‘The State of Israel and Contemporary Jewry’ Program (Jewish Peoplehood Studies) in the Department of Jewish History and the Department of Israel Studies deals with a variety of topics and events relating to the history of the Jews in modern times, the study of Jewish communities in recent generations, and basic issues in Israeli society and its relations with Jewish Diaspora.

The unique curriculum provides students with tools to understand the complexity of the relations between the State of Israel and Jewish existence in the Diaspora; discuss questions about Jewish identity, belonging and responsibility to the Jewish people; The students will study the processes that shaped major Jewish communities outside of Israel (North and South America, Eastern Europe and Western Europe, North Africa and the Middle East); Central issues in the discourse of contemporary Jewish existence will be examined within culture, art, philosophy and law; Qualitative and quantitative social research; The historical narrative and the local and global organizational contexture.
The program is designated for outstanding students who see their future in academia and in working with World Jewry.