The Chalk, August 24, 2025
The week of the anniversaries of the First and Second Zionist Congresses, we look at Max Nordau’s dramatic speech from Basel in 1897 and Hebrew-language newspaper coverage of the Congress that was published in Russia…
The week of the anniversaries of the First and Second Zionist Congresses, we look at Max Nordau’s dramatic speech from Basel in 1897 and Hebrew-language newspaper coverage of the Congress that was published in Russia…
Just before the 75th anniversary, we share the statements made by AJC President Jacob Blaustein and Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to set the standards for the relationship between the Jewish state and the Diaspora…
Twenty years after Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and days after current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his intention for Israel to temporarily reoccupy Gaza, we focus on…
CIE unveils our revamped website, with a range of customizable tools to make it easy to find exactly what you want or build a foundation of knowledge about Zionism and modern Israel. To mark Tisha…
This week’s Chalk focuses on the teaching of Israel, protests and Jewish life on college campuses, in preparation for the Aug. 10 CIE program for college students. We look at how anti-Israel teaching spread, how…
CIE looks at the roots and practice of democracy in Israel. We offer an explainer article on Israeli democracy and politics, an explainer video on the Diaspora roots of Israeli democracy, an in-depth video examining…
For Bastille Day, we look at some of the highs (Jewish emancipation, arms sales) and lows (horrific incidents of antisemitism) of centuries of France’s relations with the Jewish people and with Israel. Two Pew surveys…
The Fourth of July weekend provides an opportunity to highlight the U.S.-Israeli alliance over the past five decades with examples of diplomatic, military, strategic and economic agreements. We share how one of the key voices…
In the aftermath of the Iran-Israel Twelve-Day War, we continue to share related resources with President Donald Trump’s speech after the U.S. bombing mission June 21, the text of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action…
The U.S. bomber and cruise missile attack on Iranian nuclear sites gives us reason to dig deeper into Iran-Israel relations and the series of speeches made by Israeli prime ministers about Iran’s nuclear threat since…
While wishing all U.S. dads a happy Father’s Day, we focus on Iran as ballistic missiles from Iran bombard Israel and Israeli aircraft bomb military targets in Iran, including the nuclear program. Among the relevant…
Amid rising anti-Jewish violence, we recall Max Nordau’s speech to the First Zionist Congress, explaining the need for a Jewish homeland as a haven, and we look at the campus antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023….
The arrival of Shavuot provides an opportunity to examine the pilgrimage festival, the first celebration at the Western Wall after Jerusalem’s unification in 1967, and the theme of the Book of Ruth used by then-National…
After the fatal shootings of two Israeli Embassy staffers in Washington, we highlight explainer videos about the rise of antisemitism since Oct. 7, 2023, and our overview of the history of antisemitism. With a U.N….
While Israel celebrates the second-place finish of October 7th survivor Yuval Raphael in the Eurovision Song Contest, the more important news of the past week is likely to be President Donald Trump’s attempt to reset…
The annual Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Basel, Switzerland, providing an opportunity to examine both the half-century history of Israel in Eurovision, including four victories, and the deep Zionist connection to Basel, including…
After a Houthi ballistic missile evaded Israeli defenses during its 2,000-mile flight from Yemen and struck land at Ben Gurion Airport, CIE provides public comments from Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump about the Houthis, an…
Looking back at Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day) and ahead to Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day), CIE shares resource collections for the holidays, especially a comprehensive overview of the Israeli Declaration…
We look at the latest ADL campus report card as part of a review of antisemitism at universities. Professor Eli Sperling provides a list of 75 Zionist and Israeli songs to expand our Israel@75 collection….
After the Passover seders, we look at the second White House meeting of the year between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; it involved plenty of praise for the anti-Israel president of Turkey…
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in the United States for his second White House visit of 2025, we dive into the history of U.S.-Israel trade, including the steady increase in both directions under a…
The Iranian nuclear program is on President Donald Trump’s mind, so we share an explainer video about the program and an analysis of what would happen if Iran did become a nuclear power. Israel sends…
March Madness means it’s time for a review of a few highlights in Israeli basketball history, including the first European title for an Israeli team and the starring role of Tal Brody. We delve into…
St. Patrick’s Day arrives after a confrontation involving Israeli tourists outside Dublin raises fresh concerns about hatred of Jews and Israelis in Ireland, despite links between Israeli President Isaac Herzog and the Emerald Isle. CIE…