Historian Ofer Idels welcomed at University of Calgary

by Maxine Fischbein 

(AJNews) – The appointment of historian Dr. Ofer Idels as Associate Fellow in the Dr. Jenny and Hy Belzberg Israeli Scholar Program is the most recent highlight in decades of Israel studies and academic exchange initiatives at the University of Calgary. (See feature story in the Feb. edition of AJNews).

Among other notable contributions to the U of C — including their significant role in securing the Mordechai Richler papers for the University — Jenny Belzberg and her late husband Hy, of blessed memory, supported various Israel studies programs for decades, sometimes in partnership with other community philanthropists and organizations including the Kahanoff Foundation.

In 1985, an endowment gift by the Belzbergs helped to fund an Ottawa-based Canada-Israel Exchange Program that arranged for scholars from Israel to come to Canadian universities and vice versa.

Later, an Israel Studies Program was established at the U of C when Notre Dame Professor Allan Dowty served as the first Kahanoff Chair of Israel Studies between 2003 and 2006. This initiative was funded in large part by a grant from the Kahanoff Foundation and was also generously supported by the Belzbergs.

When the decision was made to start a full Israel Studies Program at the U of C, Israeli scholar Shlomit Keren was hired as associate professor of history and director of Israel studies. She was succeeded by Professor David Tal in 2009.

Although the Kahanoff Foundation wound down their initiative a few years later, Israeli academics continued to come and go.

Following Hy Belzberg’s passing in 2017, Jenny entered into discussions with the U of C toward a second Belzberg endowment that would — together with their original endowment – fund a permanent program. It was born in 2020 with the appointment of Dr. Angy Cohen as the inaugural scholar.

For decades, various Israel Studies initiatives were overseen by Dr. David Bercuson, who played an instrumental role in launching the Belzberg Program.

Bercuson has served at the U of C for an astonishing 55 years, making him the longest-serving professor currently working in the History Department. In addition to his many other accomplishments as a professor, speaker and author, Bercuson — whose main foci include military and political history — served as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies from 1989 through 1996.

Today, the Dr. Jenny and Hy Belzberg Israeli Scholar Program is administered by the Dean’s Office, Faculty of Arts, Bercuson told AJNews, adding that this is “precisely where it should reside.”

Bercuson says it is his impression that the faculty received numerous applications for the two-year postdoctoral associate position Ofer Idels now holds.

“Lots of interesting things happen [in Israel] that don’t have anything to do with political stuff as we know it. That was a major reason in the first place to have this program, so I think the selection of Ofer is a brilliant one,” Bercuson said, adding that he is looking forward to spending time with Idels.

“I’ve been really pleased with the academics we have attracted,” said Jenny Belzberg, who hosted an intimate gathering at the Calgary Golf and Country Club on January 16 to welcome Idels. Attendees included representatives from the U of C Faculty of Arts and the Calgary Jewish community and members of the Belzberg family including Jenny’s Toronto-based grandson Bram, his wife and their two children.

At 97, Belzberg — still going strong — says it is time to share the program with a new generation and she is thrilled that Bram is now involved.

Jenny Belzberg is also moved by the support of the Faculty of Arts, which she described as deeply committed to the program.

“The say it is a unique program,” Belzberg told AJNews. “This is very important to them.”

“We try to also share it with the Jewish community,” said Belzberg, who hopes that local Jewish organizations will invite Idels to speak with their members.

Community members can take much comfort in the fact that Jewish scholars are helping to educate U of C students at a time when antizionism, antisemitism and misinformation about Israel and the Middle East abound on university campuses.

While details are not yet finalized, Idels is gearing up for a course on Modern Israeli History in the fall of 2025. David Bercuson looks forward to reprising an undergraduate course on Modern Jewish History he had previously taught. Watch www.ucalgary.ca for further information.

Maxine Fischbein is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.