Program Overview
Designed for current juniors and seniors, the Tikvah Summer Institute for High School Students at Yale University will explore the biggest questions of meaning and purpose, war and peace, politics and economics, and culture and technology. University-style seminars will be taught by leading academic, political, and religious scholars and practitioners, drawing upon the riches of the Western and Jewish tradition to consider some of the great dilemmas of the modern age.
The institute is fully subsidized by the Tikvah Fund, including tuition, room and board, books, and all activities. All programming will be conducted in accord with halakhic standards of behavior. Prayer services and strictly kosher meals will take place in the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale.
Core Topics
Economics
What are the moral dimensions of capitalism? Is it really better, ethically and economically, than alternative systems? How should we think about inequality? How should we think about wealth and its role in human flourishing? What about the virtues of work and the necessity of rest? Should we fear the profit motive or embrace it? Dr. James Otteson, professor of Political Economy at Wake Forest University, and Tikvah Fund senior director Rabbi Mark Gottlieb will lead discussions on approaches to economic theory and practice from moral and distinctly Jewish vantage points.
Technology
Our phones and tablets have made us quicker and often more productive, but are we better for it? We communicate constantly, but are we really more connected with each other? Professor R.J. Snell of Eastern University will examine the impact of technology on the human condition, exploring how the richness of our personal relationships and our moral wisdom have been affected by technological change. Rabbi Shlomo Brody, director of Tikvah’s gap-year program and noted authority on contemporary Jewish law, will explore how traditional Jewish teachings offer the modern Jew guidance in negotiating technological progress.
Politics
What does it mean to be a citizen? What’s the purpose of government? What are liberals and conservatives arguing about? What are the virtues—and dangers—of democracy? We will investigate the possible answers to the core questions of self-government and the roots of our current political debates with Matthew Continetti, editor-in-chief of The Washington Free Beacon. Dr. Daniel Mark, a member of the Commission on International Religious Freedom and political science professor at Villanova University, will lead an in-depth study of Jewish perspectives on the intersection of politics, morality, and religion.
War and Statesmanship
Few experiences demand true leadership more than waging war. Who are the heroes of history who provide models of successful statesmanship in conflict? Distinguished scholar and Hillsdale College professor Dr. Paul Rahe will share insights into the decision-making of great leaders in times of war, with a special focus on the ideas, actions, and writings of Winston Churchill. Dr. Smadar Rosensweig, professor of Bible at Stern College, will examine traditional Jewish texts, focusing on the model of King David as a uniquely Jewish prototype of the the warrior-king-poet.
The institute will also feature special sessions on The Jewish Citizen, involving close study and vigorous debate on pressing moral and political challenges facing Jews in the modern era. Each discussion will conclude with a vote, during which students will take a concrete policy-position regarding hot-button contemporary concerns such as the status of Israeli settlements, the cost of Jewish education, and the Jewish partnership with American evangelical Christians.
Evening lectures and panel discussions will explore a variety of themes related to the core curriculum, while giving students opportunities to learn from faculty members and visiting high-profile lecturers and panelists. Participants will be invited to submit brief written reflections on the course materials and offerings throughout the program.
Application Information
Applications are due February 2nd. Interested students will be asked to submit two application essays, a school transcript, and one faculty reference. (Personal résumés and written recommendations are welcome but not required.) For more information write info@tikvahsummer.org.