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Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli SperlingEmory University and Center for Israel Educationkenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu  Afif Abu Much, “Israeli Arabs absent from anti-Netanyahu, COVID-19 crisis protests,” Al-Monitor, July 22, 2020. https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/07/israel-arabs-benjamin-netanyahu-black-flag-protests-corona.html Nuzha Allassad Alhuzail, “The “Gender Genie:” [Negev] Bedouin Women between the Generations,” Moshe Dayan Center, July 28, 2020. https://dayan.org/content/gender-genie-bedouin-women-between-generations Ghaith al-Omari, Ehud Yaari, and Michael Herzog, […]

With candor, Israeli Foreign Minister Allon tells Secretary of State Vance that the Israeli Labor government would under no circumstances negotiate with the PLO until it gave up terrorism, recognized UNSC 242, and unequivocally accepted Israel’s right to exist. Only in 1993, did the PLO accept these premises, Sixteen years had then passed while Israel built settlements virtually without restraint in the territories.

Using original sources and employing perspective are keys to substantive Israel education. Failure to use either, handicaps and prejudices learning about Israel. When documents and texts or a broad overview of the literature in a field are not employed, there is a strong possibility that the educator either has a personal political agenda or, is covering up for their own lack of knowledge of what they are teaching. This premise is true for teaching any country’s history and through the lens of any discipline. I reside in the discipline of history.

What lessons can we learn from some of Israel’s leaders about Jewish sovereignty, peoplehood, and compromise? Panelists Rachel Fish, Nachman Shai and Gil Troy highlight some key individuals, including David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Henrietta Szold, in a discussion with Rich Walter.

Ben Wax, Michele Freesman, y Ken Stein, ISMI y el Centro para la Educación sobre Israel La pandemia del coronavirus interrumpe dramáticamente con la política y la economía de los países en Medio Oriente. Un segundo pico alarmando a la población de esta región. Aquí proveemos una lista con artículos seleccionados con 225 análisis y […]

Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli SperlingEmory University and Center for Israel Educationkenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu  Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Staff in collaboration with the Moshe Dayan Center, “The Coronavirus in the Middle East: State and Society in a Time of Crisis,” Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, 2020. https://dayan.org/content/coronavirus-middle-east-state-and-society-time-crisis Nirit Anderman, “The Israeli Version of […]

Upon its inception, Zionism needed more than political and financial solutions to actualize a Jewish home in Palestine. It was necessary for the architects of the Zionist enterprise to cultivate a “new Jew” to lay the societal foundation for what would become the state of Israel. The result was a largely European, secular and labor-focused […]

Even as Israel, like America, guarantees religious freedom, it has been connected from its inception to Judaism, the religion of the Jewish people. Nevertheless, that connection has been fraught with tension, from accommodation of religion in the public sphere (the “Status Quo” agreement) to how the state should relate to the Haredi population. Emory University’s […]

Using archival and published sources, including materials from the CIE website, CIE President Ken Stein identifies six factors as reasons for the Zionists’ success: Zionist political action, the impaired socio-economic condition of the Arab population, the commitment of Zionist immigrants, strategic decisions by Zionist leaders, the dysfunctional relations of surrounding Arab states, and persistent European […]

Hundreds of millions, if not billions, of people have been put out of work and the result is a massive loss of output and a collapse in the demand for goods and services. There is great uncertainty regarding the development of therapeutics and prevention; health services face massive pressure and many countries have abandoned orthodox economic policies to support households, firms, and financial markets. Conventional economic theory has once again been put to the test and found wanting. The Middle East has been hit by two large overlapping shocks: COVID-19 and the collapse in oil prices.

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has repeatedly declared that he will be putting forward his proposal for West Bank annexation as early as July 1. Yet uncertainties about his plans still abound, indicating that this timetable may not be met despite his assertions to the contrary.

In January, President Donald Trump published his long-awaited plan for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: “Peace to Prosperity: A Vision to Improve the Lives of the Palestinian and Israeli People.” The president’s vision calls for Israel to annex roughly 30% of the West Bank – half of Area C – with Areas A, B and the balance of Area C allocated to the future State of Palestine (which is also slated to receive additional land, currently a sovereign part of Israel, of roughly equal size to lands to be annexed by Israel).

With permission, read full article at Washington Institute for Near East Policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/wrestling-with-annexation-the-elusive-search-for-a-policy-rationale As soon as next month, Israel’s new government could approve plans to annex a substantial portion of the West Bank. The trigger for this comes from Washington—a shift by the Trump administration to recognize Israel’s new self-declared borders. But that still doesn’t […]

Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli SperlingEmory University and Center for Israel Educationkenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu  Ahmad Agbaria, “Arab Citizens are Not the Problem: How the 2020 Election Might Redefine the Israeli Political Landscape,” The Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, May 31, 2020. https://dayan.org/content/arab-citizens-are-not-problem-how-2020-election-might-redefine-israeli-political-landscape Raphael Ahren, “Lots of Bark, Some Actual Bite? How the […]

June 10, 2020 By Dr. Ken Stein, Founding CIE President The pandemic has had a blistering impact on our lives. When and where will it end? Unexpected and unnecessary deaths. We have learned that some parts of government are inept — some not prepared or not willing to cope, some on-the-spot accurate and competent. Unemployment […]

Dios promete a los judíos una gran nación a cambio del cumplimiento de las creencias y de poner en práctica las leyes.

The Center for Israel Education and the Emory University Institute for the Study of Modern Israel are presenting their 19th annual workshop on teaching about modern Israel, but with a coronavirus-inspired twist. For the first time, the four-day workshop is going virtual, enabling a larger group to participate and lowering the cost. As previously planned, […]

Jerusalem Day, or Yom Yerushalayim in Hebrew, is a commemoration of the reunification of Jerusalem after the Six-Day War in June 1967. It is celebrated on the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar.
On this day, the city is pampered and beautified just for the sake of celebration. So what typically takes place on this special day? Examples include official ceremonies, tours, tastings, a festive parade, a lot of music, unique characters with a story and everything Jerusalem has to offer.

מאז ימי המקרא ועד לימינו אנו, היה ליהודים וליהדות קשר בלתי-ניתן לערעור לציון, לארץ ישראל, לארץ הקודש, או למה שכונה על-ידי המעצמות הגדולות לאחר מלחמת-העולם הראשונה בשם פלשתינה. התוכנית במאה ה-19 להקים מדינה יהודית חייבה קיום אוכלוסייה וטריטוריה. הזהות היהודית, האנטישמיות והכישלון בהשגת שוויון אזרחי ביבשת אירופה זירזה את ההגירה היהודית למסגרות דמוקרטיות ואת האפשרות […]

Assembled by Ken Stein and Eli SperlingEmory University and Center for Israel Educationkenstein@israeled.org or kstein@emory.edu  Algemeiner Staff, “Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Releases Virtual Passover Music Medley,” Algemeiner, April 08, 2020. https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/04/08/israel-philharmonic-orchestra-releases-virtual-passover-music-medley/ Moran Azulay, “Netanyahu and Gantz sign deal for unity government,” Ynet News, April 20, 2020. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Hk2C2rsOL Joy Bernard, “Locked down? Open up to… rising Israeli musician Oren […]

Israeli Likud and Blue and White parties agree to a three-year national unity coalition government with a rotation of Prime Ministers (Netanyahu and Gantz) to take place after 18 months. The Covid-19 pandemic, earlier paralysis in coalition formation, and President Rivlin’s urging catalyze the coalition agreement.

HaTikvah, Israel’s national anthem, describes the hope of the Jewish people to be and remain free in the Land of Israel. Its story parallels the Zionist progression from ancient connection to the land to the present. By creatively using the anthem’s contents, one touches on Israeli music, self-determination, immigration, state-building, art, and the state’s Basic Laws.

Israel’s Declaration of Independence is the source document of the Jewish state. Here we present a number of engaging learning activities for unpacking the document and helping learners interpret and make meaning for the past and present

Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. Every year since, we celebrate the rebirth of the modern Jewish state on the 5th of Iyar which was the date of independence on the Hebrew calendar. The resources provided here will assist you in bringing your community together to celebrate this joyous day.

Yom HaZikaron (Day of Remembrance) is Israel’s Memorial Day. In the early years of statehood, memorials for soldiers who had fallen in the 1948 War of Independence were held on Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. After Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion appointed a special committee, the memorials were moved to the 4th Iyar, the day before Yom Ha’Atzmaut. The day was anchored into Israeli law in 1963 with the passage of the Heroes’ Remembrance Day (War of Independence and Israel Defense Army) Law. This law was amended in 1980 to Memorial Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars Law.

Dr. Nachman Shai, former IDF Chief Spokesperson and Member of Knesset, shares his thoughts on Yom HaiZkaron 2020. Included in his brief remarks is a tribute and remembrance of a former comrade in the IDF, Yuval Moshensky Erez.

In this new world of social distancing and staying at home, life can slip into a monotonous routine, but there are good ways to liven up your time at home. One is by watching captivating television. But even that can become stale. How many times can you watch Love Is Blind, Tiger King or The Office? Instead, try streaming shows that deal with Israel. The past twenty years have seen an onslaught of exciting, mesmerizing and thrilling productions that offer insights into the nuances of Israel’s history and culture.

Before ending his term in 1944 as Palestine’s High Commissioner, Sir Harold MacMichael suggested the partition of Palestine, “Jews and Arabs alike would enjoy the possession of their own respective territories, the former protected by international guarantees for their security, and the latter relieved from fear of further encroachments.”

Between Passover and Shavuot, Israel and world Jewry have three special days of memory and celebration: Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, Yom HaZikaron, Israel Memorial Day; and Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. While these days are typically marked by community ceremonies and celebrations, gathering together is not possible this year. The resources provided here will assist you in bringing your community together for Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, online in new and meaningful ways.

Using original sources, learners will explore the origins of Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, in Israel. The unit includes historical discussion on the importance of commeorating the tragedy of the Holocaust and different proposals that were put forward in the Land of Israel both before and after the creation of the state doing so. A writing prompt is included for use in school settings.