Israel Independence Day Luncheon: National Memory and the Politics of Interpreting the Past April 25, 2007

Cost: $30 to cover the cost of lunch (kosher)

In the week of Israel’s 59th anniversary, join the New Israel Fund to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut and explore the complexities of commemoration in Israel today.

The formation of Israeli national memory presents a fascinating case of a selective approach to traditional Jewish memory that attempted to highlight a dramatic change and preserve a sense of continuity with the Jewish past. During recent decades, multiple memories have presented competing interpretations of the past. A closer look at major case studies provides examples for examining the fundamental changes that Israeli society has undergone from the pre-state and early state periods to date.

Yael Zerubavel is a Professor of Jewish Studies & History at Rutgers University, where she teaches courses on collective memory, Zionism and Hebrew national culture, myths and ritual, modern Hebrew literature, and Jewish immigrant literature. She has written two books, Recovered Roots: Collective Memory and the Making of Israeli National Tradition (1995) and the forthcoming Desert Images: Visions of the Counter-Place in Israeli Culture.

Payment for this event must be received by Friday, April 20 at 5pm.

Official Website: http://www.nif.org/luncheon