''Azure: Ideas for the Jewish Nation'' ( he, תכלת) (''Tchelet'') was a quarterly

journal A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to: *Bullet journal, a method of personal organization *Diary, a record of what happened over the course of a day or other period *Daybook, also known as a general journal, a ...

published by the

Shalem Center The Shalem Center ( he, מרכז שלם, ''Merkaz Shalem'') was a Jerusalem research institute that supported academic work in the fields of philosophy, political theory, Jewish and Zionist history, Bible and Talmud, Middle East Studies, archaeolo ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

. ''Azure'' published new writing on issues relating to

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

thought and identity,

Zionism Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after '' Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...

, and the State of Israel. It was published in both

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, allowing for the exchange of ideas between Israelis and Jews worldwide. ''Azure'' was established in 1996 and was originally published twice a year, but grew into a quarterly. The journal's first editor-in-chief was Ofir Haivry, followed by Daniel Polisar and

David Hazony David Yair Hazony (born 1969) is an American-born Israeli writer, translator, and editor. He was the founding editor of '' The Tower Magazine'' from 2013 to 2017, and from 2017-2020 served as executive director of the Israel Innovation Fund. He ...

. Assaf Sagiv was editor in chief from 2007 to 2012. Notable contributors have included

Michael Oren Michael Bornstein Oren (Hebrew: מיכאל אורן; born Michael Scott Bornstein; May 20, 1955) is an American-born Israeli historian, author, politician, former ambassador to the United States (2009–2013), former member of the Knesset for ...

Yoram Hazony Yoram Hazony (born 1964) is an Israeli-American philosopher, Bible scholar, and political theorist. He is president of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem and serves as the chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation. Biography Yoram Hazony was born ...

Yossi Klein Halevi Yossi Klein Halevi ( he, יוסי קליין הלוי, born 1953) is an American-born Israeli author and journalist. Biography Yossi Klein Halevi was born and raised in Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York in a Jewish family. His parents, Zoltan a ...

, A. B. Yehoshua,

Ruth Gavison Ruth Gavison ( he, רות גביזון; March 28, 1945, Jerusalem – August 15, 2020, Jerusalem) was an Israeli expert of human rights, professor of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and recipient of the Israel Prize. Biography Ruth Gav ...

Amnon Rubinstein Amnon Rubinstein ( he, אמנון רובינשטיין, born 5 September 1931) is an Israeli legal scholar, politician, and columnist. A member of the Knesset between 1977 and 2002, he served in several ministerial positions. He is currently dean ...

Natan Sharansky Natan Sharansky ( he, נתן שרנסקי; russian: Ната́н Щара́нский; uk, Натан Щаранський, born Anatoly Borisovich Shcharansky on 20 January 1948); uk, Анатолій Борисович Щаранський, ...

Alain Finkielkraut Alain Finkielkraut (, ; ; born 30 June 1949) is a French philosopher and public intellectual. He has written books and essays on a wide range of topics, many on the ideas of tradition and identitary nonviolence, including Jewish identity and ant ...

, Amotz Asa-El,

Meir Soloveichik Meir Yaakov Soloveichik (born July 29, 1977) is an American Orthodox rabbi and writer. He is the son of Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik, grandson of Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik; and a great nephew of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, the leader of American J ...

, Claire Berlinski,

Robert Bork Robert Heron Bork (March 1, 1927 – December 19, 2012) was an American jurist who served as the solicitor general of the United States from 1973 to 1977. A professor at Yale Law School by occupation, he later served as a judge on the U.S. Cour ...

, and

Moshe Ya'alon Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon ( he, משה יעלון; born Moshe Smilansky on 24 June 1950) is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who also served as Israel's Defense Minister under Benjamin Netanyahu from 2013 ...

. The journal published Hebrew translations of classic essays by authors such as

Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and ...

David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; 7 May 1711 NS (26 April 1711 OS) – 25 August 1776) Cranston, Maurice, and Thomas Edmund Jessop. 2020 999br>David Hume" ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 18 May 2020. was a Scottish Enlightenment phil ...

William James William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was an American philosopher, historian, and psychologist, and the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States. James is considered to be a leading thinker of the lat ...

, G. K. Chesterton,

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univers ...

, Alasdair MacIntyre,

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from ...

Matthew Arnold Matthew Arnold (24 December 1822 – 15 April 1888) was an English poet and cultural critic who worked as an inspector of schools. He was the son of Thomas Arnold, the celebrated headmaster of Rugby School, and brother to both Tom Arnold, lit ...

, and Leo Strauss. The emphasis of the journal was on strengthening Jewish and Zionist values. It was highly critical of post-national and radical trends in academia, opposed

judicial activism Judicial activism is a judicial philosophy holding that the courts can and should go beyond the applicable law to consider broader societal implications of its decisions. It is sometimes used as an antonym of judicial restraint. The term usually ...

in the Israeli legal system,Evelyn Gordon, 'Liberalism's Endgame,'
Azure, Spring 2009 and supported

free-market In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any ot ...

reforms in the Israeli economy. The publication ceased operations with the Autumn issue, no. 46, alerting its subscribers to this fact mid-2012. According to the letter sent to its subscribers, "circumstances and resources no longer enable he magazineto continue publication."

Selected articles

Israel's Electoral Complex
by Amotz Asa-El
Barak's Rule
by Robert H. Bork
Ecclesiastes: Fleeting and Timeless
by Ethan Dor-Shav
A Right Above all Others
by Amitai Etzioni
In the Name of the Other: Reflections on the Coming Antisemitism
by Alain Finkielkraut
The Jews Right to Statehood: A Defense
by Ruth Gavison
The Way of the World
by Ofir Haivry
Judaism and the Modern State
by Yoram Hazony
Circumcision as Rebellion
by Ido Hevroni
Far Away So Close
by Yosef Yitzhak Lifshitz
Did Israel Want the Six Day War?
by Michael Oren
Globalization: Just Do It

George Steiner's Jewish Problem
by Assaf Sagiv
Redemption and the Power of Man
by Meir Soleveichik
Israel and the Palestinians: A New Strategy
by Moshe Yaalon
An Attempt to Identify the Root Cause of Antisemitism
by A.B. Yehoshua

References

External links

*
The Shalem Center
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azure 1996 establishments in Israel 2011 disestablishments in Israel Defunct magazines published in Israel Defunct political magazines English-language magazines Political magazines published in Israel Magazines established in 1996 Magazines disestablished in 2011 Mass media in Jerusalem Quarterly magazines