The Occasional Papers Series was a project of the Center for Jewish Civilization running from 2004 through 2009.

The Occasional Papers are short publications that bring together scholars from different disciplines with policy leaders engaged in current affairs. The idea behind the series is a simple one: There are many authentically expert voices addressing important questions about how we might examine Judaism as both a religion and a civilization in dialogue with others. In these pages we examine not only questions of ethics, politics and international affairs, we also look at how the arts and sciences affect our understanding of Jewish civilization. These papers seek to promote a deeper awareness of how the faith and practices of the Jewish people contribute to–and are shaped by–the ideas and institutions around them.

Please explore the digital versions of these papers by following the links below. If you’d prefer a hard copy of any paper, please contact us with your request. Please be sure to specify which paper(s) you’d like to receive and please provide us with an address where it can be sent.

Occasional Papers on Literature and the Arts

“A Conversation with Cynthia Ozick”: An Interview by Jacques Berlinerblau (fall 2008)

Occasional Papers on Politics and International Affairs

“Religion and Politics: A Jewish Perspective”; by Max M. Kampelman (fall 2007)

“The World Moves On”; by Max M. Kampelman (fall 2007)

Occasional Papers on Jewish Civilization, Jewish Thought and Philosophy

“The Crisis in Gaza: An Historical and Personal Perspective”; by Michael B. Oren (spring 2009)

“On Philo-Semitism”; by Jacques Berlinerblau (winter 2007)

“Recovering the Philo-Semitic Past”; by Steven Philip Kramer (winter 2007)

“Who is an American Jew?”; by Michael Walzer (spring 2006)

“Jews and the American Left”; by Michael Kazin (spring 2006)

“How Jewish Was Leo Strauss?”; by Steven B. Smith (summer 2005)

“Jewish Voices, Jewish Influence and Neoconservatism”; by Yossi Shain and Steven Lenzner (summer 2005)

Occasional Papers on Politics and Memory

“Memory as International Currency: The Logic of Appropriate Behavior”; by Yossi Shain (winter 2006)

“Conceptualizing Collective Memory”; by Eric Langenbacher (winter 2006)

Occasional Papers on Jewish Civilization, Israel and the Diaspora

“Memory, Tradition and Revival”; by Ori Z. Soltes (summer 2005)

“Trying to Square a Triangle of Interests: Germany, Jews, and the State of Israel”; by Tanja G. Flanagan (summer 2005)

Herman Allen “Hal” Israel (C’92) Lectures on Jewish-Catholic Relations

“Abraham, Our Father in Faith”; by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick (summer 2006)

Occasional Paper Series Articles (2004-2005)

“Contemplating the Cross: Jews React to the Crucifixion from the Gospels to Gibson”; by Jeremy Cohen (spring 2005)

“Israel-Vatican Relations Since the Signing of the Fundamental Agreement”; by Rabbi David Rosen (spring 2005)

“Science and Medicine in Nazi Germany: Is Moral Inquiry into Nazi Medical Crimes Immoral?”; by Arthur L. Caplan (spring 2005)

“Liberalism, Morals, and the Supreme Law of the Land”; by Peter Berkowitz (summer 2005)