Democracy
Blame Zamir: Netanyahu’s latest front in his war on responsibility, democracy
If the government pressure finally pushes Eyal Zamir to quit, it will just be another victory in the October 7 coalition’s campaign to deflect blame.
New Publications in the Field
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
Israel’s internal fractures are a gift to its enemies
If we allow internal politics to once again fracture the country, then we risk losing not just the war, but the very soul of the state.
Articles
Articles
“The politicians will strengthen their influence over the appointment of judges”
In light of the turbulence shaking Israeli democracy, and the law altering the composition of the committee for selecting judges, Prof. Yedidia Stern, President of the Jewish People Policy Institute, was interviewed by The New York Times and offered his analysis.
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
A sober look at the 5 wedge issues setting Israel ablaze
Not all of them are existential threats, although a High Court ruling against ousting the Shin Bet chief could become a true crisis.
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
Israel’s not a dictatorship, but it’s headed toward becoming one
The danger of changing Israel’s character has increased. The country is still a vibrant democracy, but will it remain so?
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
Dividing Israel: How politics of trust threatens inquiry into October 7
We are deliberatively denuding ourselves of any ability to identify a domain of genuine consensus or the ways to reach an agreement.
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
Splitting the Attorney General role would be a win-win all around
It's not easy being the government's legal counsel while also being chief prosecutor tasked with standing up to the government.
Opinion Articles
Opinion Articles
Turning the Shin Bet into a political battleground would be a detriment to all of Israel
When an agency with extraordinary powers becomes a partisan battleground, democracy itself is at risk.
Researchers Team
Dr. Haim Zicherman
Bio
Dr. Haim Zicherman, a senior lecturer at the Ono Academic College (OAC), is an expert in constitutional and property law and also researches the ultra-Orthodox society.
His book Black Blue-White (Yedioth Books, 2014) takes a broad-minded approach to understanding the ultra-Orthodox society in Israel. Until last year, Zicherman managed the ultra-Orthodox campuses of the OAC, where thousands of Haredi students – male and female – study. In recent years, Zicherman has coordinated the development and management of the "Israeli Identity" course available to all undergraduate students in Israel.
Focus Areas and Research
Articles by Dr. Haim Zicherman
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Dr. Shuki Friedman
Director General
Bio
Dr. Shuki Friedman is the Director General of the Jewish People Policy Institute. He is a member of the Faculty of Law at the Peres Academic Center and formerly served as secretary of the Locker Committee for Examining the Defense Budget. He was also chairman of the government committee on the sanctions against Iran, and headed the international and foreign law department for the legal division of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office.
Areas of expertise
The relationship of religion and state; processes of religionization; secular-religious-ultra-Orthodox relations; ultra-Orthodox employment; the defense budget; Islamic law; international law; the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement.
Focus Areas and Research
Antisemitism, Geopolitics, Democracy, Religion and State, Identity and Education, Haredim, Israel-Diaspora Relations
Articles by Dr. Shuki Friedman
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Prof. Yedidia Stern
President
Bio
Professor Stern is President of the Jewish People Policy Institute and a full professor in the Faculty of Law at Bar-Ilan University. He is an alumnus of the Kerem B'Yavneh hesder yeshiva (1973-1978); holds a law degree (summa cum laude) from Bar-Ilan University (1982), and a doctorate in corporate law from Harvard University (1986).
Stern has served as dean of Bar-Ilan University's Faculty of Law (1994-1998), and was a Senior Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute (1989-2000). For a decade he served as the IDI's Vice President for Research.
His areas of expertise are corporate law (merger and acquisitions, corporate finance and corporate governance), and public law (constitutional law, religion and state, human rights, law and halacha or Jewish law). He has lectured and been a visiting scholar at universities abroad (including Harvard, Columbia, Brandeis, and Princeton), and was Distinguished University Professor at Monash University in Australia (2009-2011).
Stern has served as advisor to the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee; has participated in numerous committees and public entities, among them the Commission of Inquiry on the Treatment of Residents of Gush Katif (2009); the National Committee for Civic Studies (2009-2011, committee chair); the Takana Forum for the prevention of sexual harassment in the religious community (founding member); the Government Committee for Equality in the Burden of Service (2012); the Committee for Regulating Governance in Higher Education (2014). He has served on the boards of multiple companies, including (currently) that of Bank Leumi.
Stern has been awarded the Zeltner Prize for Excellence in Legal Research (2009), and the Gorny Prize for Outstanding Activity in Public Law (2012).
Professor Stern has written and edited over twenty books; has published over fifty research articles in five languages; is the coeditor (with Professor Sagi) of the journal Democratic Culture (19 volumes to date); regularly publishes essays and articles in the Israeli and international press, and is interviewed by the Israeli and international media on issues of law and society, religion and state, Judaism and democracy, Jewish identity and Israeli culture.
Born in England (1955), married to Dr. Karen Friedman-Stern, father of eight.
Focus Areas and Research
Antisemitism, Democracy, Religion and State, Identity and Education, Haredim, Israel-Diaspora Relations
Articles by Prof. Yedidia Stern
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