What’s the History of the Egypt-Israel Border? – Prof. Ruth Lapidoth

Professor Ruth Lapidoth, Senior Researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies and Professor Emeritus of International Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem addresses the legal aspects of Sykes-Picot Agreement.

Immigrant Spies: Soviet Intelligence in Mandatory Palestine and Israel’s Early Years – Isabella Ginor, Gideon Remez

The Historian as Witness: Perspectives from the David Irving-Deborah Lipstadt Court Case (pt. 1, 2, 3) – Deborah Lipstadt

(Pt. 2, pt. 3)

The Oslo Syndrome: Delusions of a People Under Siege (pt. 1, 2) – Kenneth Levin

The phenomenon of Diaspora Jews embracing as truth the indictments of Jew-haters has been so commonplace that a literature on the subject emerged under the rubric “Jewish self-hatred.” A similar predilection evolved in Israel, particularly among the nation’s cultural elites, in the context of the Arab siege. (Pt. 2)

The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership – Amb. Yehuda Avner

In his book Ambassador Yehuda Avner tells about his work with four former Prime Ministers. He illustrates their responses to major challenges and re-enacts their intertwining relationships with foreign politicians, in particular American presidents. The book also gives major insights on matters of great actuality.

The Philosophy of Emil Fackenheim – David Patterson

The Jewish Claim to Jerusalem: The Case Under International Law – Dr. Jacques Gauthier

Dr. Gauthier’s comprehensive thesis entitled Sovereignty over the Old City of Jerusalem was completed in 2006 at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

How the West Misreads the Iranian Mentality – Dr. Harold Rhode

In this briefing, Dr. Harold Rhode provides an analysis that identifies patterns exhibited by the Iranian government and the Iranian people since ancient times. Most importantly, he identifies critical elements of Iranian culture that have been systematically ignored by policymakers for decades. It is a precise understanding of these cultural cues that should guide policy objectives toward the Iranian government.

The Role of Jewish Grandparents: An Exploration of the Inter-generational Transmission of Values – Dr. Rela Mintz Geffen

Who are the influential members of the Jewish family in the 21st century and what are their roles vis-a-vis future generations? In particular, what are the roles of Jewish grandparents today and do they differ in Israel and America? What new and reworked Jewish cycle rituals now include grandparents?

The New Gender Imbalance Among America’s Jews: Research and Policy Implications – Sylvia Barack Fishman

The Perception and History of the Jews as Chosen People (pt. 1, 2, 3) – Avi Beker

What does it mean for Jews to be the chosen people? How is Jewish “chosenness” perceived by non-Jews? Why does this idea of “chosenness” still inform new views of anti-Semitism? The answer to these questions can be found by looking at the concept of “chosenness” from the Old and New Testaments to the Arab-Israeli conflict over two millennia. (Pt. 2, pt. 3)

Being Jewish in China:The Current Situation of the Kaifeng Jews – Gidon Elazar

This talk is based on a visit by Gideon Elazar with the community in Kaifeng under the auspices of the organization “Shavei Yisrael” during the holiday of Sukkot, and an analysis of their history and current situation in the context of contemporary China.