Sapir College Associate President Nir Kedar’s Groundbreaking New Book: David Ben Gurion and the Foundation of Israeli Democracy

Published by Indiana University Press,  Professor Kedar’s book addresses one of the most important puzzles about the creation of the State of Israel: How did Israel become a democracy given that almost none of the leaders of the newly established state come from countries that had any significant experience with democracy and democratic institutions. Just as important, very few of the Jewish immigrants who found their way to Israel during its first few decades came from counties that had any enduring democratic traditions.

The book highlights the pivotal and unique role that Israel's founding father and first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, played in Israel becoming a democracy and sustaining its democratic institutions despite the significant security challenges that Israel faced, dating back to its pre-state days, and the enormous ethnic, cultural, and religious diversity of its fast-growing population. The book is bound to become required reading in any university course about Israel's history and politics in anywhere around the globe.

For more details about the book

More News

לאה שלף
Tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers have seen combat in the Gaza Strip since last October, but not all of them leave the war behind when they come back home. Many suffer combat and operational stress, reactions that could lead to PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and even suicide. Now, cutting edge research by Dr. Leah Shelef, Dean of the School of Social Work at Sapir College, is seeking the most effective way to treat – and prevent – these dangerous outcomes.
Read more
While Israel considers how to revitalize the devastated communities of Hevel Tkuma / Gaza Envelope, Sapir Academic College has just taken the first step. Sapir, the academic nerve center of the entire Western Negev, will devote most of its NIS 200 million in government rehabilitation funding to scholarships, enabling more students from diverse backgrounds to study in the region. Its flagship initiative will be free tuition for all first-year students.
Read more