Session 1

January 5

Title: Diplomacy

​​​

As the Classical Balance of Power replaced the Napoleonic Era in the Age of Empires, the events of 1831 began to change the course of history. 

​

Session 2

January 12

Title: Awakenings

​

From the mid- to the late 19th century, Ottoman reforms and European wars changed the landscape, setting the stage for new nation-states and intractable conflict.

​​​​

Session 3

January 19

Title: Reshuffling

​

As World War I transformed the global order from empire to nation-state, the British engaged in triple dealing, leaving the world with more questions than answers.  

​​​​

Session 4

January 26

Title: Backlash

​

The repeatedly violent Arab response to Jewish nationalism caused the British to reverse course and lock Jews out of their historic homeland just as the Nazis launched World War II.

​​​

Session 5

February 2                        

Title: Inferno

​​​

As the Holocaust decimated European Jewry, the Mufti of Jerusalem had his own nefarious designs. In these harrowing times, the Jews of the Mandate developed their own response. 

​

Thursday, February 4

Optional Review & Discussion Session 1

​​​​

Session 6

February 9

Title: Resilience

​​​

In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Jews of the Mandate intensified their wrath at the British who ultimately turned the future of the Levant over to the newly created United Nations. 

​​

Session 7

February 16

Title: Emergence

​

Following rejection of the recommended United Nations partition plan, the nascent Israeli state faced both a civil war and war of extermination from its Arab neighbors. As Jews were forced to abandon areas conquered by the Arab states, an Arab exodus ensued from what is now the State of Israel.

​​​

Session 8

February 23

Title: Balagan

​​​

Hopes for a lasting peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors dissipated as the Cold War replaced the optimism of the period immediately following World War II. Arab states forcibly emptied their lands of their historic Jewish communities and developed new ways of combating Israel's existence.  

​​

Session 9

March 2

Title: Neighbors

​​​

In the aftermath of the 1956 Suez Campaign—Israel's only decade without war—the confluence of Nasserism and the Cold War dominated the landscape. We'll survey the surrounding states from Algeria to Iraq as events in the region changed rapidly.

​

Session 10

March 9

Title: Miracle

​

​In just six days, Israel went from being threatened with destruction on all sides to defeating the combined armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Israel's victory on the battlefield did not translate into a lasting peace, however, as the Arab League issued its famous Three Nos. 

​​​​​​​​​​​

Thursday, March 11

Optional Review & Discussion Session 2

​

Session 11

March 16                         

Title: Overconfidence

​

As the Cold War continued to dominate international affairs, Egypt attempted to bleed Israel through the War of Attrition. More tellingly, the Munich Massacre and other terrorist activity highlighted the rise of asymmetrical warfare. 

​

Purim Break  

​

​​​​​​Session 12

March 30

Title: Humility

​​

While the Yom Kippur War cemented ties between Israel and the United States, the trauma of that conflict carried forward as the world developed a new recognition of the Palestinians.

​​​​​​​

Session 13

April 6

Title: Backward and Forward

​​​

As the Arab-Israeli conflict shifted to that between the Israelis and Palestinians, Camp David signaled new hope for peace while other ominous trends emerged.

​

​​​Session 14

April 13

Title: Hubris

​​​

When Israel determined that the constant attacks from Lebanon were no longer tolerable, it successfully dislodged the PLO while fatefully unleashing a new enemy. 

 

Passover Break

​

Session 15​​​

May 4

Title: Division and Unity

​​​

The First Intifada marked a shift in Israeli thinking while the Gulf War created the paradoxical effect of increased optimism and growing vulnerability. 

​

Thursday, May 6

Optional Review & Discussion Session 3

​

Session 16

Wednesday, May 12

Title: Unthinkable

​​​

Following an elaborate White House ceremony, the Israeli, American, and European desire for peace overtook the reality that peace was more illusory than real.  

​

​​Session 17

May 18                                

Title: Unbreakable

​​​

After three failed attempts at peace with the Palestinians, a new four and one-half year war of terror—the Second Intifada—was launched which once again changed the direction for both Israelis and Palestinians. 

​​

Session 18

May 25

Title: Rebound

​​​

As the Intifada was quelled, Hezbollah and Hamas launched new campaigns, and Iran became the chief destabilizer of the region.

​

Session 19

June 1

Title: Respect

​

Despite multiple conflicts with Hamas and a significant uptick in the cognitive and economic war on Israel, including the rise of BDS, Israel succeeded politically, economically, and even diplomatically in ways thought unimaginable. 

​​​

Session 20

June 8

Title: Conceptzia

​​​

Amidst the optimism of the Abraham Accords, the October 7 Hamas-led invasion and massacre destroyed Israel’s assumptions of regional security and containment. Despite growing isolation and a sharp rise in global antisemitism, Israel was willing to risk its relationship with the United States in an effort to confront Iran and reshape the balance of power in the Middle East. 

​​

Session 21

June 15

Title: Certainty of Uncertainty

 

Predicting likely scenarios for the future requires a long view of history and deep understanding of how the world works. While Americans look for solutions, Israelis find meaning amidst instability.                               

​​​​

Thursday, June 17

Optional Review & Discussion Session 4​​​