As part of their education and training to be Modern Orthodox leaders of the future, Straus Scholars are encouraged to take summer jobs, internships, and fellowships that allow them to build on their Straus Center studies. Many Scholars spent this past summer participating in programs where they study aspects of public policy and philosophy relevant to their academic and personal interests. We continue to highlight Scholars who have taken advantage of such programming this summer, many of whom have produced novel and important research and analysis in areas of particular concern to American Jews. In this installment (written before the recent war in Israel), we spoke with Yaakov Willner (YC ‘25), who spent his summer in multiple DC-based think tanks. After just one year of study with the Straus Center, Willner decided he wanted to take a deep dive into the theory and practice of foreign policy, criminal justice, and more. Along the way, Willner encountered and learned from some of the most influential and well-known political and military leaders around. One major takeaway: Observant Jews have much to contribute to major ongoing debates about our biggest geopolitical and legal questions.
Tell us about your summer program in the nation’s capital.
This summer I participated in the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Summer Honors Program and was a summer fellow at Hudson Institute Political Studies. After a year of studying religion, philosophy, and politics through the Straus Center, I wanted to build on my education by spending some time in Washington, DC.
What got you interested in these programs in particular?
I was interested in these programs because I have a general interest in foreign policy and national security, and thought that these academic programs would help be a stepping stone for work in those areas. I knew that AEI and Hudson host some of the top foreign policy scholars in the world, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to learn from them directly.
What did you like most about each program?
AEI was a great experience because I learned more about the Middle Eas t and how America should approach it from its own national security interests. Acting in America’s interests does not mean being isolationist or non-interventionist, but it doesn’t mean trying to take over the world either. It was also interesting for me specifically because I learned about countries in the Middle East I hadn’t thought about much before and what those countries’ economies, cultures, and geopolitical interests mean for Israeli security. During the last day of the AEI program, I had the unbelievable opportunity to hear from a Supreme Court justice, Justice Clarence Thomas. He spoke of his philosophical leanings when it comes to the law which prompted my thinking more seriously about how to possibly combine law and national security. Hudson’s program was much longer -- an amazing six weeks -- which allowed me to get to know the other fellows and many of the experts that work and study foreign policy at Hudson. These are the current and future leaders in American foreign policy, and I got to pick their brains, learn from them, and maybe even influence their thinking a little by asking questions.
Were there any scholars whose classes stood out to you?
I really did enjoy every course I took, and learned from each of my teachers. But specifically, I really enjoyed studying criminal justice with John Walters, who is the President of Hudson, as well as learning about the Iranian threat with Michael Doran, who leads the Center for Middle East at Hudson. We got to run policy workshop simulations where we modeled, for example, a National Security Council meeting. Experts like Doran would watch and comment, bringing our attention to the concerns that might actually come up when policymakers try to formulate a position on an issue. That was an eye-opening experience because it showed just how hard it is to make foreign policy decisions. There are so many moving pieces and competing concerns, and there are very few easy choices. We also heard from an amazing series of distinguished speakers who taught the fellows about different areas in the world of public policy and public life more broadly. Two of the speakers who stood out to me were General Jack Keane and Senator Tom Cotton. General Keane’s unparalleled analysis of threats facing America – especially major geopolitical ones such as Russia and China – demonstrated to me just how much of an expert one has to be to understand the complex issues which America must deal with to protect itself and free people around the world. Senator Cotton spoke about the military and how his time there shaped him as the person who he is today, which was inspiring because it showed how much sacrifice regular people make in service of their fellow citizens. I want to thank the Straus Center for helping me with these amazing opportunities. The time I spent learning from and with policy scholars and my peers in DC really reinforced the idea that Torah Jews have a unique perspective to offer the broader world and how a Torah perspective can have an impact on policy making in Washington.
