Shalem Center

The Shalem Center (Hebrew: מרכז שלם‎, Merkaz Shalem) was a Jerusalem research institute that supported academic work in the fields of philosophy, political theory, Jewish and Zionist history, Bible and Talmud, Middle East Studies, archaeology, economics, and strategic studies. Haaretz newspaper characterised it as "a research facility identified with the Zionist right wing and with American neoconservatives", founded by a small group of former Princeton University students.

In its mission statement the Center wrote that "It seems that the entire Jewish people is suffering from an identity crisis", making its purpose to "provide a proper response to these processes". Due to the prestige the center was able to acquire, with time renowned academics of different political orientation have joined the ranks of its faculty.

The center became Shalem College in January 2013, when it received accreditation from the Council of Higher Education to offer Bachelor's degrees.

History

The Shalem Center was established in 1994 by the young American Jewish scholar Yoram Hazony as a think tank “intended to confront what he saw as the dangers posed by post-Zionism”, financed by the prime minister’s office and by conservative funders in the USA. Hazony had served as Benjamin Netanyahu’s ghost writer and was one of his advisers.