Dear Friends,

As we close this academic year, we want to acknowledge that this year has presented more challenges than any other year in the Institute’s history. And yet, we have never felt like our mission was more important. In the face of record levels of campus tension, division, discord, and demands for an academic boycott, we have responded in the ways we know best: to provide spaces and tools for learning and for thoughtful — and often difficult — conversations. 

In our Undergraduate Fellowship, we prepared students to navigate a complex world with respect, empathy, and nuance by hosting a series of leadership workshops on antisemitism, diversity, and speaking across difference. Additionally, we hosted our highest number of lectures to date for the campus and the public, ensuring challenging and sensitive topics relating to the Israel-Hamas War, Israeli society, and American Judaism were covered with academic integrity and thoughtfulness. 

As we look towards the fall semester, we are thrilled to announce the creation of UC Berkeley’s first Israel Studies Minor. The formalized study of Israel brings to life the Institute’s vision to help students explore the breadth and complexity of Israel at the world’s top public university. 

Please keep reading for more information about these exciting developments, and a full summary of our academic year. We thank you for your tremendous support of the Institute, without which we would not be able to do the work we do. 

Warmly,

Helen Diller Institute Launches First Israel Studies Minor at UC Berkeley

We are pleased to announce the creation of UC Berkeley’s first Israel Studies Minor, launching in the upcoming fall semester. The minor reflects the rich and multidisciplinary nature of the academic field of Israel studies, intersecting the social sciences and humanities as well as law, business, science and technology. It is offered in each of the UC Berkeley schools and colleges, meaning students in diverse disciplines — from liberal arts to engineering — can gain expertise in the study of Israel, complementing their primary fields of study. Read more here.

Congrats to Our Graduating Fellows!

We want to extend our warmest congratulations to our graduating class of Undergraduate Fellows. Bilal Homran, Daniel Conway, Rachael Lamden, Tamir Levy, Vida Keyvanfar, Andrew Neciuk, and Elijah Priwer have contributed immensely to the Undergraduate Fellowship this year by planning programs, providing support and mentorship to their peers, and making our community a warm and inclusive place. We wish you luck on everything the future will bring and we look forward to your return as mentors to future generations of Undergraduate Fellows.

Goodbye and Thank you to Our Visitors from Israel

2023–2024 Visiting Faculty

2023–2024 Visiting Scholars and Postdoctoral Fellows

Please click here to see a full list of our 2023–2024 courses. Please click here to see full bios of all our visitors. 

We want to extend a special thank you to our visiting faculty and scholars from Israel for all that they have poured into the Institute in a very difficult year. In the weeks following October 7, they made themselves available to students daily to answer questions and provide their support and expertise. As the year progressed, they continued to provide support, moderate webinars and panels, and meet with students, all while processing the events in Israel away from home. We are incredibly grateful for their work and will miss them greatly. We are pleased that Masua Sagiv, Hanan Alexander, and Daniel Levy will return for the next academic year. 

Catch Up on What You Missed Live

Click here to view recordings from our semester, covering the Israel-Hamas War, Israeli wartime society, the international community, American Judaism, and more. 

Follow Us on Social

Keep up to date and learn about upcoming programs by following us on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Your support ensures that thousands of UC Berkeley students, faculty, and community members can engage in discourse on Israel and contemporary Jewish issues. To learn more, please contact Deputy Director Leah Wagner-Edelstein at lwedelstein@berkeley.edu.