The fourth annual Marx conference devoted to “Left Perspectives on the International Crisis of Capitalism” took place in Tel Aviv on May 16 and 17, 2010, under the auspices of Hagada Ha’smalit (Left Bank) Alternative Cultural Center. In addition to 25 panelists, approximately three hundred people participated in the meetings and discussion.
Summaries of lectures were published in the Hebrew website, Hagada Ha’smalit. A video film on the conference was produced by “Social TV” collective and an audio version of the part of the proceedings appeared on the website of the Alternative Information Center.
The next edition of the Marx conference will be held in Tel-Aviv (Saturday, May 28 at Hagada Has’malit, Ahad Ha’am 70), Haifa (Wednesday, May 25 at Emil Touma Institute, Lochamei Ha’Guetaot 27) and Beer-Sheva (Monday, May 23 at Multaka-Mifgash, Shlomo Hamelech 7)) with the participation of MK Dov Khenin, former MK Tamar Gozansky, former MK Issam Makhoul, Prof. Moshe Zukerman, Joshua Simon, Dr. Ofer Cassif, Dr. Efraim Davidi, Ranin Nicola, Uri Weltmann, Noah Levy, Saffa Abdo, Att. Yossi Wolfson, Daniel Rosenberg, Lior Kay Avishai, Eyal Rosenberg, Asher Levy and others.
It is not every day that a sizable group of academicians and activists meet to develop a dialog, to debate and to cooperate in furthering their common aim of maintaining and developing the intellectual and political status of Marxism in Israel.
Among the subjects to be discus: the never ended capitalist crisis, the popular revolutions in the Middle East and class strategies, the danger of fascism in Israel. An also: workers’ struggles in Israel, the Israeli Economy and a session devoted to Marxism and socialism in our times. The large participation of many young people and students is noteworthy as their special interest in the practical side of labor struggles, especially the movement for the establishment of worker committees as part of a new drive for unionization.
The agenda is far too ambitious for the framework. Despite these difficulties, there is a sense that the annual Marx conference is becoming a valuable asset to the work of the left in Israel. The organizers have received addition requests for the analysis of different subjects, and there are additional people in academia who can be part of the future Marx annual conferences.
The work of the forum is based on a group of activists from academia and the Left Bank College. Hagada Hasmalit (Left Bank) is an alternative cultural space which has been active for a decade in Tel Aviv and is supported the Communist Party of Israel and Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality). The Left Bank also maintains the leading Hebrew language site of the militant left in Israel.
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