We are excited to announce the opening of a new center: RCCC- Rubinstein Center for Constitutional Challenges.
 |
The constitutional order is on the verge of a full-scale crisis throughout the world. The erosion of social bonds, global inequality, demographic shifts, technological developments, and the decline of public trust in democratic institutions—are challenging some of the most fundamental values and institutions shaped by the Enlightenment.
RCCC is the world’s first intellectual hub to address constitutional challenges systematically. It investigates the historical developments, conceptual foundations, normative grounds, and institutional functions related to international constitutional challenges. What is a constitutional challenge? When does a “political” challenge become “constitutional”? What are the current challenges? What are their root causes, and what factors lead to them? What lessons can be gained from historical cases? And how to deal with a constitutional challenge? The focus will be Israel, connecting its dilemmas to global challenges.
The topics covered by the center vary by year. Topics for 2022-23 include, inter alia, constitutional Regimes: How to fix Israel’s Constitutional crisis? Populism and the Erosion of Liberal Democracy; Constitutional Revolutions, Transformations and Change; Majorities, Minorities, and the Future of Nationhood; Technology and the Future of Constitutionalism.
Particularly, the R-CCC has five concrete goals:
- The constitutionalization of “Basic Law: Legislation” and of the right to equality, in a basic law.
- Conceptualizing the constitutional identity of common “Israeliness”, for the future Preamble for the basic laws.
- Enacting a modern immigration and citizenship law that fits Israel’s changing needs.
- Reforming Israel’s political/governmental system.
- Restricting the harmful effects of tech giants on human rights and the rule of law.
These goals have been promoted by Professor Amnon Rubinstein through his academic writings and political activities. Awarded the Israel Prize in 2006, the committee referred to him as “the founding father of Israeli constitutional law … In the legal and public arena in Israel, there are few who can equal Prof. Rubinstein’s contribution to the State of Israel, as a public figure, a member of the legislative and executive branches of government, and as a brilliant researcher.”
To pursue these goals, the mission of RCCC covers three broad activities:
- academic research related to constitutional challenges in Israel and around the world;
- policy activities for constitutional reforms in Israel, to better confront challenges;
- professional training of the next generation of Israel’s constitutional leaders (Constitutional Statesmanship).
The R-CCC is a unique program, led by three leading scholars: Prof. Liav Orgad, Prof. Yaniv Roznai and Dr. Avigdor (Dori) Klagsbald, and located at two of Reichman University’s most influential schools—Harry Radzyner Law School and the Lauder School of Government.
We are excited to welcome the next selected 18 exceptional students for the next academic year. The program, first-of-its-kind worldwide, prepares the students to become public leaders in the academy, legal practice, politics, the public sector, and tech companies. The students will receive unique training, academic and practical, to address the most important challenges of our day.
The first event of the RCCC was held on July 19, 2022, and dealt with the topic of: "The conservative revolution? Following the ruling of the American Supreme Court on the issue of abortions". The roundtable was divided into two sessions: the first dealt with the women's autonomy over their body as a constitutional arena and the second dealt with the judicial revolution in the United States and its consequences.
We are planned to have fascinating events during 2022-2023. please stay updated for next events on our website.
