Unfolding Modern Israel, On Demand

Understanding Israel: The Facts, Intentions and Impact

Most people today view Israel primarily through the lens of modern politics, current events, and the conflict with the Arabs. Without context, sensational news headlines overwhelm the reasons involved in Israel’s establishment and the persistence of its people to survive.

Israel’s origins are found in its Jewish past. Political experience emerged from diaspora experiences. Zionism/Israel succeeded before and after 1948 through perseverance and often inept decisions by its neighbors. Its immigrant origins generated rich political and cultural diversity. Surviving great power politics, its geography, vivid memories of yesterday, and toxic political adversities shaped Israel’s foreign policy. Grasping context informs. It allows for sophisticated discussions about Israel today and tomorrow.

Engage with Israel

Why are these courses unique? From state-seeking to state-making and state-keeping, CIE’s course content is derived from original sources and texts. Your option exists to delve into the analyses. Capture an aroused understanding of the culture, conflicts, events, personalities, and politics that have shaped and continue to shape Israel. The courses are foundations for understanding Israel’s place in the Jewish world and in Middle Eastern politics.

Immerse yourself in unique, multimodal, self-paced courses. Each provides a comprehensive foundation of knowledge; each combines a blend of diverse learning materials, including interviews, videos, maps, documents, and analysis. The courses inspire Israel learning, often answering a reply, “now I see that.”

Zionism is the national liberation movement of Jews to take destiny into their own hands and move themselves from being the object of someone else’s sentence to the subject of their own.

Dr. Kenneth Stein
Founding President, CIE

Kenneth Stein, PhD

Dr. Kenneth Stein is an Emeritus Professor at Emory University, where he earned awards for his teaching of Middle Eastern History, Political Science, and Israel Studies to more than 5800 students over 44 years, and founded The Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel. Dr. Stein is the author of multiple books on the subjects of Israel’s history, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and initiatives for peace. Dr. Stein earned his BA at Franklin and Marshall College, and two MA degrees and a doctorate in Middle Eastern History from the University of Michigan.

Scott Abramson, PhD

Dr. Scott Abramson received his master’s degree from Brandeis University’s Department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies and his Ph.D. from UCLA’s Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures. He has held postdoctoral appointments at UCLA’s Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and at Northwestern University’s Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies. Dr. Abramson has designed and taught many courses on the history and culture of Israel and the Middle East. Dr. Abramson is also a published journalist and researcher whose works have appeared in popular publications and peer-reviewed scholarly journals.

Debbie L. Sasson, MA

Debbie Sasson has worked for two decades in Jewish and Israel education, writing curricula, teaching in day school and congregational school settings, leading youth groups, Israeli clubs and in camp environments. She earned her MA in Teaching Secondary School Social Studies from Manhattanville College, and her undergraduate degree in International and Middle Eastern Studies at Emory University.