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Lectures can be arranged in Israel and/or abroad.

Aftermath of the Israeli Elections

Palestinian-Israeli Relations

Militant Islamic Antisemitism – Old/New Jew Hatred

Jewish National (Zionist) Ideologies Today

Other topics can be presented upon request, in particular those connected to the four courses taught at the University of Haifa – Contemporary Israel: History and Society, The Land of Israel: The Jewish Connection, Arab-Israel Relations and Terrorism and Responses.

Subjects other than those mentioned above appear in articles appearing on this website from January 2009 in our Mideast on Target archives 2001-2008 .

Ancient Judea

A survey of ancient Jewish History from the rise of the Maccabean independence movement to the failure of the Jewish War (66 – 73 CE) and concluding with the Bar Kokhva Rebellion and its aftermath under Rabbe – Yehuda HaNasi. National, social and economic issues are confronted in light of the relationship between the Jewish People and their relationship to the Almighty. Age old questions concerning Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, Diaspora – Israel relations (in this case Judea) and the challenge of the non-Jewish world will be confronted. How do we interpret this period in history for the good of the modern Jew and the State of Israel?

The Zionist Revolution

Modern Jewish nationalism originated in religious circles but was implemented by those who rebelled against rabbinic authority, who demanded one wait for the miraculous Messianic redemption in the Diaspora. Three basic ideologies built the State of Israel: Labor (socialist), Revisionist (the Likud of today) and the National Religious. After an examination of these three focal points we will see where these ideologies are today, what remains, and where their futures lie.

The Revolutionary Jew

Why were Jews at the forefront of revolutionary change in the modern world? A discussion of Enlightenment and its discontents and the more revolutionary social movements sparked by Karl Marx. Three levels of identity with revolution vs. the Jewish People will be examined by using Rosa Luxemburg, Leon Trotsky and Moses Hess. And as for America, what of the last revolutionary surge? Jewish participation in the New Left or the 1960's.

Historic Antisemitism

The continuum of antisemitism will be explored, beginning with Greco-Roman cultural prejudices and diatribes and moving on to the Christian theological accusation of Deicide. Europe hounds its Jews throughout the Middle Ages with popular Jew hatred and only once the Enlightenment arrives does the Jew feel he may be liberated from the antisemitic scourge. Economic antisemitism rises to the fore as does the "scientific" or racial type. Liberalism fails and Judeo-phobia reaches its unprecedented crescendo with the Holocaust. But has anything been learned after 23 centuries?

Jewish Leadership During the Holocaust

The Nazis established the "Judenrats" or Jewish Councils for self-government. Much maligned with a far too close hindsight in the years immediately after WWII, today the European Jewish leadership of the 1940's is being re-evaluated in its most traumatic historic context. With the final objective to save as many Jews as possible, we will examine the strategies and tactics implemented to achieve that goal. A brief comparison will be done between the Warsaw, Bialystok, Kovno and Vilna ghetto leaderships.
As an option, here there can also be a discussion of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust and similar comparisons made between the four communities.

American Jewry

What is the identity of the American Jew? Or is he/she a Jewish American? Jews are constantly confronted with issues of individual liberties in conflict with religious/national identity and community cohesion. Where does one draw the line, if at all? Today religious identity is generally composed of Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, but still most Jews are non-affiliated. Secularism and liberalism are important identifying factors, leading to assimilation if one has no real Jewish anchor.

With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, many Jews felt a commitment to helping their brethren, but in a way that can only be described as "refugeeism". Israel became a charitable endeavor. After the 1967 War, Zionism became a strong focus of Jewish identity, even a surrogate religion.
How does American Jewry balance its loyalties and identity between religious, cultural and Zionist commitment on the one hand, and the demands of being American on the "Other".

Israel Today

Where is Israel today? Are we finally at the crossroads of the "Great Reconciliation"? Traditional Left and Right appear to be dying, especially in regards to territorial issues concerning the Palestinians. Messianism and contradictions of "dual sovereignty" remain – Who rules? G-d or the People? The diocentrists confront the anthrocentrists and although the consequences could be dire, there is room for compromise.

Overall, when finally solving the Arab/Palestinian issue will the Jewish People will be able to return to nation building? They will certainly need to reexamine capitalism, socialism and the welfare state. Should there be less military issues, Israel's leadership will "civilianize" where the intellectual and economic elite may take the reigns of power. New trends in Israeli development can be expected in high tech agriculture (especially in the Negev), internationally sponsored R&D and a resurgent tourist industry.

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