The Stern Lectures on the Jewish Diaspora were held in Tel Aviv

The 11th Stern Readings on "Israel and the Diaspora: Realities and Challenges of the 21st Century" took place at the Leonardo Center conference hall in Tel Aviv.

The Stern Readings is an annual conference held in memory of the late Knesset Member Dr. Yuri Stern, who was deeply committed to supporting Jewish communities and strengthening ties between the State of Israel and the Diaspora based on the values and traditions of the Jewish people.

Can Israel rely on the continued solidarity and active support of Diaspora Jewish communities? What steps are required to preserve and strengthen Israel's role as the center of Jewish life and identity in a changing world?

Prominent scholars, representatives of non-governmental organizations and network groups, bloggers, and journalists gathered to address these and other pressing issues.

Haim Ben-Yakov, Director General of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, delivered a presentation on "National Identity and the Problem of 'Dual Loyalty' Among Diaspora Jews."

In his remarks, he stated: "A strong and prosperous Jewish Diaspora, united around both the great heritage of our ancient nation and the young Jewish state, remains the primary objective of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress. We are grateful to the organizers of the Stern Readings for dedicating special attention to this crucial subject."

Prof. Vladimir (Zeev) Khanin, Chairman of the Academic Board of the Institute for Euro-Asian Jewish Studies (IEAJS), established by the EAJC, presented a paper on "Israel in the National Consciousness of Russian-Jewish Diaspora Communities."