New high school history textbook

Books
26 May ’02

With the help of a leftist Minister of Education, recent Israeli history textbooks call into question the basic ethos of Zionism and the Jewish roots and fealty of Israeli students.

ICSEP has therefore initiated the writing of a new history textbook for high school students.

In the wake of excellent recent work by the Shalem Center and its president Yoram Hazony regarding the influence of post-Zionist thinkers on high school teaching, especially of history, American Jews have become aware of the debate raging in Israel: New history textbooks, with the help of a leftist Minister of Education, call into question the basic ethos of Zionism and the Jewish roots and fealty of Israeli students.

Less known is the fact that these same textbooks are also inculcating in high school students the anti-Western and anti-market views of French and American revisionist historians in the way they describe such topics as the history of the Communist revolution or the Cold War.

Israel high school students are taught, for example, that the reason the Russian Communist revolution failed was because proper conditions had not evolved in Russia, or that the US initiated the Cold War because American monopolies wanted to dominate European markets. The market economy (capitalism) is blamed for most social and political ills.

ICSEP has therefore initiated the writing of a new history textbook for high school students. It will be free of any political bias and post-modernist and anti-Zionist ideology. We have put together an impressive roster of scholars to write the text and to advise the writers. The work is proceeding apace, with the hope of having the book ready for the next academic year.

Other recent books

by Dr. Dan Giladi and Dina Koysh
26 May ’02

Buying and Selling – Learning Kit

This learning kit includes videocassettes with 6 short films, a booklet for the student, and a teacher’s guide. The kit helps teach high-school students basic terms in economics such as supply and demand, competition, decision making and human resources.

ICSEP provides the kits to high school students in a very successful ongoing program serving dozens of schools, especially in outlaying areas, where specialized economic courses are hard to find.

by James D. Gwartney and Richard L. Stroup
26 May ’02

What Everyone Should Know About Economics and Prosperity

This translation of the James Madison Institute’s book helps those who don’t understand the sources of economic prosperity to better understand what types of economic arrangements work and why some nations prosper while others stagnate or even regress.

“If you are looking for a lean and clean book on economics—a basic primer for keeping clear the main ideas—this may be the best you’ll find. It sticks to the basics, and explains them with common sense and in plain English. It will leave you wishing that everyone really did know at least these basics.”
Michael Novak
American Enterprise Institute

by Milton Friedman and Rose Friedman
26 May ’02

Free to Choose

As we head into the next millennium, it becomes increasingly clear the progress we’ve enjoyed is mainly attributable to the freedom of the marketplace. The Friedmans provide a clear defense of the marketplace. It’s an elegant, well-reasoned argument that freedom works better for everyone than do economic systems that call for sweeping government controls. Again and again, the Friedmans demonstrate that market processes not only provide more wealth, but also more security than government control. This book will put an end to the confusion about what is right for the country, economy, and most importantly, what is best for you as a free-thinking, independent individual.

All recent program activities

Speeches
US VIP group
24 Nov ’09

Israel’s Prosperity, Peace Depend on Economic Reform

Until the Intifadah and the Oslo agreements, a non-political process of economic collaboration was leading to a gradual reconciliation between Arabs and Jews, explains ICSEP President Daniel Doron in a talk sponsored by the America-Israel Friendship League. That process can now resume, Doron argues, helped by economic reform within Israel.

Speeches
Gilder/Forbes Telecosm 2009 Conference
10 Nov ’09
Tarrytown House Estate, Tarrytown, New York

Israel’s Prosperity, Peace Depend on Economic Reform

Speeches
NCPA Dinner
11 Apr ’08
Dallas, Texas

Opening Remarks to Introduce Binyamin Netanyahu

ICSEP President Daniel Doron introduces future Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu at an NCPA dinner in Dallas, Texas.

Speeches
27 Jun ’07
Merage Forum

Remarks for the Merage Forum on Education

“Past reforms have focused on asking for more money for education,” ICSEP President Daniel Doron noted in his speech to the Merage Forum on education.

“This despite the fact that Israel is already spending the highest proportion of GDP on education in the West.

“Yet, despite a steady growth in expenditures, standards and achievements have shown little improvement; in fact they have further deteriorated.”

Speeches
25 Jun ’07
Strategic Forums Sponsored by Paul Merage

Opening Remarks at the Strategic Forums Sponsored by Paul Merage

“Before I continue with my remarks, let me sound an optimistic note,” said Daniel Doron, ICSEP President, in his opening remarks to the Strategic Forums Sponsored by Paul Merage.

“You will hear voices say that attempts to reform Israel are futile, that you cannot initiate significant changes here.

“We know better.”

The high-powered conference was held to explore ways of encouraging Israeli high-tech to meet the serious challenges facing it and to continue flourishing.

Memos
10 Aug ’05

Finance Ministry thanks ICSEP

After the financial market reform was ratified by the Knesset, the director general of the finance ministry wrote to ICSEP director Daniel Doron. “Thank you for the support and encouragement that you and your colleagues gave us throughout the process,” he wrote.

Memos
4 Aug ’05

Finance Minister thanks ICSEP for helping historic market reform

After the passage of historic capital market and tax reform bills, Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu wrote to ICSEP director Daniel Doron to thank ICSEP for “truly invaluable assistance in helping bring about this important reform.”

Guests
8 Jul ’05

Binyamin Netanyahu

“In 10 years, Israel could be one of the 10 richest countries in the world,” Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told guests at ICSEP’s first annual United States Awards Dinner.

Milton Friedman expressed similar beliefs to those assembled at New York’s St Regis Hotel: “Israel has the potential of being the Hong Kong of the Middle East,” he said in his video address.

During dinner, Israel’s minister of economic affairs in America, Ron Dermer, presented the awards.

Speeches
Republican Jewish Coalition
25 May ’05
Washington, DC

Israel’s survival, peace, depend on economic prosperity

“Most of you have visited Israel,” ICSEP president Daniel Doron began his address to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington on May 25th.

“You saw a vibrant, seemingly well-to-do country.

“You ate at posh restaurants full of prosperous Israelis, visited their impressive villas and saw their expensive cars.

“And yet, Israel, chock-full of human talent and energy, a world-class high-tech leader, seems in perpetual economic trouble.

“If the country is to survive it must reform its economic system, and do it soon.”

Read the entire speech.

Memos
16 Oct ’04

Economics editor requests pardon from ICSEP

On the eve of Yom Kippur this year, Sever Plotzker, chief economic and social editor of the very influential Yediot Achronot, requested a pardon from seven parties whom he thought “were not given the credit they deserved” and “to whom the Israeli economy owes quite a bit.” Among them was ICSEP.