About Israel Studies at UCLA
Israeli Supreme Court at night
The UCLA Israel Studies Program was established with steadfast university support and endowments from the Gilbert and Y&S Nazarian Family Foundations. Based at the International Institute and eager to work closely with the two units on campus most relevant to its mission-the Center for Near Eastern Studies and the Center for Jewish Studies (CJS)-the program focuses on three goals in order to promote a firm understanding of Israel:
- the enhancement of both undergraduate and graduate instruction;
- the hosting of both visiting and permanent faculty;
- and programs and conferences on campus and in the community.
Carol Bakhos, member of the Israel Studies faculty advisory committee, and
Sharon Baradaran, Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation
The endowment by the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation enables the University to appoint visiting scholars to teach at UCLA. To date, sociologist Samy Smooha from Haifa University, political scientist Aharon Klieman from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, historian Hagit Lavisky from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and political scientist post-doctorate scholar, Nahshon Perez have participated in the visitors program.
The Gilbert Foundation endowment has made it possible to appoint a tenured or tenture-track faculty position in Israel Studies. UCLA is currently engaged in an active search to find the most suitable candidate for the Gilbert Professorship.
