Program for Jewish Civilization

The Occasional Papers are short publications that bring together scholars from different disciplines with policy leaders engaged in current affairs. The idea behind the series is a simple one: There are many authentically expert voices addressing important questions about how we might examine Judaism as both a religion and a civilization in dialogue with others. In these pages we examine not only questions of ethics, politics and international affairs, we also look at how the arts and sciences affect our understanding of Jewish civilization. These papers seek to promote a deeper awareness of how the faith and practices of the Jewish people contribute to-and are shaped by-the ideas and institutions around them.

Please explore the digital versions of these papers by following the links below. If you'd prefer a hard copy of any paper, please contact us with your request. Please be sure to specify which paper(s) you'd like to receive and please provide us with an address where it can be sent.

Occasional Papers on Literature and the Arts

"A Conversation with Cynthia Ozick": An Interview by Jacques Berlinerblau

Occasional Papers on Politics and International Affairs

"Religion and Politics: A Jewish Perspective"; by Max M. Kampelman fall 2007

"The World Moves On"; by Max M. Kampelman fall 2007

Occasional Papers on Jewish Civilization, Jewish Thought and Philosophy

"The Crisis in Gaza: An Historical and Personal Perspective"; by Michael B. Oren spring 2009

"On Philo-Semitism"; by Jacques Berlinerblau winter 2007

"Recovering the Philo-Semitic Past"; by Steven Philip Kramer winter 2007

"Who is an American Jew?"; by Michael Walzer spring 2006

"Jews and the American Left"; by Michael Kazin spring 2006

"How Jewish Was Leo Strauss?"; by Steven B. Smith summer 2005

"Jewish Voices, Jewish Influence and Neoconservatism"; by Yossi Shain and Steven Lenzner summer 2005

Occasional Papers on Politics and Memory

"Memory as International Currency: The Logic of Appropriate Behavior"; by Yossi Shain Winter 2006

"Conceptualizing Collective Memory"; by Eric Langenbacher Winter 2006

Occasional Papers on Jewish Civilization, Israel and the Diaspora

"Memory, Tradition and Revival"; by Ori Z. Soltes summer 2005

"Trying to Square a Triangle of Interests: Germany, Jews, and the State of Israel"; by Tanja G. Flanagan summer 2005

Herman Allen "Hal" Israel (C'92) Lectures on Jewish-Catholic Relations

"Abraham, Our Father in Faith"; by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick 2006

2004-05

"Contemplating the Cross: Jews React to the Crucifixion from the Gospels to Gibson"; by Jeremy Cohen

"Israel-Vatican Relations Since the Signing of the Fundamental Agreement"; by Rabbi David Rosen

Isaac Franck Memorial Lecture Series

2004-05

"Science and Medicine in Nazi Germany: Is Moral Inquiry into Nazi Medical Crimes Immoral?"; by Arthur L. Caplan

"Liberalism, Morals, and the Supreme Law of the Land"; by Peter Berkowitz