Celebrating 10 Years
OF ENRICHING THE ACADEMIC LANDSCAPE ON CAMPUS
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S A
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ten years ago, we had a vision to create an academic institution on the Berkeley campus to engage students, faculty, and the broader community in Israel Studies and Jewish Law, Thought, and Identity.
1 Welcome 3 Stories of Impact 9 Vision for the Future 11 Event Highlights 12 Undergraduate Fellows 14 2021-2022 Community Advisory Board 15 Faculty Advisory Committee 15 2021-2022 Visiting Faculty and Scholars 16 10 Years of Impact Back cover Our Staff
COVER: An early cohort of the Helen Diller Institute (then the Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies) undergraduate fellows gathers at the 2015 Conference — Reflections on the Legacy of Nuremberg: The 70th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials. The event drew more than 200 scholars, students, and members of the community.
Dear Friends of the Helen Diller Institute, We are thrilled to be able to share the Helen Diller Institute Ten-Year Impact Report. It showcases the Institute’s major accomplishments over the past ten years as well as its goals and aspirations for the future. Ten years ago, we had a vision to create an academic institution on the Berkeley campus to engage students, faculty, and the broader community in Israel Studies and Jewish Law, Thought, and Identity in a way that was nuanced, meaningful, and informed. This vision has transformed the Jewish and Israel Studies landscape on the UC Berkeley campus, making an impact greater than we could have imagined. With the investment of philanthropic supporters and the support of the UC Berkeley administration, we have created inspiring and meaningful educational opportunities, and just as importantly, a welcoming and academically rigorous home for those interested in these areas of study and scholarship. Please enjoy learning about the Helen Diller Institute’s impact on the campus community of students and faculty and on the wider public over the past ten years. Sincerely, Kenneth A. Bamberger, Co-Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies Ron Hassner, Co-Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies Dr. Rebecca Golbert, Executive Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies
Over the past 10 years, the Diller Institute has
Hosted over 40 Visiting Faculty
Taught over 2000 students
from prestigious academic institutions across Israel and the United States
in 127+ Institute-sponsored courses
Mentored over 60 future leaders
Hosted hundreds of events
in our Undergraduate Fellows Program
for students and the public
Thanks to the ongoing support of our donors, faculty, and students, the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies has grown and thrived. This year, we celebrated a decade of the Institute’s success as an academic hub with campus-wide scope, housed at the UC Berkeley School of Law. In February 2021, we welcomed a $10 million endowment and renaming gift from the Helen Diller Foundation. This gift cemented our future as a leading academic institution for Israel Studies and the study of Jewish Law, Thought, and Identity, elevating our position nationally among our peers. The Institute is now able to provide more innovative learning opportunities to thousands of students, faculty, and community members each year.
The Institute continues to expand its reach and deepen its impact by developing opportunities for research, programming, and mentorship; by bringing visiting faculty and scholars to UC Berkeley; and by organizing colloquia, programs, and classes to strengthen academic inquiry and discourse across the Berkeley campus. We look to the future, grateful for your support that allows us to increase our impact on campus and in the greater community. We invite you to learn more about how we do it.
W E I N V I T E YO U T O L E A R N M O R E A B O U T H OW W E D O I T
F
S T O R I E S O F I M PA C T
Creating a Powerful Foundation Rebecca Steinberg ’22 encourages all Cal students to get involved with things outside of their comfort zone.
Rebecca Steinberg Class of 2022
Rebecca Steinberg has been an Undergraduate Fellow since the summer of 2020. She is an English major and Human Rights minor, and currently sits on the Executive Student Board of Berkeley’s Hillel. Having gone to Catholic school for most of her life, she is especially interested in interfaith programming. In the future, she plans to pursue her Masters in English and eventually practice as an inhouse IP lawyer in the television and film industry.
What impact is the Institute having on your experience as a Cal student? The only other Jewish involvement I’ve had has been either cultural or religious. Before becoming an Undergraduate Fellow, I had no experience in the realm of Israel Studies or Israeli culture. As a Fellow, I’ve gained a powerful foundation through programming and seminars with visiting professors and Israeli scholars. I can now engage with a higher brow of intellectual confidence. I don’t turn away from conversations that seem challenging because I now feel I have something to respond with. I wholly attribute this to the Institute and all the programming I’ve been fortunate to be involved in.
Having a network of connections has been huge for me. Before, I had only interacted with other Jewish students in a social context, hanging out outside of campus. Now I feel like I have this amazing network of intellectuallymotivated, bright students and access to professors. Initially, my access to professors as an underclassman was limited because I had bigger classes. Once I started as an Undergraduate Fellow, I had so much more access to professors through the Institute. I’ve been lucky to talk to them one-on-one, ask a lot of questions, and establish great relationships.
Was there an event or moment that stands out to you during your time thus far as a Fellow? The first program I helped organize was the series on Black and Jewish relations with Ilana Kaufman and Marc Dollinger. One of the reasons I feel more confident speaking up in difficult situations was because I had asked Ilana Kaufman how to best engage in a space that’s not welcoming. She said, “Look, you have this foundation of understanding, and now you have a platform to share that understanding.” That’s something that sparked a real change in how I approached difficult conversations.
FULL LENGTH VERSIONS OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS CAN BE EXPLORED HERE:
F
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 3
S T O R I E S O F I M PA C T
Academic Context Shapes Lifelong Learning “The Institute provided a place on campus to discuss, in an academic way, something that I was passionate and curious about, and that was closely tied to my identity. It was exciting that other people were actually interested in these issues as well, and that the university was investing resources in these topics. It made me feel really included.”
Mia Szarvas Class of 2015
Mia Szarvas graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Conservation and Resource Studies with a focus in Political Ecology.
After traveling the world for two years, Szarvas moved to Germany, where she currently works as a data visualization specialist. Szarvas is also a writer and has had several columns published in the Times of Israel and German Magazine Aviva Berlin. She currently resides in New York City.
228%
g r ow t h
in Fellows over 7 years since the program’s inception
You were in the first cohort of fellows at the Helen Diller Institute back in 2014. What was that experience like?
go to every event that we had. It really enriched my time as a student there and I was immensely proud of the work we were doing.
What really stands out to me when I think back on that time was that it was just really fun. That first year, there were only two or three fellows, which allowed us to work directly and closely with the Institute staff and faculty. They gave us a lot of agency to work on all different kinds of projects, which was a great experience. I helped to coordinate big events and conferences, organize and brainstorm for new events, find ways to market the Institute around campus, and even do some graphic design.
How did the Institute provide something unique to Berkeley’s Israel-interested and Jewish community?
The Institute was a really safe space for me to go on campus. It made Berkeley feel a lot smaller, which is always nice at such a large school. While I majored in Conservation and Resource Studies, I spent all of my free time going to Israel- and Jewish-related events, making me kind of feel like I minored in Jewish Studies unintentionally. I was fascinated by the content and I tried to
4 THE HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LAW AND ISRAEL STUDIES
I was really involved at Hillel and participated in a few different Israelfocused groups, but what I liked about the Institute was that it was agnostic. It was a way for me and my peers to engage with the topic of Israel and Jewish Studies in an academic way, which included listening to debates from people of opposing viewpoints. I really valued this willingness to hear multiple sides, as during that same time I had joined an Israel group on campus and ended up leaving because I felt like they were too dogmatic. I wanted to learn first before forming opinions, and the Institute gave me a safe space to do just that. I was able to learn and ask questions and in a really holistic and nuanced way.
“The Institute allowed me to explore my interest in Israel and Judaism through an academic lens. It really complimented my cultural and political interests and created a more holistic understanding of what it means to be someone who cares about Israel, someone who is Jewish, and someone who has a strong Jewish identity.”
What was it like to be among the first cohort of Undergraduate Fellows? In the beginning it was really exciting because it was a new program, and we all had a lot of freedom to explore our own interests. We were able to just run with it and create the types of programming that we found interesting, which I think is largely similar to what the Institute still provides to Fellows. I was really interested in innovation in Israel, so as a Fellow I was able to lead a DeCal about innovation and entrepreneurship. We looked at innovation from a comparative standpoint, studying innovation both in the United States and in Israel. We brought a lot of interesting speakers from both Tel Aviv and Silicon Valley.
You are the student with the longest-standing relationship with the Institute, having been an Undergraduate Fellow, been involved with the Institute in law school, and now through your service on the advisory board. How have you grown through this relationship? Shortly after I got my bachelor’s degree, I joined the advisory board of the Institute along with a few other former students. I was involved even before starting law school. Although the Institute was housed in the law school when I was in undergrad, there wasn’t a lot of interaction with law school students and professors. As a law school student who already knew
about the Institute and its resources, I was able to bridge that gap by connecting the law school groups with the Institute and hosting events. We brought Israeli lawyers who talked about interesting cases that had to do with Israel. I took a class with Professor Bamberger on Jewish Law, which was one of my favorite law school classes. It allowed me to gain a unique perspective on the law. There were very smart legal thinkers a thousand years ago who wrote the Talmud. Obviously U.S. law is very different, but that mode of thinking informs much of what I do today as a lawyer.
How did the Institute change your experience as a Jewish student and as someone interested in Israel Studies? The Institute allowed me to explore my interest in Israel and Judaism through an academic lens. It really complimented my cultural and political interests and created a more holistic understanding of what it means to be someone who cares about Israel, someone who is Jewish, and someone who has a strong Jewish identity. Growing up, I was always exposed to Judaism through my parents and friends and to Israel by visiting and having family there.
Nir Maoz
Class of 2015 Nir Maoz, graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Political Science and Legal Studies. He then attended Berkeley Law, receiving his J.D. in 2019 with a Certificate in Business Law. Maoz is currently an associate with KTBS Law LLP, a Los Angeles-based law firm that focuses on corporate restructuring.
Maoz has the longest-standing affiliation with the Institute of any student, having been in the first cohort of Undergraduate Fellows; he remained involved as a law student, helping facilitate the Undergraduate Fellows Program. He currently sits on the Institute’s advisory board.
FULL LENGTH VERSIONS OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS CAN BE EXPLORED HERE:
F
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 5
S T O R I E S O F I M PA C T
Informed Decisions. Open Dialogue. “The Institute is instrumental in bringing diverse voices and narratives about Israel to Berkeley’s campus. By providing a wide variety of programming and taking a nuanced approach to these issues, the Institute opens the door for students and community members to make informed decisions about their beliefs.”
What was it like to be a visiting professor with the Helen Diller Institute?
Dr. Rami Zeedan Dr. Rami Zeedan is a political scientist and historian whose research interests include Israeli politics, Middle Eastern politics, history of modern Israel, and ethnic politics.
Dr. Zeedan is the author of two books focusing on Israeli Arabs. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Israel Studies at the University of Kansas. Zeedan was a visiting professor with the Institute during the 2017–18 school year, and taught two courses during his time at Berkeley: Comparative Politics: Democracies, Dictatorships, and Hybrid Regimes in the Middle East and North Africa and Palestinian Society in Israel: Integration vs. Segregation.
127 Courses
It was an excellent experience. Because of the work the Institute did in crosslisting and advertising my classes across multiple departments, I was able to teach a wide variety of students across multiple academic disciplines. In my previous positions I usually had smaller classes, so having the ability to teach a large number of students was a good experience for me. I found Berkeley students to be smart and engaging, and really enjoyed reading their assignments. I felt incredibly supported by the Institute staff while I was there. It was truly impressive to see the number of events they were able to put on over the span of 10 months. In the fall semester, I gave a talk about ethnic minorities in the Israeli Defense Forces, which was based on my first book. I was also able to moderate a panel in the spring semester on Arab-Palestinian society in Israel. Additionally, I supervised a student-run
taught in 19 departments throughout campus
6 THE HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LAW AND ISRAEL STUDIES
course with one of the Undergraduate Fellows on the topic “What is Israel?”. I worked with the student to develop the content and bring scholars to speak in class.
What do you think the Institute adds to Berkeley’s campus? Before arriving, I had heard a lot about UC Berkeley and its relationship to Israel and Palestine. I was happily surprised that in my experience, the people that I met were coming to events or my classes to actually listen, widen their perspectives, and make informed decisions about their beliefs. I think this type of open dialogue is immensely important and that we need to be able to have these kinds of conversations, no matter how difficult they may be. The Institute is instrumental in bringing diverse voices and narratives about Israel to Berkeley’s campus. By providing a wide variety of programming and taking a nuanced approach to these issues, the Institute opens the door for students and community members to make informed decisions about their beliefs.
S T O R I E S O F I M PA C T
Fostering Intellectual and Educational Connections “It’s a moment of dynamic change and growth in Jewish Studies on this campus writ large.” How has the Institute changed the face of Berkeley’s campus? The Institute is doing essential work on Berkeley’s campus, as it provides a space for students to learn about all aspects of Israeli society and Jewish law. The model of the Institute is a very different model than Israel Studies on most campuses. What the Institute has done is introduce Israel-related courses and faculty into different departments and programs throughout the University, which broadens the impact of the work that they do. I think the Institute is also a place that’s been very open to critical thought in the way that any academic institution should be—but that is not always associated with the field of Israel Studies. They bring a really broad array of speakers and visiting faculty. Those people have wideranging political opinions, religious backgrounds, outlooks on challenges and conflicts in Israeli society, and views of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict—there’s no sense of groupspeak there. The faculty affiliated with the Institute have a range of opinions on these issues as well. I think that’s really important and valuable.
The Institute has established a variety of avenues for Israel Studies, Israeli perspectives, Israeli culture and life to be much more present on this campus in ways that embrace critical thought, which is what we should strive for and be proud of. The Institute has another side to it that is a little bit less visible, but is very important to many of us: its program on Jewish law. For people like me whose scholarship includes Jewish law, it’s a great asset to have an institutionalized interest in that field here at Berkeley.
How do you see the Institute growing in the next few years? Obviously, everyone is very excited about two major gifts in the last couple of years—the endowed professorship that’s currently held by Ron Hassner, and the larger endowment that came from the Diller family in the last year. These are going to provide opportunities for growing in new ways, for investing in different areas. That creates a new level of the Institute institutionalizing Israel Studies in the future. I know the Institute will go about that in the same thoughtful way they have up to this point. It’s a moment of dynamic change and growth in Jewish Studies on this campus writ large.
Ethan Katz Ethan Katz is an Associate Professor of History at UC Berkeley and a member of the Helen Diller Institute’s Faculty Executive Board. His scholarship focuses on the history of JewishMuslim relations, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and the nature of belonging and exclusion in modern France and the Francophone world.
FULL LENGTH VERSIONS OF ALL THE INTERVIEWS CAN BE EXPLORED HERE:
F
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 7
Vision
Over the past 10 years, we have been afforded the opportunity to dream big and define what engagement with Israel Studies and Jewish law, thought, and identity could look like on a college campus. Consistent support has enabled our radical expansion from a campus start-up to a long-term, endowed institution integrated throughout UC Berkeley, providing multidisciplinary academic engagement through courses, public and student events, experiential learning opportunities, and an undergraduate fellowship program. As an essential resource on campus for students and faculty with Jewish- and Israel-related interests and passions, we have an obligation to continue our growth to engage more students and faculty on campus, increasing our reach and our impact.
8 THE HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LAW AND ISRAEL STUDIES
For The Future The Helen Diller Institute has become an integral part of the fabric of the Berkeley campus, fostering an academic community for students, faculty, and the community around Israel and Jewish Studies. Over the past few years, our courses have seen a 30% increase in participants, and in addition to course offerings, our academic talks, symposia, colloquia, panels, and conversations are farreaching into the landscape beyond campus, giving our community a way to engage with Israel Studies and Jewish law, thought, and identity in an academic context. Perhaps most striking to those of us at the Institute is how our classes and programs reach students on campus whose formal areas of academic study lie outside the realm of Jewish and Israel Studies, yet who have an interest in the study of Israel, and in topics related to Jewish law, thought, and identity. Our goal is to continue to scale and diversify the course offerings and programs associated with the Helen Diller Institute to grow the community of students and faculty whose experiences and careers are transformed by such learning. Many of these participants would not have this opportunity on the campus of another university or without a place like the Helen Diller Institute.
Since its inception, the Helen Diller Institute has brought 44 visiting Israeli teaching faculty and sponsored 127 courses in over a dozen departments. In 2021-2022, we are hosting a recordbreaking nine visiting faculty, two Fulbright postdoctoral researchers, and four visiting scholars, and offering eighteen undergraduate and graduate courses. Our teaching curriculum has created a cluster of courses for those with an interest in the multidisciplinary study of Israel and simultaneously ensured that the University offered sufficient courses to enable completion of the undergraduate Jewish Studies minor. To build on this success, we are working towards developing one of the first Israel Studies minors at a top university to diversify our offerings and increase the attractiveness of our academic community. With coveted roles for visiting professors and our own faculty, the Helen Diller Institute is uniquely poised to usher in a new minor of this caliber.
RON HASSNER, Co-Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies
A key piece to fostering a vibrant academic community for students and faculty is increasing experiential learning programs in Israel and Jewish Studies, both on campus and in Israel. The Helen Diller Institute has always captured a broad and inventive dimension that bridges classroom teaching, academic mentorship, intellectual dialogue, innovative programming, course creation, research and internships, and other forms of academic and experiential Jewish- and Israel-related learning. Academic and experiential programming, ranging from fellowship workshops to public events, offers students hands-on opportunities for engagement, leadership, and professional development outside of their academic paths. The diverse opportunities we provide have been a key feature distinguishing us on campus. We look to continue to develop this comprehensive approach to student engagement, learning, and empowerment to prepare students for leadership roles in their future careers and in wider academic circles.
DR. REBECCA GOLBERT, Executive Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies
KENNETH A. BAMBERGER, Co-Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 9
1
2
3
4
6
7
5
1
8
9
10
Event Highlights A hallmark of the Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies since its
inception is the robust calendar of public and student events. The events tackle a variety of subjects from remarkable scholars.
Since March 2020, the Institute has been able to broaden its reach by hosting virtual events and podcasts. By increasing our footprint, we are able to reach audiences across the globe. Moving forward, we will leverage virtual and in-person formats to maximize our impact on the greater community. 1 Israel Through the High-Tech Lens Conference, with 35 speakers and 10 sessions (2011-12)
This two-day interdisciplinary conference brought together business leaders, scholars, and policy makers from Israel and the US to discuss business, legal, economic, and social aspects of the Israeli High-Tech world.
2 The Future of Judaism with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (ANNUAL ROBBINS COLLECTION LECTURE, 2012-13)
6 Israeli Artists in Conversation with Israel: A Three-Day International Conference on Israeli Art and Society (2016-17)
Israeli scholars and artists joined to examine critical issues in Israeli society through the arts. Drawing on music, film, theater, dance, and visual culture, the conference was a meeting point for scholars and artists.
7 4th Annual Meeting of the Association for Israel Studies, Israel at Seventy: Challenges and Opportunities (2018)
This four-day conference, which included a graduate workshop, 80 panels, two plenaries, a keynote address, and an Israeli jazz concert, brought 320 Israel Studies scholars to Berkeley from around the world. It was the first time the event was hosted at UC Berkeley, a testament to the Helen Diller Institute-affiliated faculty, who have built one of the premier Israel Studies programs in the country.
8 First Faculty Chair in Israel Studies Established at UC Berkeley, Endowed by the Helen Diller Foundation (2019)
Speaking with humor and wit to a capacity crowd of 500, Sacks argued for the importance of what he called the “Jewish voice” in Western Civilization.
The Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies is held by Professor Ron Hassner, Institute Faculty Co-Director. The chair endows courses, research, and programs of the Helen Diller Institute.
3 Israeli and Palestinian Waterways: History, Politics, and Technology of Water and Environment in the Middle East (2013-14)
9 Israel and Jewish Identity in the Age of Covid Podcast (2019)
This international conference moved water and environmental scholarship forward by creating a space for engagement among scholars, practitioners, and the public about key Israeli and Palestinian water issues.
In response to the campus closure in March 2020 due to the pandemic, this 14-episode podcast series on Israel and Jewish identity in the Age of Covid offered nuanced and thought-provoking discussions from experts around the world.
4 Reflections on the Legacy of Nuremberg: The 70th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials, with keynote Rosalie Abella, Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada (2014-15)
10 A $10 Million Naming Endowment Gift From the Helen Diller Foundation in Honor of Our 10th Anniversary (2020-21)
This groundbreaking international conference reflected on the legacy of the 1945 Nuremberg Trials and their lasting impact on human rights and laws against genocide and mass atrocity.
5 Israel Facing a Changing Middle East, with Amb. Itamar Rabinovitch, President of the Israel Institute and Former Israeli Ambassador to the US (2015-16)
This lecture highlighted the challenges and opportunities that face Israel as the pattern of regional politics in the Middle East has changed dramatically in the 21st century.
This gift kicked off a year of celebration marking the 10-year anniversary of the founding of the Institute. Celebrations included an event featuring former Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch, Chancellor Carol T. Christ and Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky.
ALL OF OUR RECORDED EVENTS AND PODCASTS CAN BE FOUND HERE:
F
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 1 1
2021-2022 Undergraduate Fellows The fellowship consists of three components: academic engagement, professional development, and mentorship on topical issues in Jewish and Israel Studies from an academic perspective. Fellows also engage with professors, lecturers, and researchers in various contexts, and collaborate with the Institute to initiate student-focused academic programming.
MEGAN CISTULLI, Political Science major, Human Rights minor, ’22
HALEY MENDLIN, Business Administration major, ’22
SAM FRIEDMAN, Political Science and Legal Studies majors, ’22
BENJAMIN MIZRACHI, Product Design and Political Economy majors, ’22
ADRIEL GHADOUSHI, Society and Environment majors, ’22 AMIR GRUNHAUS, Political Science and Economics majors, ’23 CHARLES HALSTEAD, Political Science major, ’22 TALIA HARRIS, Political Science major, ’22 SYDNEY KEND, Business Administration and Political Science majors, ’22 CAMMIE LAMBERT, English and Legal Studies majors, ’23 ANA LIGHT, Psychology major, ’23
12 THE HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LAW AND ISRAEL STUDIES
HARLEY RADER, American Studies and Society and Environment majors, Public Policy minor, ’22 KALIA RODICH, Business Administration major, ’22 REBECCA STEINBERG, English Literature and Human Rights majors, ’22 ABBY STEINMETZ, Nutritional Science and Psychology majors, ’22 CARMEL TENENBAUM, Political Science and Media Studies majors, ’23 HANNAH WENGER, Political Science major, ’22
Past Undergraduate Fellows SHOSHANA ABIKZER, Anthropology, Global Studies minor, ’22 CELENE AFARI, Business Administration major, Global Poverty and Practice minor, ’21 DIVINE ADESIDA, Legal Studies major, ’15 ALEXANDRA BARR, Political Science and Society and Environment major, ’20 SAMANTHA BEHAR, History major, Public Policy minor, ’21 JONAH BERGER-CAHN, Political Science major, ’18 JASON (JACKSON) BLOCK, Business Administration major, Public Policy, Jewish Studies, and Global Poverty and Practice minors, ’17 EMILI BONDAR, Political Science major, ’17 RANDY CANTZ, History major, Public Policy minor, ’21 AMANDA CASH, Political Science and History majors, ’22 BENJAMIN CASTIEl, Political Science and History majors, ’18 AMY CHAN, Legal Studies and Political Science majors, ’16 JONATHAN CHERNOGUZ, Political Economy major, Public Policy minor, ’17 KAYLA COHEN, Comparative Literature and History majors, ’22 LIEM COHEN, Political Economy and History majors, ’19 CHARLES CULIOLI, History and Legal Studies majors, ’19 JEREMY DAKE, Business Administration major, Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology, ’18 BEN DIWAN, Political Science major, Jewish Studies minor, ’20
DYLAN EARP, Anthropology major, ’22 NICOLE FARAHAN, Business Administration major, Jewish Studies minor, ’20 ADAH FORER, History major, Jewish Studies minor, ’19 ALEXA FOSDICK, Political Science major, ’20 MALLORY FOSTER, Peace and Conflict Studies major, Political Economy minor, ’16 EVAN FRANKLAK, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Applied Mathematics majors, ’19 TESS FUTTERMAN, American Studies, Public Policy, and History majors, ’23
NIR MAOZ, Political Science and Legal Studies majors, Public Policy and Jewish Studies minors, ’16 REBECCA MOLL, Political Science major, Global Poverty and Practice minor, ’16 FANNIE OZRAN, Legal Studies major, Human Rights minor, ’21 ELLA PALLENBERG, Political Science and History majors, ’21 SAM PUTZER, Media Studies major, ’19 DANIELLA ROSEN, Political Economy major, ’22 MAYA ROSEN, Political Science major, History and Jewish Studies minor, ’21
EMILY GALLO, Political Science and Sociology majors, Education minor, ’21
NICK SCHAFER, Anthropology and Global Studies majors, Arabic and Journalism Studies minor, ’20
JULIAN GERSHON, History major, Jewish Studies minor, ’20
QUINN SCHWAB, Political Science major, ’18
LEORA GHADOUSHI, Political Science major, Jewish Studies minor, ’17
ELLA SMITH, Political Economy major, Computer Science minor, ’21
SOPHIA GLUCK, Business Administration major, Political Economy minor, ’19
MIA SZARVAS, Conservation and Resource Studies major, ’15
JOSH GOLDFINER, Political Science major, Native American Studies minor, Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology, ’20 NOAM HAYKEEM, Political Science major, ’21 DANIELLE KAYE, Global Studies and French majors, ’22 HANNAH KOLBER, Legal Studies major, ’20 DANIEL KRASNER, Political Economy major, ’20
CLAUDIA WALDMAN, Political Economy and Linguistics majors, ’17 LIA WEISS-ISHAI, Undeclared major, ’23 DANIELLA WENGER, Business Administration major, Public Policy minor, Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Technology, ’18 JOSH WOZNICA, Interdisciplinary Program major: Concentration in Business, Psychology, and Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, ’17
VICTORIA LE BERDER, Gender and Women’s Studies major, Middle Eastern Studies minor, ’18
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 1 3
2021 Community Advisory Board CO-CHAIRS ERIC HORODAS, Principal, the Horodas Family Office, Partner at ESSH Investments LLC and Handro Properties LLC JUDY YUDOF, Immediate past board president of the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS SHANTI ARIKER, General Counsel, Zendesk DAVID BARKAN, Principal, Fish & Richardson MARTIN BLANK, Principal, Martin H Blank Jr Law Offices; Trustee, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation MICHAEL CYPERS, Partner, Glaser, Weil, Fink, Jacobs, Howard & Shapiro, LLP MARK DONIG, Corporate Associate, Covington & Burling LLP AMIT ELAZARI, Director, Global Cybersecurity Policy, Intel Corporation JEFFREY FARBER, Ceo, Koret Foundation BARRY FINESTONE, President and CEO, Jim Joseph Foundation AMY FRIEDKIN, Israel 21C; Former President, AIPAC
ANITA FRIEDMAN, President, Koret Foundation
SHELDON ROTHBLATT, Professor of History (Emeritus), UC Berkeley
ALBERT GOLBERT, Partner, Golbert and Associates
JACKIE SAFIER, CEO, Prometheus Real Estate Group
MIRIAM GOLBERT, Partner, Glaserweil, Fink, Jacobs, Howard & Shapiro, LLP
DANA SHAPIRO, Board Member, San Francisco Playhouse
JONATHAN HOFF, Partner, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP
GARY SHAPIRO, Former President, Hebrew Free Loan
AL LEVITT, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; Former Chair, The Jim Joseph Foundation
HARVEY SCHOCHET, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
MOSES LIBITZKY, Founding Principal, Libitzky Property Companies; President, Libitzky Family Foundation NIR MAOZ, Associate, Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP; Former Berkeley Institute Fellow SHARON NAZARIAN, President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, Senior Vice President for International Affairs, ADL NAZARIAN FAMILY FOUNDATION; Senior Vice President for International Affairs, ADL BARBARA GOOR ROTHBLATT, Board Of Directors, The Jewish Community Foundation
Leading Supporters The Helen Diller Foundation The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation The Koret Foundation The Jim Joseph Foundation Anonymous The Israel Institute The Morton and Amy Friedkin Supporting Foundation The Gary and Dana Shapiro Philanthropic Fund The Libitzky Family Foundation The Rodan Family Fund for Israel Studies in honor of the late Judge Harry Pregerson
LISA TABAK, Director Of Philanthropy, East Bay at Jewish Community Federation MIKE TUCHIN, Partner, Klee, Tuchin, Bogdanoff & Stern LLP; AIPAC MARK G. YUDOF, Professor of Law (Emeritus), UC President Emeritus RICHARD ZIMAN, Chairman, Rexford Industrial; Trustee, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation STEVE ZIPPERSTEIN, Former Chief Legal Officer, Blackberry OLIVIA WITTELS, Associate, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Faculty Advisory Committee The Institute draws its 22-member faculty advisory committee from Political Science, Sociology, Demography, Economics, History, Jewish Studies, and Music, as well as the Schools of Law, Journalism, and Business and the College of Natural Resources. FACULTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
KENNETH A. BAMBERGER, Professor of Law; Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute
ROBERT ALTER, Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature
RON E. HASSNER, Associate Professor of Political Science; Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute
KENNETH A. BAMBERGER, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Professor of Law, Co-Faculty Director, Helen Diller Institute and Ron Hassner Chancellor’s Chair in Political Science, Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies
ETHAN KATZ, Associate Professor of History JOAN BIEDER, Former Associate Dean and Professor, School of Journalism (Emeritus) CLAUDE S. FISCHER, Professor of the Graduate School in Sociology STEVEN TADELIS, Associate Professor, Haas School of Business STEVEN DAVIDOFF SOLOMON, Professor of Law JASON WITTENBERG, Associate Professor of Political Science
JOAN BIEDER, Associate Dean, Graduate School of Journalism BENJAMIN BRINNER, Professor of Music and Department Chair JESSE H. CHOPER, Earl Warren Professor of Public Law STEVEN DAVIDOFF SOLOMON, Professor of Law CHRISTOPHER EDLEY, JR., The Honorable William H. Orrick, Jr. Distinguished Chair, School of Law JOHN M. EFRON, Koret Professor of Jewish History
CLAUDE S. FISCHER, Professor of Sociology MALCOLM M. FEELEY, Claire Sanders Clements Dean’s Chair Professor of Law RON HENDEL, Norma and Sam Dabby Professor of Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies SHACHAR KARIV, Professor of Economics LEORA LAWTON, Executive Director, Berkeley Population Center; Demography Visiting Associate Professor RAYMOND LIFCHEZ, Professor of Architecture and City and Regional Planning LAURENT MAYALI, Lloyd M. Robbins Professor of Law and Director, Robbins Religious and Civil Law Collection ANN SWIDLER, Professor of Sociology JASON WITTENBERG, Associate Professor of Political Science MARK G. YUDOF, Professor of Law DAVID ZILBERMAN, Professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics
2021-2022 Visiting Faculty and Scholars HANAN ALEXANDER (2021-2022 Koret Visiting Professor in Israel Studies) Former Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Haifa
URI MOR (2021-2022 Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor) Senior Lecturer, Former Head, Department of Hebrew Language, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
KEREN FRIEDMAN-PELEG (Fall 2021 Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor) Senior Lecturer, Dean of Students, College of Management-Academic Studies
PAULA KABALO (Spring 2022 Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor) Head, Azrieli Center for Israel Studies, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
MASUA SAGIV (2021-2022 Koret Visiting Assistant Professor of Jewish and Israel Studies) Menomadin Center, Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law; Shalom Hartman Institute Scholar-in-Residence
YAEL NATIV (Spring 2022 Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor) Senior Lecturer, Academic College for Society and Arts; Levinsky College of Education
MICHAL TAMIR (2021-2022 Israel Institute Visiting Professor of Israel Studies) Associate Professor, The Academic Center of Law and Science, Israel HADAR DANCIG-ROSENBERG (2021-2022 Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor) Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Law, Bar-Ilan University Faculty of Law
AMNON REICHMAN (Fall 2021 Robbins Collection Visiting Professor of Comparative Law) Professor, University of Haifa Faculty of Law; Director, Haifa Center for Cyber, Law and Policy
2021-2022 HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE VISITING SCHOLARS RAM RIVLIN, Lecturer, Hebrew University Faculty of Law MISHAEL ZION, Director, Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture NAAMA SADAN, PhD Candidate, The Advanced School of Environmental Studies, Hebrew University of Jerusalem ORTAL MERHAV, Lecturer, Gordon College of Education 2021-2022 POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS NEOMI FRISCH-AVIRAM, Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow ADI SHERZER, Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow SEE OUR PREVIOUS VISITING FACULTY HERE
F
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 1 5
10 Years of Impact
Courses: 7 Visiting Faculty: 2 2 courses, offered in 2010/2011 preceded the establishment of the Institute
2011-2012
The Berkeley Institute for Jewish Law and Israeli Law, Economy and Society launches thanks to seed funding from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Israel Through the HighTech Lens Conference hosted 35 speakers and 10 sessions, organized by Dr. Daniella Beinisch, founding Executive Director.
Hosted the first Robbins Collection Lecture: The Future of Judaism with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Hosted the first Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation faculty colloquium: Behind the Robe: A discussion between former Israeli Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch and Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski.
2012-2013 Courses: 8 Visiting Faculty: 3 Visiting Scholars: 3
Courses: 8 Visiting Faculty: 2 Visiting Scholars: 3 First class of Undergraduate Fellows
2013-2014
Hosted the Annual Robbins Collection Lecture: What Can We Learn From the Jewish Political Tradition with Prof. Michael Walzer. Hosted Israeli and Palestinian Waterways: History, Politics, and Technology of Water and Environment in the Middle East — An International Conference. The Jim Joseph Foundation, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, the Koret Foundation, and the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund made significant grants to expand and secure Institute programming.
16 THE HELEN DILLER INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LAW AND ISRAEL STUDIES
Hosted: “Reflections on the Legacy of Nuremberg: The 70th Anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials” Conference keynoted by Rosalie Abella, Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Attracted more than 200 scholars, students, and other guests. As well as Symposium: The Private Sphere as Public Policy?: A Symposium on Law and Society in Israel. Israel Institute joins group of funders to sponsor Prof. Yuval Ben Bassat.
2014-2015 Courses: 9 Fellows: 7 Visiting Faculty: 4 Visiting Scholars: 6
Courses: 10 Fellows: 8 Visiting Faculty: 3 Visiting Scholars: 5
2015-2016
Hosted the Annual Robbins Collection Lecture in Jewish Law, Thought, and Identity: Susannah Heschel on Jewish Scholars and the Study of Islam. Former Knesset Member Ruth Calderon gives lecture: From Secular Judaism to Jewish Renewal in Israel. Itamar Rabinovitch: President of the Israel Institute, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States gives public lecture: Israel Facing a Changing Middle East.
Hosted Israeli Artists in Conversation with Israel: A 3-day International conference on Israeli art and society, panels and performances featuring c.a.t.a.m.o.n, many artists, dancers, musicians, actors, and arts scholars. Robbins Collection Lecture: JTS Chancellor Arnold Eisen on American Judaism 2016: From Theory to Practice and Back.
Courses: 13 Fellows: 14 Visiting Faculty: 6 Visiting Scholars: 2
First Faculty Chair in Israel Studies established at UC Berkeley: The Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies, made possible by a grant from the Helen Diller Foundation held by Professor Ron Hassner. Berkeley Institute launches endowment campaign with campus partners: A generous endowment grant from The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation triggered an anonymous donor to give $1M to Israel Studies and student programs. The Institute also received grants from the Koret Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation investing in the future of the institute.
2016-2017 2017-2018
2018-2019
Courses: 12 Fellows: 12 Visiting Faculty: 5 Visiting Scholars: 6
Courses: 9 Fellows: 19 Visiting Faculty: 4 Visiting Scholars: 9
34th Annual Meeting of the Association for Israel Studies, Israel at Seventy: Challenges and Opportunities (June 2018), a fourday conference, which included a graduate workshop, eighty panels, two plenaries, a keynote address, and an Israeli jazz concert — bringing 320 Israel studies scholars from around the world to Berkeley.
Courses: 9 Fellows: 22 Visiting Faculty: 4 Visiting Scholars: 2 Student Events: 9
2019-2020
Prepared to launch Experiential Learning in Israel — Global Internship in Haifa designed with 18 students (postponed by the pandemic). Responding to the pandemic, launched 14-episode podcast series on Israel and Jewish Identity in the Age of Covid, a virtual Summer Salon Series, and ongoing student engagement and Undergraduate Fellowship programming. Inaugural lecture of the Helen Diller Family Chair Ron Hassner.
Event highlights include: Writer Etgar Keret, Former Israeli Supreme Court Chief Justice Dorit Beinish, and Times of Israel Founding Editor, David Horovitz. In Honor of our 10th anniversary, the Helen Diller Foundation announced a $10 million endowment gift that will ensure a lasting legacy.
2020-2021 Courses: 13 Fellows: 22 Visiting Faculty: 6 Visiting Scholars: 5 Student Events: 12 Undergraduate Alumni Fellows: 47
C E L E B R AT I N G 1 0 Y E A R S 1 7
UC BERKELEY SCHOOL OF LAW, R239 D LAW BUILDING, BERKELEY, CA 94720-7200
Leadership and Staff KENNETH A. BAMBERGER The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Professor of Law University of California, Berkeley Professor of Law kbamberger@law.berkeley.edu RON HASSNER Chancellor’s Chair in Political Science Helen Diller Family Chair in Israel Studies University of California, Berkeley hassner@berkeley.edu DR. REBECCA GOLBERT Executive Director rlgolbert@law.berkeley.edu LEAH WAGNER-EDELSTEIN Deputy Director lwedelstein@law.berkeley.edu MAYA SHEMTOV Assistant Director for Student Engagement & Programs mshemtov@law.berkeley.edu
Faculty Director Ron Hassner in coversation with Amb. Itamar Rabinovich.
JUAN R ZAVALA Institute Administrator jrzavala@berkeley.edu ALEXA FOSDICK Marketing and Communications Coordinator alexafosdick@berkeley.edu 2021-22 UC BERKELEY STUDENT WORKERS Kwame Baah-Arhim ’22 Isabella Rose Fuller ’24 Talia Harris ’22 Soltan Jaberi ’25
To learn more about the The Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies, recieve our newsletter or make a gift, scan the QR code or visit us at bit.ly/hdijlis-site
F
www.law.berkeley.edu/research/helen-diller-institute-for-jewish-law-and-israel-studies