honor of Rabbi Jehiel and Sylvia Orensteinand

1994: Musical Tribute by Theodore Bikel with Barry Farber as M.C.

1992: Sister Rose Thering's 72nd birthday and honors to Drs. Charles and Gloria Steiner

1990: Sister Rose Thering's 70th birthday