Leichtag Commons

“Moving to Opportunity – ‘Operation Solomon’: How Immigrating from Ethiopia to Israel While in the Womb Can Affect Life Development” Adi Shany earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Specializing in the economics of education and human resources, her recent publications include “Out of Africa: Human Capital Consequences of In Utero Conditions,” which she will discussed at an event following services at Congregation Beth El on Friday, June 9.

Bergman is one of Israel’s most acclaimed directors. He is the co-creator of BeTipul (In Treatment), the successful Israeli television series that inspired several international adaptions including shows on HBO. His feature films have won awards at some of the most prestigious international festivals. His film “Broken Wings” won the Best Film at the Jerusalem Film Festival, the Grand Prix at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Best Debut Feature at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film…

Sucary writes in a universal perspective about issues of identity and place. His books deal with meta physical questions, as well as with socio-political question of Oriental Jews in Israel and world-wide. Sucary has received a number of exclusive literature prizes for his work: the Brenner Prize for Hebrew Literature, the Prime Minister Prize for Hebrew Literature, and the Washington Israeli Institute Prize. His latest book, “From Benghazi to Bergen-Belsen,” tells the story of the Holocaust of Oriental Jewry and…

One of Israel’s most active choreographers, Ziv has performed and created work for dance and theater companies in Israel, Europe, and the former Soviet Union since 1999. An experienced teacher, she taught Batsheva – The Youth Ensemble for three years and currently teaches at the Maslool Professional School for Dance in Tel Aviv, a current focal point for contemporary dance, attracting students from around the world. Ziv taught a Master Dance Course at UCSD this past fall, inspiring over 45…

6:00pm | Private Home The MGSDII will offer a rare first look at visiting Israeli filmmaker Moshe Rosenthal’s latest short film, “Our Way Back,” starring Lior Ashkenazi. Hear first hand over wine and lite bites the process to film this masterpiece, as well as the upcoming buzz being talked about as Moshe prepares to screen at all the major film festival this coming year.

The MGSDII is proud to host the Fulbright Commission's West Coast Alumni Reception for Fulbright alumni, university faculty, and key community stakeholders. The history of the State of Israel is interwoven with the achievements of the Fulbright program, which has produced one of the most important incubators for Israeli scientists and researchers since the 1950s. The Fulbright program opened the gates of Israeli academia to Americans who brought with them knowledge in various fields to the academic and scientific community…

The MGSDII is excited for an upcoming symposium pertaining to the project between University of California San Diego Scripps Center for Maritime Archaeology and the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa. Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology and Colleagues - New Research in Israel, Greece, Puerto Rico and More More details to be announced soon (by invitation only)! The project: This project (funded by the MGSDII) is a partnership between the newly established University of California San Diego…

This summer, the Kinneret College in Israel is hosting the 35th Annual Meeting of The Association for Israel Studies, June 24-26, 2018. The annual AIS conference is hosted each year by a different academic institution, in collaboration with the AIS Board. The theme of the conference is Images and Realities: Land of Promise to Startup Nation? If this is your first time to the AIS Conference, we will provide an $800 grant toward registration and travel. If this is not your…

The MGSDII And The Hive Invite You To An Exclusive San Diego Sneak Preview Of Golda With The Film's Creators, Udi Nir & Sagi Bornstein. Two showings to choose from! Evening Tuesday, August 6, 7:00pm The Hive at Leichtag Commons SOLD OUT - Event has reached capacity. Daytime Wednesday, August 7, 11:30am The Hive at Leichtag Commons To RSVP, please click HERE.   Golda Synopsis Shortly before her passing, Golda Meir was interviewed for Israeli television. After shooting ended, the…

CSUSM students and the community will have a rare opportunity to hear from Moshe Zonder, head writer of the first season of Fauda, the first Israeli television series to be released as a Netflix Original. The setting is the flashpoint of a 50 year-long conflict, and Zonder believes that they have made not only a deft work of entertainment but also a drama that gets at the political dynamic of the Israeli-Palestinian situation. After screening the series’ first episode, Zonder…

The MGSDII is excited to announce that two award-winning filmmakers from Israel will be in San Diego for an Artist in Residence program. During the first three weeks in February 2020 they will screen their films in university classes. The filmmakers, Tal Inbar and Yotam Knispel, are this year’s winners of the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival (the largest of its kind in the world)! In addition, the director of the film festival, Mya Kaplan, will join for a…

Tuesday, August 11 | The MGSDII invites Salon Series Members to enjoy a private screening of  Israeli short movies on the Leichtag Commons Farmhouse lawn. Bring your own picnic dinner and movie snacks to this socially distant safe event. Arrive at 6:45 p.m. for picnic, movies start at 7:45 p.m. Limited spots, register today by emailing Mitchell@mgsdii.org.

Link to Join Webinar https://zoom.us/j/95973302532 Webinar ID: 959 7330 2532   OCTOBER 23-25 | The Joyce Forum Jewish Short Film Festival, will feature the two MGSDII Emerging Israeli Filmmaker award winning shorts from the Tel Aviv International Student Film Festival. October 26, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | RSVP to watch the award winning shorts and hear from the two of MGSDII Emerging Israeli Filmmakers. Engage with the creators of these fabulous shorts and hear more about their films and the creative process behind…

An online discussion of the award-winning film, "Incitement", which chronicles the true events leading to the murder of Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin. Acclaimed director and co-writer Yaron Zilberman and Professor Yoram Peri, author of "The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin" (Stanford University Press) and a former political advisor to Prime Minister Rabin, will discuss the events depicted, their underlying causes and their meanings for today. To register, please click HERE.   About the Program Marking the 25th anniversary of the…

Join Mor Shilon, MGSDII Visiting Israeli Professor at UCSD, and other Israeli educators who are advancing social change through campus-community partnerships. Using the Israeli Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa as a case study, the panelists will discuss their research  and intervention in the poorest village in Israel, making technological capital accessible for Jisr’s residents. With the Covid-19 pandemic, and the use of technology becoming the most basic practice for daily living, the Jisr project is more relevant than ever. Co Sponsored…

This academic year, Professor Haim Suchowski (Tel Aviv University) and Professor Frank Jacobitz (University of San Diego) are co-teaching a course titled “Innovations in Israel” via Zoom. The course connects students and professors in Israel and San Diego using examples of Israeli innovation as a springboard for classroom learning and discussion. You're invited to "sit in" for a special experience when the class hears from guest speaker, Ran Livne, CEO of the Ramon Foundation. Israel's Ramon Foundation is named for Colonel Ilan…

Israel has more people vaccinated per capita than anywhere else in the world and just rolled out a system designed to return cultural and economic life to pre-pandemic paradigms with an important caveat - you have to be vaccinated to participate! We will look at the successes and challenges of Israel’s vaccine rollout and address how to deal with populations who resist vaccination, access issues, the upcoming election and how the vaccine is playing a role and much more. Join…

Join Tel Aviv University Professor Yuval Gadot (lead archaeologist at the "City of David" and head of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures) and UC San Diego Professor Tom Levy (Norma Kershaw Chair in the Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Neighboring Lands) for an in depth discussion of the excavation's latest discoveries in this contested site. Jerusalem is maybe the most excavated place on earth and still basic questions regarding its history are fiercely debated between scholars. Yuval will present…

You’re invited to the MGSDII's first in-person event since the start of the pandemic - enjoy a private screening of Israeli short movies on the Leichtag Commons Farmhouse lawn. Bring your own picnic dinner and movie snacks to this socially-distanced safe event. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. for picnic, films start at 8:00 p.m. Limited spots. To register for this event, please fill out this form:

We invite you to an intimate cocktails and small plates dinner reception to welcome three of the six 2021-2022 Visiting Israeli Professors. Join us as we introduce Ori Elon, creator of Shtisel, Meir Litvak, professor of Mid-East and Israeli-Arab Relations, and Mor Shilon, professor of Urban Studies and Planning. This event is exclusively for university faculty partners and MGSDII Salon Series supporters. Registration is currently closed for this event. Email mitchell@mgsdii.org for questions.

For the past three years, the MGSDII has funded a University of San Diego- Azrieli College of Engineering: Water Innovation professor-led student collaboration. This permanent USD course explores Israel’s innovation in water engineering. Students learn first-hand the similarities between California and Israel, a leading expert in sustainability and innovation. The Azrieli students will be visiting San Diego to continue their research. You are invited to meet the student teams, learn about the program, and enjoy dinner with them following a…

Join the MGSDII and the creator of the smash Netflix series Shtisel for an intimate look into the making of the show. Together, we will visit the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem with the man behind the stories! VIP boxed supper and meet and greet: 5:00 p.m. PDT Seating for general admission opens: 6:00 p.m. PDT Conversation begins: 6:30 p.m. PDT Four ways to attend! General Admission: $18 per person MGSDII Salon Members: Yearly donation of $1,000+  gains two people complimentary…

Anti-Semitism is at near historic levels across the globe, including in the United States. Meir Litvak (MGSDII Visiting Professor) will speak about Modern Islamist anti-Semitism and its effect on global perceptions of Israel in the changing Middle East. He will be joined by renowned scholar Jonathan Sarna, expert in American anti-Semitism, as they discuss global anti-Semitism in the 21st century. Co-sponsored by the MGSDII and the Jewish Studies Program at San Diego State University. To register, please fill out this…