The Israeli Conservatism Conference
Due to the recent spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the Israeli Conservatism Conference is postponed until further notice and will not be taking place on May 7th as previously scheduled. We will update with a new conference date as soon as possible.
- Jerusalem – The International Convention Center
The Israeli Conservatism Conference
20% Discount for Early Bird Registration!
- 7/5/20
- Jerusalem – The International Convention Center
ISRAELI CONSERVATISM CONFERENCE
08:00
Registration
09:15-09:45
Amiad Cohen
Opening Speech
Society’s strength is based on the interpersonal relationships between its citizens, not in the size of its government bureaucracy. Conservative public policy provides room for society to grow naturally rather than be artificially engineered.
09:45-10:00
Mem Bernstein
On the Importance of Israeli Philanthropy
From its very founding, Israeli society has relied substantially on the wealthy and organized American Jewish community for financial support. Even today, many Israeli institutions and organizations depend on Diaspora donors, foundations, and activists. The time has come for Israelis to take the lead in Israeli philanthropic and civic activity.
10:00-10:30
Speaker to be announced
The Israeli Legal System – A Conservative Perspective
What does an Israeli legal conservatism look like? The legal discourse in Israel – in courts, law schools, universities, and colleges – is characterized by an intellectual hegemony, which tends towards the activist and progressive extreme when it comes to the discussion of constitutional law and natural rights. How can we shape an alternative conservative vision, one which helps balance judicial ideology and practice in Israeli society?
10:50-11:40


Dr. Charles Murray, Dr. Moshe Koppel
Poverty and the Welfare State
Dr. Charles Murray will discuss his book, “Losing Ground,” one of the most influential contemporary works on political economy. After a lecture exploring the negative socio-economic consequences of the welfare state, Dr. Charles Murray will converse with Professor Moshe Koppel on implications of his work for the State of Israel.
11:40
Break
12:00-13:15
The Israeli judiciary is extremely powerful compared to its counterparts in other countries. This also holds true when it comes to the office of the Attorney General: the perception is that the Attorney General’s guidance is binding on elected officials, while he himself is both the representative of state officials and their prosecutor. What is the role of the Attorney General, what are the consequences of the current structure, and what reforms does this institution require?
A sweeping change has occurred in Israeli culture in recent years. Accepted cultural labels – those of “religious” versus “secular,” “Ashkenazi” or “Mizrachi” – are falling away as new fault lines arise. This changing culture has been felt, but it has yet to be thoroughly analyzed. What are the characteristics of these new divisions, and how may they be understood as part of the global clash between conservatism and progressivism presently dividing the Western world?
Israel is known world-wide as Start-Up Nation, but only 10% of the workforce is employed in the hi-tech bubble powering the Israeli economy. In fact, Israeli labor productivity is worryingly low and threatens the economy’s growth. Economic growth is a vital security concern and central to increasing Israeli social and economic prosperity. Which cultural factors cause low Israeli productivity and how can they best be addressed? What other factors contribute to the problem and what solutions can be offered?
Dr. Yoram Hazony, author of the internationally award-winning book, “The Virtue of Nationalism,” argues for the moral superiority of a nationalist approach rooted in a conservative philosophical tradition. Professor Yuli Tamir, author of “Why Nationalism,” argues for nationalism from a liberal and egalitarian perspective. Eric Cohen, executive director of the Tikvah Fund, moderates a conversation with these two intellectuals with very different perspectives on nationalism, past, present, and future.
The panel will be in English.
Though Israel has fought for its very existence for decades, the state has a fairly non-committal relationship with the territory it controls. And within its established borders, Israel does not always act as a sovereign: It enforces the rule of the Waqf on the Temple Mount. It has almost entirely forfeited its responsibility to enforce land use laws in the south, enabling widespread illegal construction. The presence of law enforcement in Arab neighborhoods is also quite poor. Why does Israel appear to ignore its own laws? What ideas or perception are at the root of this problem? What is the way forward?
13:15
Lunch
14:25-14:55


Amit Segal & A Senior Economic Figure
Israeli economy
Israel’s economic strength is healthy as it relates to the field of innovation and startups – but it is also unfortunately ranked low when it comes to the ease doing business; businesses of the sort that aren’t just built up to be bought out, but also places to work, extraction natural resources, and ecosystems of suppliers, service providers, and consumers enjoying an increase quality of life. This issue will be the focus of a talk between journalist Amit Segal and a senior figure from Israel’s business community, who will tell about the State of Israel from his perspective.
14:55-15:40
Panel: Israeli Strategic Thinking
How should we understand the geopolitical situation of Israel and the state of the Middle East? What are Israel’s interests vis-à-vis its greatest ally, the United States? What should be its approach to Russia and the rising power of China?
15:40
Break
16:10-16:50


Yoav Sorek and Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer
The Israeli Covenant
Get beyond the ever-present debates on the tug-of-war between religiosity and secularism. Zionism has yet to meet one of its greatest challenges: the formation of Israeli Judaism, a Judaism which is commonly accessible and suited to the conditions of a reconstituted Jewish State. What can Israeli Judaism look like? Is one forming bottom-up on its own, out of sight of scholars and leaders, in a social reality which exalts secularized Jewish identity? Does this emerging religious and cultural model have a future?
17:00-17:40
David Friedman
Israel-American Relations
David Friedman, American Ambassador to Israel, will speak about Israeli-American relations, both in general and in the Trump era in particular, and on its consequences for President Trump’s “Deal of the Century.”
Due to the recent spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the Israeli Conservatism Conference is postponed until further notice and will not be taking place on May 7th as previously scheduled. We will update with a new conference date as soon as possible.
For those registering by 01.04.2020
Ticket to conference
Single participant-
Admission to all conference lectures
-
20% discount for early registration
-
Coupons and discounts for Hashiloach subscribers
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Lunch
Couples Ticket
Recommended-
Admission to all conference lectures
-
20% discount for early registration
-
Coupons and discounts for Hashiloach subscribers
-
Lunch
Three tickets
For three participants-
Admission to all conference lectures
-
20% discount for early registration
-
Coupons and discounts for Hashiloach subscribers
-
Lunch