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Talks · Twice a month · Online

Israel Up Close

Twice a month, live, with the people who know Israel firsthand.

A 45-minute talk, then your questions. Every talk is free for AIC members, and members’ questions go first. For everyone else it’s $18.

  • Starts Thursday, November 5
  • 45 minutes + Q&A
  • On Microsoft Teams
  • Free for members

Join AIC, every talk freeRegister for Thursday, November 5

Free for everyone The first talk, Thursday, November 5, is open to all.

An AIC visitor and a shopkeeper laughing behind his counter of cheeses, olives, and wine at a market in Israel.The Hurva Synagogue above the stone square of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem, under a blue sky.A speaker talks with a seated audience at an AIC evening.
Israel, and an AIC evening with a speaker. The talks are online, so you can join from anywhere.

How it works

Two Thursdays a month, from wherever you are.

  • First Thursday

    12:00 PM ET

    Midday

    Noon here, which suits a speaker in another time zone.

  • Third Thursday

    7:30 PM ET

    Live online

    Evening on the East Coast, after the working day.

  1. Step 1: Pick a talk

    We announce each speaker as they confirm, and you register on that talk’s page.

  2. Step 2: Join on Teams

    On a computer, open your link in Chrome or Microsoft Edge. No account needed. On a phone or tablet, get the free Teams app first.

  3. Step 3: 45 minutes, then your questions

    Type your question in the Q&A. Members’ questions go first, and Uri keeps the conversation moving.

  4. Step 4: Missed one?

    Members get the recording by email. A week later it goes up on our Watch page for everyone.

How joining a Teams event works

The dates

On the calendar through June 2027.

We announce each speaker as they confirm. Every date is a Thursday.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

  • Midday12:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM in IsraelSpeaker announced soon
  • Evening7:30 PM ETSpeaker announced soon

March 2027

  • Midday12:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM in IsraelSpeaker announced soon
  • Evening7:30 PM ETSpeaker announced soon

April 2027

  • Midday12:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM in IsraelSpeaker announced soon
  • Evening7:30 PM ETSpeaker announced soon

May 2027

  • Midday12:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM in IsraelSpeaker announced soon
  • Evening7:30 PM ETSpeaker announced soon

June 2027

  • Midday12:00 PM ET · 7:00 PM in IsraelSpeaker announced soon
  • Evening7:30 PM ETSpeaker announced soon

Who it’s for

Anyone who wants to hear it from the people who live it.

You don’t need to be an expert to come. Each talk is somebody who does the work, in Israel or here at home, and then an open floor where you can ask them about it.

Knesset member Ohad Tal in conversation with an AIC host on stage, an Israeli flag behind them.
Knesset member Ohad Tal at an AIC evening. Israel Up Close brings that conversation online, twice a month.

Suggest a speaker

Know someone we should hear from?

Tell us about someone who knows Israel firsthand, or put yourself forward. We read every suggestion.

Suggest a speaker

For members

Every talk is free when you’re a member.

Membership starts at $9 a month, and every level includes Israel Up Close, the Mitzpe Institute and the Author’s Table. Your questions go first, and the recording comes to your inbox.

Become a memberDonate

  • Every talk, free
  • Your questions go first
  • The recording by email
  • Not a member? It’s $18 a talk. The first talk is free for everyone.

Bring your community

When your congregation or organization partners with AIC, everyone on your memberships comes free. You also get guest passes, and a code that lets the rest of your community in for $9. Partners can co-present a talk, too.

Partner with us

Watch it later

Members get each recording by email. A week later it goes up on our Watch page, free for everyone, with past AIC programs beside it.

Watch past programs

Questions

What does it cost?

Nothing if you’re an AIC member, at any level. For everyone else it’s $18 a talk. The first talk, on Thursday, November 5, is free for everyone.

See membership levels
Who are the speakers?

People who know Israel firsthand. The first Thursday is at midday here and the third is in the third Thursday they’re here in the US. We name each speaker as soon as they confirm, and registration for that talk opens then.

Suggest a speaker
Do I need a Teams account, or to download anything?

Not on a computer. Open the link from your email in Chrome or Microsoft Edge and choose to continue in the browser. You don’t need an account. On a phone or tablet you do need the Teams app, because Teams doesn’t run in a phone’s web browser. Install it, then tap the link again.

How do I ask the speaker a question?

Select Q&A at the top of the Teams window and type it in the “Ask a question” box. Our team reads each question before it’s posted. At Israel Up Close, members’ questions go first.

Will anyone see or hear me?

No. At our online talks and town halls, everyone watching joins with their camera and microphone off. You see and hear the speaker, and nobody sees or hears you.

Are there captions?

Yes, live captions. Select Caption in the Teams window and choose a language, and they appear on screen.

When should I join?

About ten minutes early. We open the room ten minutes before we start, which gives you time to get in and turn your sound up. Running late? Come in anyway. You can rewind and watch from the beginning.

Can I watch it later?

Israel Up Close talks are recorded. Members get the recording by email, and a week later it goes up for everyone on our Watch page.

Watch past programs

More about joining online