Amit Paz received his MA in National Security, Counter-Terrorism and Cyber Security from the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (re-named Reichman University) and his BA in International Relations and Political Science from Tufts University in 2011. Throughout his time at Tufts, Amit engaged with the Institute for Global Leadership primarily through his membership in the New Initiative for Middle East Peace (NIMEP), where he participated in annual research trips to the region and contributed to the group’s annual publication, Insights. In 2009, Amit was part of a student research group to visit Israel / Palestine, where he conducted research on the development of Israeli settlements and their effect on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process over the years. In 2011, Amit co-led the first-ever American student research group to Iraqi Kurdistan, where he conducted research into the Kurdish oil & gas industry and its impact on relations between the autonomous Kurdish government and the central Iraqi government in Baghdad. After graduating, Amit served as a Teaching Assistant at Tufts' Department of Political Science and continued his affiliation with the IGL, working as a Teaching Assistant for the 2012 EPIIC Colloquium: Conflict in the 21st Century and helping organize the 2014 EPIIC Symposium: The Future of the Middle East and North Africa.
Later, Amit worked as a strategy consultant for Baker Tilly, where he led a valuation project related to aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Today, Amit works in Corporate Development at Verbit, an AI-powered transcription and captioning company, as part of its M&A group.
I remembered Amit as one of the most engaging and challenging of my students. Perpetually intellectually curious, an avid reader, and unfailingly thoughtful, I always looked forward to our conversations. As a teaching assistant, Amit was assiduous and caring, and I never remember a student challenging his evaluation or assigned grades. When I myself questioned him about an opinion or attitude, he usually won me over. There is no doubt that his presence enhanced the colloquium, and subsequent symposium. He was a critical member of NIMEP. His research met a very high standard. His editorial contributions were highly valued by his peers, and I was loathe to loose him, as inevitably students must graduate. I was fortunate that he stayed an extra year, perhaps two if I remember correctly, as he loved intellectual life at Tufts. I might have been his student at Herzilya if our paths had met in a different set of circumstances, as I was once offered a lectureship and associate deanship position in Israel by a good friend and colleague from the Hebrew University, Ehud Sprinzak, who sadly passed far too early. However, I was able to use Ehud’s insights on the origins of Jewish fundamentalist radicalism in my instruction, and he illumened the way I sought to help create and advise NIMEP. Ehud and I had a special bond, as I was his fencing instructor.
I had the pleasure of welcoming Amit to my home, and he once again proved himself to be a wonderful mentor, offering potential research opportunities for my Wellesley students years later. I remember vividly our conversations over Israel’s future. We both intensely share a passion for strengthening Israel’s democracy. Amit wondered whether he ought to return to Israel, which I surely encouraged, and we smiled at the possibility of Amit’s dream of opening a cafe and bookstore on Dizengoff street in Tel Aviv.
I had the pleasure of renewing with Amit, in the midst of Israels massive mobilization of civil society. He once again was insightful and passionate, a citizen any democratic country would value.
We believe Amit is pictured on the Western flank of St Topez’s Marina, and not the West Bank of Palestine :)