Background

Seymour Abensohn, a longtime philanthropist in the Washington, D.C. Jewish community, and his wife Lillian Klein Abensohn, made a substantial seed gift to start an endowment fund to establish a Chair in Israel Studies at American University. Seymour and Lillian’s goal was to bring Israel scholarship to the American University campus in order to provide a full opportunity for the study of Israel and its many achievements and contributions as a nation state. In what became Seymour’s last project before his untimely death, Seymour and Lillian recognized that what is taught in university classrooms will have a long, lasting effect on the next generation of leaders.

Endowed Chair in Israel Studies

The Chair will serve as the focal point for Israel scholarship on campus and bolster the academic offerings in the area of Israel Studies. A named university chair solidifies an academic discipline within the university faculty and offers a lasting opportunity to impact college students’ education. As the most prestigious position a faculty member can hold, an endowed chair allows American University to attract elite scholars who will integrate their knowledge about and expertise on Israel into the curriculum and academic life on campus. Completion of the endowment will position American University and the Center for Israel Studies as a premiere institution and a model in the nation for Israel scholarship.

Campaign Status

Recognizing the importance of Seymour and Lillian’s goals, philanthropists across the country have contributed substantially to the campaign. The Center has raised nearly two-thirds of its $2,000,000 goal of completing the endowment.

The Challenge

The Center is spearheading a major gift campaign to complete the endowment in 2008, the 10-year anniversary of the founding of the Center for Israel Studies, and the 60th birthday of the state of Israel. As part of this effort, the Center has naming opportunities for annual lectures, performances, and exhibitions for donors whose contributions bring us substantially closer to fully endowing the chair in Israel Studies.

Please contact:

Russell Stone, Director, Center for Israel Studies
rstone@american.edu or 202-885-2482   

Adina Kanefield, Deputy Director
adina.kanefield@american.edu or 202-885-3780