Shimon Peres receives hood at the 1998 commencement ceremony.

Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies

In 1998, Shimon Peres inaugurated the first center for Israel Studies in the country at American University. The center sponsors frequent public programs, including conferences, discussions, lecture series, performances and exhibits, in addition to the Minor in Israel Studies.

Five students at a table at the Meir Shalev event

Meir Shalev speaks in front of an audience

Contact Us

202-885-3780

israelstudies@american.edu

Center for Israel Studies 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8038 United States

CIS Events

Balancing Faith and Duty: The Ultra-Orthodox Draft and Challenges in the Israeli Military
Thursday, January 30, 1:00 p.m. | Virtual (Zoom)
A discussion with Niva Golan-Nadir
RSVP for Zoom link

"Israeli Theater in Times of Crisis" with Roy Horovitz.
Thursday, February 20, 1:00 p.m. | Letts Formal Lounge.
More info and RSVP for 2/20
Amos Perlmutter Memorial Lecture by Alon Tal.
Monday, March 31, 7:00 p.m.
Co-sponsored by CIS and SPA. More info to come.

Recent CIS Events

Israel at 100: Scenarios for the Future of Israel in 2048
Antisemitism: A Political Tradition with video playlist
See more past events on the CIS Video Playlist and Israeli Writers series of webinars or the September 2023 conference, A Nation Torn: Recognizing the Gaps & Building Bridges in Israel’s Society.

"A Future Path for Jews and Arabs in Israel" 11/19/24

Both Professor Ilan Troen, a founder and leading representative of Israel Studies, and Mohammad Darawshe, a leader of the Arab-Jewish dialog in Israel at Givat Haviva Center for Shared Society, lost close relatives on October 7, 2023. Michael Brenner led a wide-ranging discussion with them on how the two communities face the tragic events of our time and their visions for coexistence in the future.

Research

On March 20, 2024 AU Professor Guy Ziv discussed his recent book Netanyahu vs The Generals: The Battle for Israel’s Future.

View more videos from the Center for Israel Studies.

Join the Center for Israel Studies

We invite AU students to learn more about us in the website, attend events, or Minor in Israel Studies.
We invite the public to be a part of the growth of our center by attending our programs and offering your support. Your commitment and generosity will ensure that CIS will continue to serve as a model throughout the nation in this growing field.

Quick Links

Center for Israel Studies 25th Anniversary

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023, American University’s Center for Israel Studies (CIS) is one of the nation’s premier educational centers for nurturing and catalyzing Israel Studies. CIS's multidisciplinary approach goes beyond the Arab-Israeli conflict to study modern Israel’s history, vibrant society, culture, multiethnic democracy, and complex geopolitical issues. Using AU’s expertise in global education and its central location in Washington, DC, the Center serves as a national and international hub for building bridges and highlighting the diverse achievements and challenges across Israel.

News & Notes

More news

Dan Arbell spoke with Fox News about the IDF’s warning to Israeli soldiers to avoid international travel following Israel’s airstrikes across Lebanon. He also spoke with CGTN about the aftermath of the airstrikes.
Dan Arbell (Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies) appeared on CGTN to discuss a resolution aimed towards ending the Israel-Hamas war.
Washington Jewish Week published an article on the Center for Israel Studies’ “Israel at 100: Scenarios for the Future of Israel in 2048” Conference, held at American University.
Guy Ziv (Center for Israel Studies) spoke with Fox 5 about Israel’s potential response to rocket attacks from Iran. He also spoke with Spectrum News about the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks in Israel.
Michael Brenner (Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies) authored an article for The Conversation about the recruitment tactics of the Israel Defense Forces.
Guy Ziv (Meltzer Schwartzberg Center for Israel Studies) spoke with LAist about the Israeli Supreme Court ruling on compulsory military service for the Ultra Orthodox.
Michael Brenner discussed the origins of Zionism on NPR's Throughline