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Guest Professor for Israel and Near Studies

"Ben Gurion Endowed Chair" at the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg and the University of Heidelberg

The „Ben Gurion Endowed Chair for Israel and Near Eastern Studies” is founded by The State of Baden-Württemberg and is the only one of its kind in the German speaking countries.

Prof. Dr. Rakefet Zalashik from New York University was appointed as the first Ben Gurion guest professor for the academic year of 2009/2010. The current chair is Prof. Dr. Nadav Davidovitch from Ben Gurion University. In the spring semester he will offer various courses such as Israel as a multi-cultural society, State and religion and a seminar on the history of public health in Israel and Germany from a comparative perspective. As in last year there will be a colloquium for Israel studies researchers from all over Germany, in order to discuss research related to Israel and Near Eastern Studies including guest speakers.

The „Ben Gurion Endowed Chair” is a bridge professorship between the University of Heidelberg and the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien Heidelberg. It was initiated by the former Prime Minister of the state of Baden-Württemberg Günther H. Oetttinger. In the frame of the Ben-Gurion chair, a distinguished scholar will be appointed each year for the next five years.