The Trustees of Columbia University approved the transformation of the Center for Israel and Jewish Studies into the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies, effective as of July 1, 2005.

Building on over seven decades of leadership in these vital fields, the expansion represents a significant step forward. The new institute strengthens Columbia's ability to foster scholarship on Israel and Jewish studies at the highest level; to enliven and enrich the discourse in these fields, both within the classroom and in other campus settings; and to provide a national and an international forum for some of the most pressing issues of the day.