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About the Berl Katznelson Center | Building the future of progressive Zionism
"Zionism would not have been established, and will not arise, in a world that denies justice, rule of law and freedom for all who are created in the image of G-d. And it will not deny any of these basic values, because that will jeopardize its own fate.” – Berl Katznelson ******************************************************************************** The Berl Katznelson Center (BKC) is an education and ideas institution that was established in 1944 to commemorate the life and work of Berl Katznelson, one of the most influential leaders of progressive Zionism, realizing his vision of a center for political thought and leadership. Ever since, the center has been working to advance the values of progressive Zionism, engaging young leaders, thinkers, activists and civil servants in thought-provoking leadership programs.
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Our vision
We at the Berl Katznelson Center (BKC) are committed to carrying-on Katznelson’s legacy, realizing the importance of constructing the building blocks of progressive Zionism for generations to come. Our work is premised on the notion that in order to lead effective and long-term change, based on the values of progressive Zionism, we should invest in people and ideas. We invest in people through our leadership programs. We educate and train the next generation of progressive Zionist leaders, activists and civil servants, integrating them into central spheres of influence- IDF, the civil service, local and national governmental positions. We invest in ideas through shaping and disseminating relevant and current analysis and central ideas through our fellowship program, digital work, conferences and publications, promoting progressive Zionist values in the public discourse.
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About the partnership with the Social Economic Academy
At the beginning of 2017, the Berl Katznelson Educational Center and the Social Economic Academy (SEA) decided to join forces and expand their cooperation which began in 2014. The cooperation lead to the establishment of a strategic venture aiming to lay the foundation for thriving young and proactive Israeli voices. The strategic venture leverages the two partnering institutes towards establishing a central and defining center for research, education and leadership development. The partnership strengthens and designs innovative approaches towards building a strategic, non-apologetic, forward-thinking progressive Zionist movement. The Social Economic Academy (SEA) was established in 2004 with the aim of strengthening the base of support for socioeconomic equality in Israel by increasing access to knowledge and engagement of diverse segments in Israeli society. The SEA works to achieve these goals through dissemination of knowledge about key socioeconomic issues and policies, fostering and training leadership among key groups in the civil, private, and public sectors, and garnering public support for progressive ideas and policies in Israel.