The President's Speaker Series at American Jewish University serves as a platform to highlight critical issues and topics shaping our contemporary world. Through engaging discussions and presentations, led by Dr. Jeffrey Herbst, this series aims to showcase the perspectives of prominent leaders, scholars, and experts on various subjects of significance.
Join us for a thought-provoking discussions.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
The Geopolitics of the Greater Middle East after October 7
Thursday, April 25 | 12pm Pacific Time
The Hamas attacks on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza upended political relations across the Middle East, with important implications for Israel’s security and American foreign policy. Join Jeffrey Herbst, President of American Jewish University, and Greg Treverton, former chair of the National Intelligence Council for an important discussion on Middle East Geopolitics.
Israel and the World after October 7th: A Conversation with Yael Eckstein
Wednesday, May 15 | 11am Pacific Time
Since October 7th, Israelis and Jews worldwide have questioned how the Jewish state will relate to the international community. Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, one of the world's leading religious charitable organizations, has a unique perspective on Jewish-Christian relations and Israel's role in the world. Yael, based in Israel, will be in discussion with AJU President Jeffrey Herbst about the lessons she has learned from helping many thousands of Jews move to Israel, providing humanitarian aid to victims of terror, and building inter-religious understanding.
The Wars of the Middle East
Thursday, June 6 at 12pm Pacific Time
Only a few months ago, the Biden administration was celebrating relative stability in the Middle East. However, since October 7th, Israel has been involved in a multifront war in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. The US and its allies have also been drawn directly into military operations against the Houthis, including arguably the most significant naval engagements since World War II. Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen will be in conversation with AJU President Jeffrey Herbst to discuss Israel's military prospects, how the US can successfully exercise force to pursue its interests, and what victory means in the twenty-first century.
PAST EVENTS:
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The Fight Against Antisemitism After October 7 with Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of ADL
Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, there has been a surge in antisemitism worldwide.
AJU President Jeffrey Herbst and Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, discussed the reasons for this upsurge in hate, why the Jewish community was not better protected, controversies on college campuses, and what must be done in the future to ensure our safety.
Watch the recording HERE.
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Teaching the Holocaust on Fortnite and Through Gaming Platforms
Despite spending many millions of dollars on Holocaust museums and education, statistics paint a dismal picture of what young people understand about the Nazis attempt to exterminate the Jews. Luc Bernard, a noted game designer, has taken a different approach. He created a video game aimed at portraying the Holocaust accurately, titled The Light in the Darkness, and on the Fortnite gaming platform, he developed a virtual museum called Voices of the Forgotten that allows young people to learn about Holocaust in a familiar virtual environment. Bernard will be in conversation with AJU President Jeffrey Herbst about the opportunities the virtual world has to offer for Holocaust education, how people across the world have responded to his digital creations, and the opportunities and perils of “gamifying” the mass killing of Jews.
View the program at: https://fb.watch/qOZpEPTd91/