School and Organization Visits

Israel-Palestine 101

Frank works closely with organizational, administrative and student leaders to craft high-impact presentations and workshops on Southwest Asia (the Middle East) and North Africa.

Frank has most recently offered variations of an interactive presentation, “Israel/Palestine 101,” a program designed to educate beginning learners about the modern complexity of this land. His starting assumptions are that (a) both Israelis and Palestinians are culturally-rich, authentic national communities that hold legitimate claims to the land, (b) the conflict between them is modern and solvable, and (c) grand theories about the conflict are often not what they seem. Frank speaks not as pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian, but as “pro-solution.”

Frank’s focuses on the Israelis and Palestinians themselves. He infuses historical “snapshots” with moments of poetry and conversation. Frank recommends how best to support those directly affected by the Hamas attack and current war, and he introduces on-the-ground activists in Israel and Palestine who are developing the path to a shared, peaceful, and prosperous future. He also offers resources that community members can use immediately to extend their learning.

Current and Past Clients:

• Phillips Academy Andover, Andover, MA
• Lick-Wilmerding High School, San Francisco, CA
• Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
• The Taft School, Watertown, CT
• Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
• Dana Hall School, Wellesley, MA
• The Nueva School, San Mateo, CA

Israel-Palestine 201

For those who are confident that their community has a grounding in basic knowledge about Israel-Palestine, Frank offers advanced presentations. These presentations can also function as workshops in which participants engage in source-related activities to build multiple perspectives. Examples include:

Israel-Palestine in Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA)

How does Israel-Palestine “map onto” the setting of the Middle East? How and why does it matter for regional inhabitants who are neither Israeli nor Palestinian? What about the political elite of other SWANA countries and key non-state actors? To what extent are major international actors influencing regional beliefs and actions?

Israel-Palestine in the United States

How does Israel-Palestine connect with the cultures, communities, and campuses of the United States? Who supports whom, and why? How have beliefs and actions evolved over time? Why has this issue, of all the crises around the globe, held such salience since the October 7 attack and the ensuing war? Why is American discourse different from that in SWANA or in Israel-Palestine itself?

Consulting

Frank consults with educators, administrators, and board members about initiatives and questions pertaining to Southwest Asia (the Middle East) and North Africa in their schools.