November 9, 2011

On the Verge of a Paradigmatic Shift?

The Symposium on The U.S.-Israel Relationship

In the fall of 2011 the six internationally-renowned speakers participating in this symposium discussed the key question of whether the United States is indeed on the verge of a paradigmatic change in its relationship towards Israel, or whether it is simply going through a phase the likes of which it has experienced before – and that the relationship between the two countries remains on the same very solid ground which it has been on for decades.  The questions raised, the issues explored, the solutions proposed and the visions proffered at the symposium were of value to all elements of the audience; students, scholars, policy makers and the general public. With over 200 people in attendence, this was considered one of Judaic Studies' most significant events.

The Panel

• Peter Beinart - Professor of Political Science and Journalism,
  City University of New York
  “The Past and Present of American Zionism” 
• David Makovsky - Director of the Project on the Middle East
  Peace Process at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
  “The Impact of the Arab Spring on U.S. - Israel Relations:
  A Preliminary Assessment?”
• Alon Pinkas - Consul General of Israel to New York from 2000-2004
  “The Interplay of Foreign Policy Interests and Domestic Determinants”
• Itamar Rabinovich - Distinguished Global Professor at NYU and
  Distinguished Fellow at the Brookings Institution
  “The Peace Process as a Determinant in U.S. - Israeli Relations”
• Gil Ribak - Schusterman Fellow in Judaic Studies, The Arizona Center for
  Judaic Studies, The University of Arizona
  “Interdependence or Growing Alienation: The Ambivalent Relationship
  Between Israel and American Jews”
• Steven Spiegel - Professor, Political Science and Director, Center for
  Middle East Development, UCLA
  “Change in the U.S. - Israeli Relationship: It Ain’t Paradigmatic and
  It Ain’t What You Think Either”

Steering Committee:

• Beth Alpert Nakhai, Ph.D., Symposium Organizer,
  Arizona Center for Judaic Studies, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
• Asher Susser, Ph.D., Moshe Dayan Center for Middle East and African Studies,
  Tel Aviv University, Israel
• Edward Wright, Ph.D., Director, The Arizona Center for Judaic Studies,
  The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Also sponsored by:

• The American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise
• The Marriott Hotel University Park
• The Center for Middle Eastern Studies
• Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona