History Department Event Details

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Jewish Heritage Lecture Series
"Israel's First Sixty Years: Achievements and Challenges"

Professor Robert O. Freedman

Wednesday, April 1, 2009
7:00 PM
Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street

Sponsored by: Mosse/Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies, Hebrew and Semitic Studies Department.

In the nearly sixty-one years of its existence, Israel has faced numerous challenges. First has been the challenge of integrating immigrants from many different countries and cultures, most recently from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia. Second has been the need to develop a military force of sufficient strength to deter outside attack from unfriendly neighboring Arab States, and if deterrence failed, to win the wars that followed. Third has been the challenge of creating an economic system able to transform Israel from an agricultural economy to a high tech industrial one. Fourth has been the challenge of working out the proper balance between Synagogue and State. Fifth has been the challenge of working out a modus vivendi with Israel’s Arab minority. Sixth has been the challenge of securing a secure peace with Israel’s Arab neighbors. Finally, and perhaps most important of all, has been the challenge of creating a political system sufficiently flexible to meet these challenges, yet at the same time one strong enough to be seen as legitimate by the vast majority of Israel’s population. So far, Israel has been able to meet all these challenges, albeit imperfectly, and its political culture has proven to be one of the liveliest in the world.