Postdoctoral Fellowship American Jews–Israel Relationship

About The Grant Center

The Stuart & Suzanne Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience at Tulane University advances rigorous, non-advocacy scholarship through collaborative research, interdisciplinary inquiry, and public engagement. The Center connects historical depth to contemporary questions, fostering a community that moves fluidly between scholarly, civic, and cultural conversations.

We invite applications for a one-year Postdoctoral Fellowship (renewable for a second year) to support the Grant Center’s Special Topics Commission marking the 75th anniversary of the Ben‑Gurion–Blaustein Agreement. This Commission examines how this foundational understanding has shaped the American Jewish–Israel relationship and how it may be reconsidered amid contemporary communal and geopolitical realities.

The Commission will be co‑chaired by Jonathan Sarna (University Professor Emeritus, Brandeis University) and Michael Cohen (Executive Director, Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience, Tulane University) and will convene leading scholars, journalists, policy thinkers, and cultural leaders.

Special Topics Commissions are time‑bounded, high‑impact scholarly projects that pair historical rigor with public engagement. Through targeted convenings, structured deliberation, and research synthesis, the Commission will clarify historical context, illuminate areas of continuity and friction, and offer frameworks that strengthen informed dialogue in civic, communal, and educational settings. Each Commission produces a landmark report, public programming, and educational resources.

The Postdoctoral Fellow serves as the Commission’s research integrator and scholarly coordinator, working under the direction of the Commission Chairs. The Fellow ensures that Chairs and Commission members have the research, synthesis, and well‑structured materials needed for effective deliberation and publication, and that Grant Center staff have clear academic guidance for implementing the Chairs’ intellectual and programmatic vision. The Fellow is not responsible for logistical execution (e.g., event planning), but instead supports intellectual alignment, preparation, and continuity across the Commission’s work.

The Fellow will receive close intellectual mentorship from the Commission Co‑Chairs, Jonathan Sarna and Michael Cohen, gaining sustained exposure to senior scholarly leadership, collaborative research design, and public‑facing intellectual work.

The Commission model is grounded in non‑advocacy scholarship. It does not advance policy positions, but provides historical depth, conceptual clarity, and grounded analysis that enable healthier, more informed public dialogue.

Research Integration and Scholarly Preparation

• Conduct literature and archival research related to the Ben‑Gurion–Blaustein Agreement and the evolving American Jewish–Israel relationship, following the direction of the Commission Chairs.
• Assemble background research, annotated bibliographies, and briefing materials to support Commission deliberations and report preparation.
• Curate and organize scholarly contributions from Commission members, invited participants, and external experts.
• Prepare thematic syntheses and background documents that reflect and support the Chairs’ intellectual priorities.

Convenings and Scholarly Coordination

• Support Commission convenings, meetings, and public sessions by ensuring academic preparation and alignment with the Chairs’ goals.
• Serve as a liaison among the Commission Chairs, Commission members, and Grant Center staff to translate scholarly priorities into programmatic activity.
• Maintain research repositories, meeting documentation, and shared materials that enable effective collaboration and continuity.

Publications and Public Scholarship

• Assist the Commission Chairs with the preparation and drafting of the Commission’s final report and related public‑facing materials.
• Work with Grant Center staff and communications partners to support dissemination and outreach while maintaining scholarly accuracy and coherence.
• Contribute to the broader intellectual life of the Grant Center and Tulane…