Temple Sinai’s Israel Education Committee an In-Person Presentation and also on Zoom

Why Israel has Basic Laws but not a constitution?

   Wednesdays October 12, Albers Chapel, at 7:30 pm

Professor Michal Tamir

Israel is a uniquely instructive source for engagement and reflection on constitutional law. Though it has no one formal constitution, after five decades with no written constitution it transitioned in the 1990s towards a constitutional regime, with the enactment of two basic laws that focused on human rights; ‘Freedom of Occupation’ and  ‘Human Dignity and Liberty’.

Following their enactment, the Israeli Supreme Court declared that all basic laws had normative supremacy over regular laws. Thus, the 13 basic laws in Israel function as a constitution, albeit an incomplete one, as its contours are still being negotiated.   

The lecture will review the constitutional history of Israel from the Declaration of Independence to date and will explain the processes that led to the complicated constitutional situation. 

Professor Michal Tamir is a Hellen Diller visiting Professor in UC Berkeley. In Israel she is an Associate Professor at the Academic Center of Law and Science and an Adjunct Professor in the faculty of law school, Bar-Ilan University. In 2017-2019 she served as the President of the Israeli Law and Society Association (ILSA); In 2012-2013 she served as Tikvah Fellow-in-Residence, NYU School of Law; and in 2006-2007 as Global Research Fellow, Hauser Program, NYU School of Law.

Prof. Tamir earned her LL.B from the University of Haifa, 1995, magna cum laude (Valedictorian); her LL.M from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, summa cum laude (Valedictorian), 1999, and her LL.D (JSD) from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2005.

Prof. Tamir teaches Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Criminal Procedure Law. Her research focuses mainly in the area of law and society and is characterized by a holistic approach to public law and to its relations with public policy. Many of her studies are interdisciplinary, with a particular attention to human rights, especially the right to equality.

Prof. Tamir wrote two books in Hebrew “Selective Enforcement” and “The State Comptroller: A Critical Look” and numerous articles in English and Hebrew. She is frequently cited by the Israeli Supreme Court. 

This presentation is also available via Zoom. Please register in advance here for this meeting:

Meeting ID: 861 0410 3156
Passcode:   647841

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.