On Monday, April 11, 2022, the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies held its 10-Year Anniversary Gala at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. The event celebrated the Center accomplishments in its first decade promoting the study of modern Israel at UCLA and beyond, honored key supporters of the Center for their visionary leadership, and included a conversation with Israel's minister of transportation and leader of the Israeli labor party, MK (Member of Knesset) Merav Michaeli.

"I was deeply impressed by the high-level research and discussion of modern-day Israel promoted by the Nazarian Center, which provides an important model for Israel Studies." – Isaac Herzog, President of Israel

On Monday, April 11, 2022, the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies held its 10-Year Anniversary Gala at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills. Close to 300 guests joined the Center in celebration, including many leaders of the Jewish and broader Los Angeles community and UCLA.

Click Here to Watch the Full Gala Program

 The evening included the presentation of two awards: The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation received the Center’s Visionary Award, which was presented by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and accepted by the Foundation’s co-trustees, Martin H. Blank, Jr. and Richard S. Ziman. Sharon S. Nazarian, Ph.D. — President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation and Chair of the Center’s Community Advisory Board — received the Center’s Legacy Award for her unparalleled role in the founding of the Center. This award was presented by the Center's Roslyn and Abner Goldstine Undergraduate Fellows, Chloe Levian & Natalia Ureña-Tregillis. The evening also included a tribute to the late Younes Nazarian (z”l).

Tribute video honoring Younes Nazarian (z”l) is played for the Gala's guests.

The program concluded with a discussion between the gala’s special guest speaker, MK Merav Michaeli — Israel's Minister of Transport and Road Safety, member of the security cabinet, and leader of the Israeli Labor Party — and Editor-in-Chief of The Forward, Jodi Rudoren, who flew out from New York for the interview. The powerful discussion covered the future of the Bennett–Lapid coalition government, the recent wave of violence in Israel, and issues related to women in Israel, which has been a focus of the minister’s activism for many years.

 MK Merav Michaeli — Israel's Minister of Transport and Road Safety, member of the security cabinet, and leader of the Israeli Labor Party — (left) being interviewed by Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief of The Forward (right).

Professor Dov Waxman, Director of the Center and The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair of Israel Studies at UCLA, hosted the program.

"We’re not only celebrating the Center's 10-year anniversary," Professor Waxman said in his opening remarks, "but also the Nazarian Center’s many accomplishments over the past decade, from teaching thousands of UCLA students about Israel and hosting dozens of Israeli scholars , to engaging a growing worldwide audience through programs that explore Israel in all its complexity and diversity. We have lots to celebrate, as you’ll soon see in a short video about the center."

The program began with a recorded message from the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, who emphasized his deep appreciation for the Center’s continued efforts to promote the unbiased, academic study of Israel.

"It has always been clear to me that, in this modern-day miracle of our beloved Jewish state, respectful debate and constructive criticism are vital for maintaining Israel's democracy and the Israel–diaspora bond." (...) "Therefore, I was so impressed two years ago when I visited the Nazarian Center — then, in my capacity as Chairman of the Jewish Agency — I was deeply impressed by the high-level research and discussion of modern-day Israel promoted by the Nazarian Center, which provides an important model for Israel Studies."

Recorded message by Israel's President, Isaac Herzog, being delivered to the Gala's guests. 

Professor Dov Waxman — Director of the Center and The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair of Israel Studies at UCLA — opens the program.

UCLA Chancellor Dr. Gene Block announces the recipient of the Center's Visionary Award, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation.

Richard S. Ziman (left) and Martin H. Blank, Jr. (right) — co-trustees of The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation — accept the Center's Visionary Award on behalf of the Foundation.

The Center's Roslyn and Abner Goldstine Undergraduate Fellows, Chloe Levian & Natalia Ureña-Tregillis, announce the recipient of the Legacy Award, Sharon S. Nazarian, Ph.D.

Sharon S. Nazarian, Ph.D. — President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation and Chair of the Center’s Community Advisory Board — receives the Center’s Legacy Award. 

Jodi Rudoren, Editor-in-Chief of The Forward, (right); Professor Dov Waxman, Director of the Center and The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair of Israel Studies at UCLA, (center); and MK Merav Michaeli, Israel's Minister of Transport and Road Safety, member of the security cabinet, and leader of the Israeli Labor Party, (left).

From left: Professor Dov Waxman, The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair of Israel Studies at UCLA; Fernando Flint, husband of Sharon Nazarian; Soraya Nazarian, co-founder of The Nazarian Family Foundation; MK Merav Michaeli, leader of the Israeli Labor Party and Israel's Minister of Transport and Road Safety; Dr. Sharon S. Nazarian, President of the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation; Layla Nazarian, daughter of Sharon Nazarian; Dr. Hillel Newman, Consul General of Israel.