What is the Menachem Begin Scholars Program?
The Menachem Begin Scholars Program is a highly selective two-year fellowship for 9th and 10th grade students from across North America. Scholars will attend advanced seminars with other exceptional students led by first rate educators and faculty members. Year One will delve into ‘Ideas’, with one semester dedicated to ‘Hebrew Bible and Jewish Thought’, and the other to ‘Western Civilization’. Year Two will center on ‘Public Affairs’, exploring ‘The Meaning of America’ in one semester and ‘Zionism and Modern Israel’ in the other.
Program Philosophy & Purpose
It is our belief that high school is a time when serious students ought to be introduced to the ideals of leadership, the values of Jewish statesmanship and the fundamental questions at the core of Western civilization. Our goal is to cultivate a new generation of informed and engaged leaders, equipped with a deep understanding of Jewish texts and ideas as well as an appreciation for the classics and the best of Western thought.
Our programming is designed to foster an environment that nurtures critical thinking, encourages meaningful discussions and student-led debates, and empowers these up-and-coming scholars to convert their knowledge into action. We hope this will inspire the next wave of visionary Jewish leaders who will help shape the future of American society and the Jewish world.
Timeline & Schedule
Program Components
- Seminars: The intellectual centerpiece of the program in 9th and 10th grades will be a series of intellectually stimulating seminars led by master teachers in four core areas. Students will study two Tikvah pillars in 9th grade and two pillars in 10th grade.
- Debates: Our fellows are introduced to the art of rhetoric through debate club and are required to perform two memorized recitations over the course of the program.
- Student Retreats, Conferences and Events: The program includes various in-person components that will complement the online seminars, such as the summer and early fall orientations at Princeton, the National Student Leadership Conference in the winter, high-profile guest speaker events, and regional gatherings and meet-ups.
- Tikvah Scholars Program: The Tikvah Scholars Program is an 11-day residential summer institute where students immerse themselves in foundational questions in politics, economics, Zionist thought, and Judaism, guided by some of the top teachers, scholars, and policymakers. While this summer program is reserved for 11th and 12th graders, we invite Begin fellows to participate after completion of their 10th grade year.
Learning Program
9th Grade – Foundational Ideas
- Hebrew Bible & Jewish Thought: Is there a Jewish theory of politics? During their 9th grade year, fellows will study the Biblical books of Esther and Ruth and attempt to answer this question. How does the Hebrew Bible approach issues like national tragedy, individual glory, and future redemption? What political challenges does the Jew face in Exile, and what is the spiritual cost of political gain?
- Western Civilization: A Tikvah 9th grader is introduced to important Greek conceptions of virtue, knowledge, law, and justice. Fellows grapple with these core ideas, learn to appreciate them and probe their limits. Through engaging with texts such as Sophocles’ “Antigone” and Plato’s “Apology,” our students will explore themes of moral duty and conscience and reflect on the nature of knowledge and truth.
10th Grade – Public Affairs
- Zionism and Modern Israel: During this semester, we will explore the foundational debates and key ideas of the modern Zionist movement. Through stories, speeches, essays, and primary texts, we will try to make sense of the competing strategies for re-establishing Jewish life in the land of Israel. Fellows approach the study of Zionism and modern Israel with an underlying appreciation for the heroic meaning of the state of Israel and those who toiled for its establishment.
- The Meaning of America: In this semester, our fellows will probe core American questions: what is America’s role in the world? What does it mean to be an American? What is the role of religion in American public life? What is federalism and why is it central to the American project? As they engage each of these questions, fellows will study a text from the founding era, a modern text, and a Jewish text, with the goal of understanding what is at stake for American citizens and committed Jews.