July 4, 2026 By Ken Stein, President, Center for Israel Education A short comparison of key concepts found in the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, and the Israeli Declaration of Independence, May 14,…
The course syllabi were all used in college-level courses and are appropriate for advanced teen and adult education enrichment. The content and objectives of each course are reflected in the short introductory paragraph. Often the reading,…
These hundred or so terms were provided to students at the beginning of each semester in Ken Stein’s Arab-Israeli conflict class taught at Emory University from 1993 to 2021.
On January 1, 2022, I completed 43 years of teaching at Emory University. It was a great run and great fun. Along the way, I accumulated more pieces of paper than was necessary, among them…
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.
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, 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.
“Public Diplomacy in Low-Intensity Conflict: Israel as a Case Study” Dr. Nachman Shai, Emory University, Spring 2020 Israel is constantly in the heart of international media coverage. Since its inception in 1948, it has struggled…
“A Case Study in Nation Building: Israel” Dr. Nachman Shai, Emory University, Spring 2020 The nation-building experiment materialized in a variety of fields, including military defense, economy, agriculture, high tech and immigrant absorption, as well…
“History, Politics, and Diplomacy of the Arab-Israeli Conflict” Kenneth W. Stein, Emory University, Spring 2020 This course is an introductory survey of the history, politics and diplomacy of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Coverage includes introductions to…
“The Inter-Arab System: Unity and Division From World War I to the ‘Arab Spring’” Bruce Maddy-Weitzman, Graduate Seminar, Tel Aviv University, Spring 2016 This course seeks to understand one of the most important factors shaping…
“American Foreign Policy Towards the Arab-Israeli Conflict and Its Regional Context” Kenneth W. Stein, Junior/Senior Colloquium, Undergraduate or Graduate, Emory University, Spring 2014 This class focuses on American foreign policy in the Middle East over…
“Palestine 1948” Hillel Cohen, Graduate Students, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rothberg International School, Spring 2013 The war of 1948 has shaped the history of the modern Middle East more than any other single event. The…
“History, Politics, and Diplomacy of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1947-Present” Kenneth W. Stein, Junior/Senior Colloquium, Emory University, Spring 2013 Using monographs, memoirs, documents, texts, interviews, other primary sources and secondary readings, students come to define the…
“Issues in Israeli National Security” David Tal, Graduate Students, Emory University, Fall 2008 The course deals with various issues relating to Israel’s national security. It touches on general strategic topics as well as military events…
“History of Modern Israel” Kenneth W. Stein, Freshman Seminar, Emory University, Spring 2006 This undergraduate freshman seminar reviews the history of modern Israel from the inception of Zionism to the post-1967-war period. The four periods…
“The Arab-Israeli Conflict” Kenneth W. Stein, Brown University, Spring 2006 This is an advanced survey of the Arab-Israeli conflict’s history, politics and diplomacy. Divided at 1948-49, the first half of the course deals with the…
“Topics in 20th Century Middle Eastern History” Kenneth W. Stein, Introductory, All Levels, Emory University, Spring 2006 The purpose of this course is twofold. First, it is designed to acquaint students with an in-depth understanding…
“History of Modern Israel” Kenneth W. Stein, Introductory Level (Seminar or General), Emory University, Spring 2006 This undergraduate freshman course reviews the history of modern Israel from the inception of Zionism to the present. The…
