Experience a Story Stranger than Fiction at the 2026 Naamani Memorial Jewish Culture Event

Students are invited to an afternoon of history, storytelling and discussion at this year’s Naamani Memorial Jewish Culture Event, featuring Professor Adam Rovner and his talk, The Jew Who Would Be King: The True Story of a Jewish Zulu Chieftain in the 19th Century. 

The event will take place Sunday, April 19 from 2:00–3:30 p.m. in the Susan and William Yarmuth Jewish Studies Reading Room, Ekstrom Library (3rd Floor) at the University of Louisville. The lecture is free and open to students across all majors. 

Rovner is Professor of English and Jewish Literature and serves as Director of the Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Denver. This lecture is based on his latest book, which tells the astonishing true story of Nathaniel Isaacs—a 19th-century British Jew whose life took him from the margins of English society to a position of power in colonial Africa.  

Along the way, Isaacs became entangled in the rise of the Zulu kingdom, global trade networks and the moral contradictions of empire. 

A story that starts with curiosity—and becomes an obsession 

For Ranen Omer-Sherman, director of the Jewish Studies program within the Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities Department at UofL and organizer of the event, one of the most compelling aspects of Rovner’s work is how it began. 

“Rovner’s book demonstrates just how exciting historical investigations into little-known figures and events from the past can be!” he said. 

Rovner himself was initially skeptical when he first encountered a reference to a “Jewish Zulu king” while researching an earlier project. What followed was years of deep archival work and international travel. 

“From there, it just became a complete and total obsession for me," Rovner says. 

That sense of intellectual curiosity—and where it can lead—is something Omer-Sherman hopes students take away. 

“I think it is both exciting and important for students to learn about the genesis of scholarly inquiries and the dedication it takes.” 

A complex story that challenges assumptions 

At the heart of the lecture is a story that defies expectations. Isaacs’ rise from a marginalized Jewish background in England to a powerful figure in colonial Africa is as unlikely as it is revealing. His journey, however, is not just one of adventure—it’s also a cautionary tale. 

“This is a figure who really was marginalized at home, [and] lived a marginal life abroad. He was fabulously successful, undoubtedly talented, surely brave and constitutionally hearty. But he also ends up not such a great guy,” Rovner says. 

Through Isaacs’ story, students are invited to grapple with big questions about identity, power and morality—especially within the context of colonial history. His life reveals both the possibilities of reinvention and the dangers of unchecked ambition and cultural arrogance. 

Why this matters across majors 

Whether you’re studying history, political science, biology or the humanities, this lecture connects directly to the kind of critical thinking students develop in the College of Arts & Sciences. 

Rovner’s research draws heavily from Isaacs’ own writings, offering students a chance to see how historical narratives are constructed—and contested. His work also highlights how personal identity can shape perspective. 

“He’s very insistent on the positive qualities of the Zulu people,” Rovner said. “He also has criticisms. But he goes to lengths to record details of customs and ritual and language, which is not super common at that era. And I suspect that has something to do with his own marginality as a Jew, his own interest in these peoples.” 

At the same time, the story underscores how inconsistent people—and historical figures—can be, especially when they gain power. These contradictions challenge simplified versions of history and encourage deeper analysis. 

An event you won’t want to miss 

Beyond the story itself, the event offers something you can’t get from reading alone: a dynamic, in-person experience. 

“Rovner is a very exciting, richly anecdotal speaker and the story he tells will likely to provoke the kind of lively and thought-provoking discussion in the Q&A that everyone finds rewarding,” Omer-Sherman said. “Students will likely find themselves with many questions to ask our speaker!” 

For prospective and current students alike, events like this showcase the kind of engaging, interdisciplinary learning that defines the University of Louisville. 

Whether you’re curious about global history, interested in questions of identity and ethics, or simply looking for a fascinating story, this is an opportunity to see how classroom ideas come to life—and to be part of the conversation. 

RSVP for this free event by contacting diana.wilder@louisville.edu.