Van Leer Jerusalem Institute

The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute is a center for interdisciplinary study in the humanities and social sciences, and the development of new ways of addressing questions of global concern that hold special importance for Israeli society and the region.

The institute organizes domestic and international conferences, symposia and workshops, publishes books, periodicals and monographs,[3] and promotes pluralistic public dialogue.

[6] The Institute is active in five main areas: Israel in the Middle East; Sacredness, Religion, and Secularization; Science, Technology, and Society; the Challenge of Living Together; and Feminism and Gender.

[7] The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute is led by Dr. Assaf David, and its approach in its studies of the Middle East is based on a view of Israel as an inherent member of the region, rather than an outlier or a “villa in the jungle”.

[9] In partnership with the Forum for Regional Thinking, Ofek makes content from the Arab and Palestinian media and public discourse accessible to Hebrew readers, through translation as well as original analyses and opinion pieces.

[11] The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute’s Sacredness, Religion, and Secularization research cluster is led by Dr. Yochi Fischer and focuses on two main concepts.

[15] The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute’s Science, Technology, and Society research cluster, led by Dr. Hagai Boas, focuses on two leading relationships.

First, it examines the relationship between Man and Nature, investigating the narrative of climate change and concept of the Anthropocene, and through them - the ideas of responsibility, destiny, religion, humanity and so on.

Israeli and Palestinian scholars led pioneering studies and cross-border projects including academic discussion groups, workshops, conferences, and publications.

The center was involved in research and discourse regarding the challenges facing Israeli and Palestinian society in an attempt to discover the methods and principles likely to promote understanding, a shared life, mutual respect, reconciliation, justice, and peace.

The Jewish Culture and Thinking Program was a home for both established and young scholars in the humanities and social sciences, as well as thinkers, rabbis, and educators from Israel and abroad.

The Israeli Civil Society Unit, headed by Prof. Moshe Justman, focused on creating a body of knowledge on citizenship and civic policy to be incorporated in public discourse and used by decision-makers.

Projects – including research groups, discussion groups, round-tables on key current issues relating to social change, local and international conferences, and public symposiums – were thematically clustered around the basic issues of citizenship, social justice, relations between the state and civil society, Arab society in Israel, gender, economics, and education.