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Print 007-8205•RECORD 4 TheRecord APRIL 29, 2005 Faculty Perspective New Chair in Israel and Jewish Studies Multifaith America Is No Theocracy By Jagdish Bhagwati the writing of the constitution (except, of in the quasi-public space of university Established course, for the native Americans), this convocations, Christian ministers are typi- wo cases currently before the would be an empty objection. But that is cally called on to give the blessing, with Columbia University has established a new U.S. Supreme Court are drawing no longer the case.The U.S. today is a mul- an occasional rabbi thrown in.Where are chair at the Center for Israel and Jewish Studies. attention to America’s war tireligious society: The founding fathers the Hindu and Buddhist priests and invo- The Yosef Hayim T between secularists and reli- would have welcomed this situation and cations? George W. Bush, the U.S. presi- Yerushalmi Chair gious activists. In these cases—one, from cited it as further justification for the sepa- dent, now makes an occasional nod to will augment the Texas, on the public display of the Ten ration of church from state. Islam. But that is a feeble response to the study of modern Commandments on public land, and the As well as using the first amendment, political need to demonstrate that Israeli history, poli- other, from Kentucky, about the display of the Supreme Court also needs to use the Americans are not anti-Muslim, in the face tics and society at the Commandments in county courthous- “equal protection” clause of the 14th of Islamic fundamentalists’ claims to the the University. Plans es—the secularists insist that such dis- amendment to require that no public dis- contrary. The U.S. Supreme Court has a also are under way plays violate the U.S. constitution’s first plays that belong only to the predominant unique opportunity in these two cases to for the creation of a amendment, which says “Congress shall religion should be permitted in public shift the U.S. towards a firm embrace of new visiting profes- make no law respecting an establishment places. If Christian displays are permitted, positive religious freedom, grounded in sorship to strength- of religion.” In their interpretation, this they must be matched by simultaneous the equal protection clause of the 14th en ties between clause of the amendment implies a strict displays by all the country’s leading reli- amendment. Since many of the justices Columbia and uni- separation of church and state. Their gions and possibly also by a tablet for the now draw on foreign jurisprudence for versities throughout opponents retort that this strict interpre- humanist doctrine of the nonbelievers. If ideas, and have cited the Indian Supreme Israel by bringing tation is not appropriate. Christian activists realized that a success- Court, a pioneering court on public inter- Israeli scholars from Professor Yosef Hayim It will be a mistake if the Supreme ful resolution of their demand would est litigation, in decisions on affirmative all fields to campus Yerushalmi Court finds against the secularists, but not result in such a requirement, they would action, it may be worth pointing out that each academic year. just because they have jurisprudential tra- probably back off. These cases raise deep they can also draw on that court’s rulings Columbia Univ- dition on their side.To allow religious dis- philosophical questions about what we under the Indian constitution’s article on ersity Trustees David Stern (chair), Law’66; Mark plays on public lands would arguably mean by religious freedom, a cornerstone equal protection. Kingdon, CC’71; Philip Milstein, CC’71; and offend the original idea that the U.S. of our fundamental political beliefs. The But perhaps the best advice for the Richard Witten, CC’75, have pledged more than should not be a theocracy, like many conventional American view of religious U.S. court is that it should learn from $3 million toward the $5 million initiative. Islamic states. Such displays are likely to freedom considers it to be what I might Mahatma Gandhi. He used to begin his The Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi professor will be occur only when sanctioned—in what is call,borrowing philosophical terminology public meetings with prayers that drew chosen by an interdisciplinary faculty committee, essentially a political decision—by legisla- from debates on liberty, negative religious on the sacred texts of all India’s principal with significant representation from Columbia’s tures or executives, whether federal, state freedom:the U.S.permits the free exercise religions, among them the Bhagavad Gita, Center for Israel and Jewish Studies.The commit- or local. Given that 82 percent of the U.S. of religion. But one also needs to consider the Koran, the Old and the New tee, which met for the first time in late March, will population identifies itself as Christian, what should be called positive religious Testaments and the Granth Sahib of the work together to appoint a world-renowned schol- one can confidently predict that these dis- freedom: that no religion should be Sikhs. Gandhi is known to have borrowed ar recognized by his or her peers as a preeminent plays will belong to the Christian tradition. favored in displays in public spaces that the idea of civil disobedience from figure in the field of modern Israel studies. In theory, such displays can belong to any would have the effect of marginalizing Thoreau. Now it is time for Thoreau’s “The establishment of this chair continues religion; in practice they do not and will other religions.While theocracies typical- country to borrow from Gandhi. Columbia’s long and distinguished tradition in the not. Lawyers may argue, prima facie, that ly elevate the dominant religion to a status study and teaching of Jewish civilization and soci- no particular religion is directly favored, that compromises positive religious free- Jagdish Bhagwati is a University ety,” said Lee C. Bollinger, president of the but the true effect is certainly discrimina- dom, there is no excuse for this happen- Professor in Economics and Political University. “It is named after our own professor, tory in favor of the predominant Christian ing in self-described nontheocratic soci- Science. Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, for his international repu- religion. If the U.S. were wholly Christian, eties such as the U.S. Yet, for historical Reprinted from the April 15 edition of tation as a historian and his long-term service to as it was at the founding of the nation and reasons, this is what has happened. Even Financial Times. the University. Columbia University, a major research institution, must enhance its offerings in contemporary studies given the critical impor- tance of 21st century Israel and Jewish thought in the world today.” Yerushalmi is the University’s Salo Wittmayer Joseph Biden Delivers Blinken Lecture at SIPA Baron Professor of Jewish History and has been director of its Center for Israel and Jewish Studies By Ernest Beck might be amassing weapons of mass since 1980. Notified of the new chair, he respond- destruction and is not a standing ed,“I am profoundly honored to have the profes- enator Joseph Biden, the ranking army—must be met with a new sorship in my name and thank the Trustees for minority member of the Senate response. Therefore, Biden said, “Our their great gift and foresight. I am convinced that Foreign Relations Committee, allies must be willing to get tougher the new position will enrich Middle Eastern stud- Scalled on the United States and with terrorists.” ies at the University and other fields as well.” Europe to adopt a new approach toward Overall, U.S. foreign policy should be A native of New York City,Yerushalmi received foreign policy, one that would require based on three fundamental principles: his Ph.D. from Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts both sides to look at each other’s inter- building effective international alliances and Sciences in 1966 and taught at Harvard ests in a new way and share responsibil- with international organizations; forging University for 14 years, where he was chair of the ity for meeting new threats from terror- a preventive strategy to defuse security Department of Near Eastern Languages and ism. threats; and reforming failed or antide- Civilizations.Professor Yerushalmi’s scholarly inter- “We need a common understanding mocratic states that are “sources of ests range from medieval through modern times, between the U.S. and Europe that all cit- instability, radicalism and terror,” Biden with special emphasis on Spanish and Portuguese izens face a new nexus of threats and said. He criticized the Bush administra- Jewry, modern German Jewry, Jewish historiogra- this demands a new response,” Biden tion for having little interest in the first phy and the history of psychoanalysis. said, while delivering the Vera and of these principles, noting “they see He is the author of From Spanish Court to Donald Blinken Lecture at Columbia’s allies and agreements more as a burden Italian Ghetto; Haggadah and History:The Lisbon Kellogg Center in the International then as a benefit.” For his part, Biden Massacre of 1506; Zakhor: Jewish History and Affairs Building. The April 4 lecture, believes that foreign policy is more Jewish Memory; and Freud’s Moses: Judaism “A View Across the Atlantic:America and effective when “we do not act alone.” Terminable and Interminable.His books have been Europe in a Changing World,”was spon- Such alliances with European allies translated into nine languages, including Japanese, sored by the Institute for the Study of Senator Joseph Biden have worked before, such as in the Hungarian and Russian.Yerushalmi is a member of Europe and the School of International 1990s when joint intervention helped the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an and Public Affairs.
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