Examining the Future of Democracy in Israel
Thomas Friedman and Christa Acampora at the “The Future of Democracy in Israel: The Past, the Protests and the Post-War Period” event in Washington DC on May 13, 2024.
Every year, more than 1,000 University of Virginia students take Jewish Studies program courses. As it approaches its 25th anniversary in the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, this interdisciplinary program drawing from the expertise of 35-affiliated scholars of religious studies, history, sociology, literature, music, law and other disciplines continues to expand its reach with a series of events and programs for a wider audience.
Last month, the Jewish Studies program wrapped up the 2023–24 academic year with a standing-room only event at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., titled “The Future of Democracy in Israel: The Past, the Protests and the Post-War Period,” the May 13 event featured a conversation between Arts & Sciences Dean Christa Acampora and The New York Times’ columnist Thomas Friedman, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for his reporting from the Middle East and a third for his columns written about 9/11.
Acampora and Friedman’s conversation on the founding of the state of Israel, the polarization of intra-Jewish politics, the ongoing challenges to Israeli democracy and the current moment in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was preceded by remarks from three Arts & Sciences faculty members whose research explores issues of democracy and the Middle East, namely, Caroline Kahlenberg, assistant professor of history, and Middle Eastern and South Asian languages and cultures; Gerard Alexander, associate professor of politics; and David Leblang, UVA’s Ambassador Henry J. Taylor and Mrs. Marion R. Taylor Professor of Politics and Public Policy.
"This was a terrific opportunity to showcase our faculty talent and bring it to bear on matters that are top of mind for many,” Acampora said. “In the past year alone, colleagues in Jewish Studies organized 66 events and meetings, including three international conferences. Events like the one we held in D.C. are a critical way our Jewish Studies program not only makes UVA a more welcoming and vibrant place for Jewish students, faculty and staff but also brings that to life in our extended communities.
“Education about the richness and diversity of Jewish culture, tradition and religion is crucial as we see rising antisemitism on college campuses and around the world. I am especially grateful to Professor Jennifer Geddes for the tremendous work she has led this year."
A growing, influential program
With continued investment in faculty and graduate fellow support, UVA is poised to become the leading center for Jewish Studies in the South and one of the top programs in the country. With the arrival of three additional faculty members this next academic year, UVA will have the largest Jewish Studies faculty of any university in the South.
Geddes, the College's Ida and Nathan Kolodiz Director of Jewish Studies and an associate professor of religious studies, said she was heartened when audience members approached her at the D.C. event to express how much they appreciated the opportunity to hear from A&S faculty members, as well as Friedman.
“Our faculty, students and alumni are hungry for opportunities to learn and discuss the complexities of the situation in Israel and the Middle East,” Geddes said. “Given the complexity and painfulness of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it’s crucially important for universities to provide opportunities for students and faculty and others to learn and talk about this together.”
Albert N. Small, a 2013 A&S alum who graduated with a history degree, co-organized the D.C. event with the College’s Jewish Studies Program. Small, whose family has a deep history at UVA, said he began speaking with Acampora and other College leaders more than a year ago about finding opportunities to expand the presence of Jewish Studies at UVA.
“Part of the impetus was to think about how we can bring the talent and the intellect and the resources of the University to alumni elsewhere to help them feel connected, involved and engaged,” said Small, a real-estate developer. “There’s clearly a longing for people who want more ways to engage with the University in Washington, D.C., in New York and elsewhere, and people walked away from this event feeling like they learned something, hearing a different perspective on a very complicated issue. It exceeded all our expectations.”
Assoc. Prof. Alexander, who researches the breakdown and consolidation of democracies, said it is helpful as a public scholar to participate in events like last month’s that offer opportunities for academics, journalists and specialists from other fields to discuss shared areas of interest.
“These are valuable spaces where ideas get batted around and we’re sometimes pushed a bit to reflect on our own assumptions.”
After the event, Prof. Leblang said that tailoring the event to a specific topic — the future of democracy in Israel — contributed to its success, both for the scheduled speakers and their audience.
“That allowed us to approach the question from three different perspectives, seeding the conversation that followed and allowing the audience to explore different approaches to the question,” Leblang said. “And what was really great was the energy: the room was full of interested, engaged and energetic alumni who were not there just to see Friedman; they wanted to see each other, meet the faculty, and reconnect with the College. It was a great event.”
