In The Middle with Professor Elitzur Bar-Asher Siegal
About
Join us for a timely and thought-provoking evening with Professor Elitzur Bar-Asher Siegal from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem — Professor of Linguistics and Hebrew, and Director of the Middle Meets initiative.Developed in response to the Israel–Hamas conflict, Middle Meets is an innovative, student-led dialogue program bringing together Jewish and Palestinian students from universities in Israel, the US, and Europe. At a time when campus conversations are often marked by fear, polarisation, and rigid binaries, Middle Meets creates structured, facilitated spaces where complexity, listening, and genuine encounter are possible.
Professor Bar-Asher Siegal will share how the initiative works, its guiding principles, and what has emerged from these courageous conversations. Since its launch, Middle Meets has established multiple dialogue groups involving students from all Israeli research universities alongside peers from institutions such as Notre Dame, Georgetown, the University of Bonn, and universities in Madrid. The program includes virtual dialogue, in-person seminars in Europe, and international academic collaboration.
This event offers a rare insight into a hopeful, rigorous model of dialogue — by students, for students — that seeks to foster understanding, shared responsibility, and thoughtful engagement with some of the most difficult questions of our time.
There's also been a documentary about one of the Middle Meets seminars in Rome: https://www.inthemiddlefilm.com/
Due to the unclear situation with Iran, Elitzur has decided that it is too risky for him to leave Israel at the present time. Therefore, the evening will take place via Zoom (live streamed) between Israel and our Caulfield location
Date
Wednesday 11 February 2026 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (UTC+11)