Master Class

The Master Class program is part of JPPPI's long-term effort to help cultivate young Jewish leadership and promote discourse on fundamental issues affecting the Jewish people.

The program's participants are twenty-five outstanding students from colleges and universities all over Israel and of varying socio-economic backgrounds and life experiences, chosen by their respective institutions.

Drawing on the model of the master classes taught in Israel by great musical virtuosi, JPPPI's Master Class program brings the participants into contact with a variety of leading figures from the Jewish world, operating as a vibrant platform for learning and discussion.

Since the program's inception in March 2004, it has met regularly and among its guests has been:

Major General Yaacov Amidror (res.), Former head of Israel's Military Defense Colleges and JPPPI Board member.

MK Colette Avital, Member of the Committee for Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs .

Professor Irwin Cotler, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and present JPPPI Board member.

Professor Sergio DellaPergola, JPPPI Senior Fellow. 

Professor Alan Dershowitz, Professor at Harvard Law School.

Professor Yehezkel Dror, JPPPI Founding President.

Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.  

Mr. Isaac Herzog, Minister of the Diaspora, Society, and Fight Against Antisemitism.

Mr. Steven Hoffman President of the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland.

Mr. Henry A. Kissinger, Former Secretary of State. At present Chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm.

Ms. Ruth Messinger, President and CEO of American Jewish World Service.

Dr. Steven Nasatir, President of the Jewish United Fund, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Professor Yaacov Neeman, former Minister of Justice and Finance.

Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, former Prime Minister and present MK and Chairman of the Opposition.

Mr. Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister and present Deputy Prime Minister.

Ambassador Dennis Ross Former Special Middle East Coordinator for the US President, present JPPPI Board Chairman and Ziegler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute For Near East Studies. 

Mr. Natan Sharansky Former Minister responsible for Jerusalem, Social and Diaspora affairs, presently Fellow, Shalem Center

Rabbi Yuval Sherlo, Head of the Hesder Yeshiva in Petach Tikva. 

Professor Emmanuel Sivan, JPPPI Senior fellow.

Mr. Michael Steinhardt, a noted philanthropist focusing on Jewish causes. Founding Co-Chairman of Birthright Israel. 

Dr. Shalom Wald, Former senior staff member at the Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry at the OECD and present JPPPI Senior Fellow.

Mr. Aharon Yadlin, Former Minister of Education and Culture, and present JPPPI Board member.

Coordinated by Mr. Yogev Karasenty.