Israel, the War, and the Israeli Christian Community in Crisis?

The massive demonstrations in Israel and the seeming breakdown of national cohesion have captured headlines in Israel and around the world. What began as protests against the Judicial Reform legislation has evolved into broader confrontations between religious and secular Israeli Jews as well as a wave of attacks on minority communities. One highly publicized aspect of this crisis has been a wave of attacks on Christians, including churchmen, religious leaders, and foreign pilgrims. The government’s response to these attacks has been ineffective as the attacks continue in several Israeli cities. As this internal drama was unfolding, Hamas took the opportunity to launch a savage terrorist strike inside Israel that has led to mass casualties, both Israeli and later Palestinian.

The “Israel and the Christian Community in Crisis?” conference brings together an international group of scholars, Jewish leaders, and Church officials from Israel and Hungary to discuss the twin crises. “The Crisis in Israel” panel will explore the deeper context of the conflict in Israel while the “Israeli Jewish/Christian Relations in Crisis?” panel will discuss the recent attacks on the Christian community and churches throughout Israel. The final panel, Israel at War, will consider various aspects of the war in Israel and Gaza.

Program:

1 PM - 1:20 PM - WELCOME REMARKS: 

• David Martin Jones, Director of Research, Danube Institute
• Prof. Jeffrey Kaplan, Senior Distinguished Fellow, Danube Institute
  
  

1:20 PM - 2 PM - KEYNOTE ADDRESSES: 

• Amb. Yacov Hadas-Handelsman, Israeli Ambassador to Hungary 
• Báruch Oberlander, Orthodox Rabbinate of Budapest, Chabad, Hungary
• Dr. Andor Grósz, President, MAZSIHISZ 
  
  

2 PM - 3:30 PM - PANEL ONE: CRISES IN ISRAEL 

• Jonatán Megyeri , Editor in Chief, Neokohn 
• Menachem Keren-Kratz, Independent Scholar, Bar Ilan University, Israel 
• Dr. Gábor Balázs, Associate Professor, Historian, OR-ZSE (Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies)
• Moderator: Prof. Jeffrey Kaplan, Senior Distinguished Fellow, Danube Institute
  
  

3:30 PM - 3:45 PM - BREAK

3:45 PM - 5:15 PM - PANEL TWO: ISRAELI JEWISH-CHRISTIAN RELATIONS IN CRISIS? 

• Dr. Juergen Buehler, President, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) - Video Message from Jerusalem
• Péter Kovács, Director General, Hungary Helps Agency Non-Profit Pllc.
• Fr. Aghan Gogchian, Chancellor Armenian Patriarchate, Jerusalem 
• Prof. Dr Tibor Grüll,  Head Department of Ancient History, University of Pécs
• Prof. Motti Inbari, University of North Carolina - Video Presentation
• Péter Morvay, Journalist, Hetek
• Moderator: Logan West, Research Fellow, Danube Institute
  

5:15 PM - 5:30 PM - BREAK

5:30 PM - 7:15 PM - PANEL THREE: ISRAEL AT WAR

• Robert C. Castel, Hungarian Israeli Expert on Security Policy, High Ranking Israeli Civilian Security Official - Video Message From Israel
• Or Yissachar, Head of the Research Department, Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF)
• Dr. Tamás Péter Baranyi, Strategic Director, Institute of Foreign Affairs and Trade – University of Jewish Studies
• Dr. Attila Novák, Historian, Ludovika University of Public Service
• Dr. László Csicsmann, Professor, Corvinus University of Budapest
• Dr. Matthew Levitt,  Washington Institute for Near East Policy - Video Presentation 
• Moderator: Prof. Jeffrey Kaplan, Senior Distinguished Fellow, Danube Institute
  
  

7:15 PM - 7:45 PM - FINAL LECTURE 

• Prof. Dr. Tamás Dezső, President, Board of Trustees of the Batthyány Lajos Foundation
  
  MC: Gabriella Kocsis
  
  

Language: English

Due to changing developments in Israel, the program may be subject to change.