May 28 marked the completion of an open country studies course «The State of Israel: History and Modernity», which is a MGIMO/Israel Institute in Washington joint project. The final lecture was given by Zvi Magen, Professor at the Institute for National Security Studies.

Professor Zvi Magen is Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel-Aviv University. From 1993-1997 he served as Israel’s Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the Ukraine, and in 1998-1999 he served as Israel’s Ambassador Plenipotentiary to Russia. In the years 1999-2006 he served as head of the «Nativ» organization (the Prime Minister’s Office liaison group for the FSU and Jewish diaspora affairs), and in 2006-2009 he was head of the Institute for Eurasian Studies at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.

Ambassador Magen served in IDF Military Intelligence, completing his service with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

In his lecture «Russian-Israeli Relations» Professor Zvi Magen spoke about the social and political integration of the abovementioned community, the efforts to ensure equal access to political processes, strained relations, common values and cultural differences, political reorientation, political parties and associations, diverse approaches to covering political issues.

The educational course «The State of Israel: History and Modernity» lasted from February 19 till May 28, and was organized by the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency, the Embassy of Israel in Moscow, and Genesis Philanthropy Group.