America and Israel: Two Chosen Nations?
August 2–14, 2020 | New York City
For current undergraduates and recent college graduates
Faculty and Speakers: Samuel Goldman, Asael Abelman, Martin Kramer, Michael Doran, Vance Serchuk, and others.
$1,000 Stipend & Housing
Application Deadline: Application Deadline has passed.
What explains the special relationship between America and Israel, and what can we learn from studying the remarkable political foundings of these two exceptional nations?
For many decades, America and Israel have enjoyed a close diplomatic relationship. Political scientists account for this by pointing to both shared interests and shared values. But how deep do the “shared values” of these two countries go?
Those who speak of shared values often point to two pieces of evidence: a democratic form of government and a culture that emphasizes the Bible. Often overlooked, however, is a revealing similarity in the way leaders have described the purpose of each country. In both cases, the rhetoric of “chosenness” or “exceptionalism” has been a dominant part of the national identity. Jewish chosenness and American exceptionalism – both highly contented notions, to be sure – are an important part of each country’s story. The overlap between these two defining ideas sheds light on the causes of lasting friendship between these polities.
This summer we will spend two weeks studying America and Israel, two great experiments in human politics. Our guiding questions will include:
- In what ways was Zionism a revolutionary break from Jewish history and in what ways was it an effort to preserve and strengthen Jewish tradition?
- How did the reliance on Hebrew scripture on the part of America’s Founders shape the character of the country and its attitudes to the Jewish people and, eventually, the Jewish state?
- How does the American Jewish story relate to Jewish history as a whole? Is Judaism in America merely a matter of private confession and ethnic personal history or do American Jews remain central to the Jewish national story?
- How have the spiritual affinities between these two countries impacted their diplomatic and strategic history? Why has support for Israel been stronger in America than elsewhere in the West and will it remain that way?
Undergraduates who are interested in a rigorous study of the spirit of America and of Israel are encouraged to apply to this seminar. Classes, hosted at the Tikvah Center, will be led by two outstanding scholars whose work straddles the line of history and political philosophy. Dr. Samuel Goldman of George Washington University is the author of the recent book God’s Country: Christian Zionism in America. Dr. Asael Abelman of Tikvah Jerusalem and Shalem College has just completed a major new book on the history of the Jewish People. We will also have an exciting roster of prominent speakers who will address several major turning points in history of the US-Israel relationship, including renowned author and professor, Martin Kramer, former President of Shalem College in Jerusalem.
The bios of students enrolled in the program for summer 2020 can be found here.
Meet the Instructors
Dr. Samuel Goldman
George Washington University
Samuel Goldman in an assistant professor of political science at George Washington University, where he also leads the Politics & Values Program. He is also the Executive Director of the Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom.
In our students’ words:
“Samuel Goldman was absolutely exceptional. He really helped to clarify and contextualize the ideas we were learning. I especially appreciated Samuel’s knowledge of Locke and other thinkers.” – Tamara Berens, Seminars ’17
Dr. Asael Abelman
Tikvah Jerusalem and Shalem College
Asael Abelman is s Senior Fellow at the Tikvah Fund in Israel, a lecturer at Shalem College and the head of the History Department at Herzog College.
In our students’ words:
“Asael drew us into intense discussion naturally, provoked us with perspectives we had not previously considered, and ensured that we remained both passionate and respectful. He added a vigor into the classes that brought us to realize that Herzl’s ideas were entirely relevant to us today.” – Devora Chait, SF ’17
Martin Kramer
Shalem College
Following a twenty-five year career teaching at Tel-Aviv University, where he directed the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies, Martin Kramer was the founding president of Shalem College in Jerusalem, Israel’s first liberal arts college, where he continues to teach the modern history of the Middle East. Professor Kramer is also the Koret visiting fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. The author of many essays and articles in Commentary, Mosaic, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, and elsewhere, Professor Kramer is the author of ten books, most recently The War on Error: Israel, Islam, and the Middle East.
In our students’ words:
“Professor Kramer is great. He did an excellent job highlighting points that he thought would be most useful without diving too much into the weeds. Excellent all around.” – Alexander Titus, Seminar 2018
Robert Nicholson
Philos Project
Robert Nicholson is the Executive Director of the Philos Project. Robert holds a BA in Hebrew Studies from SUNY Binghamton, and a JD and MA (Middle Eastern history) from Syracuse University. A former U.S. Marine and a 2012-2013 Tikvah Fellow, he has published articles in the Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Mosaic, Canon & Culture, and Syracuse Journal of International Law & Commerce. An avid student of history, Robert’s heroes include Hugo Grotius, Roger Williams, and Frederick Douglass.
CONTACT US
Aaron Bondar
Associate Director for University and Young Professional Programsabondar@tikvahfund.org