Jewish Portal of Teacher Education

Source: Tikvah Fund

The Tikvah Overseas Student Institute invites gap-year students studying in Israel to apply for a series of seminars sponsored by the Tikvah Fund. The educational programs that make up the institute supplement gap-year curricula by providing intimate settings for interdisciplinary study, dialogue, and camaraderie with other select students. By exposing our participants to great texts, intellectuals, and activists, the institute aims to inspire the next generation of thinkers who can lead the Jewish community, informed by Jewish values and ideas, as we confront the great questions of our times. The program is fully sponsored by the Tikvah Fund and is free of charge.

Now in its ninth year, the program focuses on the modern Jewish political condition, with a particular emphasis on the State of Israel. What does it mean to be a Jewish citizen or leader in the contemporary world? What values and policies are necessary for Israel and the Jewish people to thrive in the twenty-first century? How can Judaism impact the future of Western civilization? These big questions animate our discussions as we explore the political, cultural, and religious challenges facing modern Jewry.

Regular sessions will begin on Friday, October 26th, 2018, and take place twelve times over the course of the year. Each session will meet in central Jerusalem on Friday mornings between 9:00 a.m.–1:15 p.m. When necessary, transportation for students is provided to the events. A delicious brunch will be served at each meeting. Throughout the year, participants attend three additional shabbaton retreats at hotels around the county. These events facilitate deeper explorations of key topics with leading intellectuals while allowing for more extended informal conversations. The format of the presentations will vary between debates, small reading seminars, and lectures followed by Q & A.

The curriculum is divided into three major sections with each component tackling a different aspect of the political condition of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

• The “Jewish State” and Contemporary Nationalism
   
• Challenges and Opportunities in Modern Israeli Society
   
• Religion and Western Political Culture

Click here for more information and registration.