Ari Shavit, author of ''My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel''

Leading Israeli columnist and writer Ari Shavit, known for challenging the dogmas of both right and left, comes to us for a discussion on the making of modern Israel. As a journalist, Shavit has interviewed Shimon Peres, Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Aharon Barak, Amos Oz, David Grossman, and many other influential figures in Israel. His new book, My Promised Land, hailed by The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg as ''mesmerizing, morally serious, and vexing,'' examines the complexities and contradictions of the Israeli condition while asking a series of difficult questions that Shavit will explore with our live audience. Join Shavit as he discusses why and how Israel came to be, and the current internal and external threats the country faces.