Helen Diller Institute for Jewish Law and Israel Studies at UC Berkeley

Don't miss out! Be sure to keep up-to-date on all our upcoming events, news, and programs by joining our mailing list. Click here to sign up today: https://buff.ly/3SVUXlF

Welcome back to campus! We hope you enjoyed your summer break and were able to recharge and reconnect with friends and family. As we kick off a new year and new semester, we are excited to share exciting opportunities and events with you. Check out our website for more information and updates throughout the year: https://buff.ly/3vkD1Zg See you soon!

We're getting excited to welcome you back to the classroom soon! Explore our website for class offerings, events, and student opportunities for 2024-2025: https://buff.ly/4bEFw7X

We are thrilled to welcome Hanan Alexander back to the Institute to teach courses in Education and Jewish Studies. Professor Alexander has been with the Helen Diller Institute since 2021 teaching courses such as "Spirituality in Education: Israeli and American Cases" and "Introduction to Modern Jewish Thought: Faith, Culture, and Education." During his academic career, he has published 8 books and more than 140 essays. Check out our website to learn more about Professor Alexander's work and his courses: https://buff.ly/3YK1inQ

Meet Yael Segalovitz, one of our fantastic visiting professors for 2024-2025. Professor Segalovitz's research spans American, Hebrew, and Brazilian modernisms with a focus on transnational literary exchanges, complemented by her work translating literary works across these cultural contexts. Her forthcoming book, "How Close Reading Made Us: The Transnational Legacies of New Criticism" (SUNY, 2024) follows the global circulation of close reading beyond the anglophone orbit and this praxis’ impact on modernist literary production. To learn more about Yael Segalovitz and the rest of our new visiting faculty, check out our website: https://buff.ly/3YDkSlv

What is Zionism? What are its roots? Is it a liberation movement? A religious cause? A colonial ideology? A set of state policies? And what is the relationship between Zionism and the modern State of Israel? How do Zionism and Israel look different when considered from the standpoint of Jewish, Palestinian, European, or Middle Eastern history? Exploring Zionism and Israel from its roots in the nineteenth century to the present, this class offers in-depth knowledge and discussion on all of these topics and more. Discover more about this course and enroll here: #ComplexityWelcome

Did you remember to sign up for all your fall courses? Human memory plays a key role in legal thought, institutions, and procedures: Evaluating the reliability of testimony, Appreciating challenges to judges and jurors in learning and retaining information presented during a trial, Assessing intent and culpability for plagiarism, or considering the admissibility of a plaintiff’s repressed memories. In "Search of Lost Time: Memory in Legal Principle and Practice" you will examine relevant basic cognitive psychology and neuroscience information in non-specialist terms and consider the implications for philosophical attitudes, legal processes, and societal institutions, including memory in restorative justice, and collective memory in public spaces and monuments. Enroll in this course here: https://buff.ly/4cfXTQY

We are excited to have Daniel Levy with us again as a Helen Diller Institute Visiting Professor. Dr. Levy's work investigates the processes and brain substrates of human memory and attention, how brain damage and neurological illness affect those cognitive abilities, and how they might be improved by physiological and behavioral interventions. He is also concerned with questions at the nexus of psychology and philosophy, such as free will, punishment, and personal identity. Check out Dr. Levy's current course offering and courses offered by the rest of our fantastic faculty here: https://buff.ly/4cUAiFZ

Are you interested in our new Israel Studies Minor? You can now enroll for fall semester. For the first time in UC Berkeley history, you can engage in a formal multidisciplinary study of Israel, regardless of major or departmental affiliation. Our minor offers courses in social sciences and humanities, as well as business, science, and technology. Gain expertise in the study of Israel and complement your primary fields of study. Discover more about the minor and how to enroll here: https://buff.ly/4c0dS5t

"The program allowed me to connect with other students who are keen to learn about Israel from an academic standpoint. Additionally, it offered me a glimpse into the US Jewish community during a particularly interesting period. I highly recommend it!" Through our Undergraduate Fellows Program, students like Tamir have direct access to faculty and guest speakers, discussion-based programming to facilitate the exchanging of ideas, and social activities to help build connections and camaraderie among students. Check out our website for information on the Undergraduate Fellows Program and more student opportunities: https://buff.ly/4bEFw7X