New Associate Director of the Center for Israel Studies

Nov 19, 2020 By: yunews

Dr. Joshua Karlip is associate professor of Jewish history and Herbert S. and Naomi Denenberg Chair of Jewish Studies at �鶹��, where he has taught in the , and . He will now also be taking on duties as associate director of the �鶹�� Center for Israel Studies (CIS), which is under the directorship of Dr. Steven Fine, professor of Jewish history and Dean Pinkhos Churgin Chair in Jewish History at �鶹��. “I am honored that Dr. Fine has invited me to serve as associate director,” said Dr. Karlip, “and excited to be part of one of the most innovative centers for Israel studies in North America, thanks to Dr. Fine’s visionary leadership.” As associate director, he will create and oversee several projects that will deepen the University community’s ties with the people and government of the State of Israel. “On Dec. 3, I will launch our project of exploring and bridging the secular-religious divide in Israel through a YU Voices: Crisis and Hope podcast in which I will interview two of the participants in the recent Israeli documentary series Od Nipagesh (We Will Meet Again).” This documentary traced the journeys of five secular Israelis as they sought to reconcile with their estranged family members who had become haredi. “As soon as COVID ends, we plan to bring these participants in this series to YU for a public program dedicated to this theme.” He is also planing to oversee a project that will explore the meaning of the great Soviet aliyah [immigration to Israel] by comparing the role of Russian Jews in the founding of the state to that played by Soviet immigrants in the country’s continued cultural, social and political development over the past several decades.

He will also be working with Dr. Fine to build ties between the YU community and the Ethiopian community in Israel. “Through this relationship,” he explained, “we hope to improve relations between this ancient community of Jews of color and the American Jewish community, especially that part of it connected to the University.” “Josh Karlip brings his deep and wide knowledge of all things Israel to CIS,” said Dr. Fine, “with a particular focus on the modern world. I am thrilled to work with him to bring Israel ‘in all of its complexities’ to YU!” Dr. Selma Botman, provost and vice president of academic affairs, praised Dr. Karlip as a “deeply thoughtful and committed teacher and scholar who lives and breathes the values of YU—a model for our students, an exemplary colleague,” and sees his partnership with Dr. Fine as “consequential for the Center for Israel Studies.”

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