Dr. Rachel Fish

Bio

Dr. Rachel Fish is a scholar of modern Israel, Zionist thought, and antisemitism whose research and teaching examine the intersection of Jewish history and contemporary Jewish life. She is the incoming CEO of the Israel Institute, which enhances knowledge about Israel by ensuring university students in the United States and globally have access to substantive, academically rigorous scholarship about Israel. 

Fish serves as Director of Brandeis University’s President’s Initiative on Antisemitism and is Associate Research Professor at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University. She also taught Israeli history and society as Visiting Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at The George Washington University.
Dr. Fish’s scholarship explores the historical development of Zionism, Israeli society, and the evolving manifestations of contemporary antisemitism in educational and civic spaces. 
 
Her doctoral dissertation, Configurations of Bi-nationalism: The Transformation of Bi-nationalism in Palestine and Israel, 1920s–Present, examines competing visions for political sovereignty and statehood in Mandatory Palestine and the modern State of Israel. 
 
She has taught at Brandeis University, Harvard University, and The George Washington University, has published in academic journals and major media outlets, and is co-editor of Essential Israel: Essays for the 21st Century.


In addition to her academic appointments, Dr. Fish was co-founder and president of Boundless. Her work bridges scholarship and practice, translating academic research into applied learning, educational frameworks, institutional strategy, and public policy.

Previously, Dr. Fish served as Executive Director of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis University, where she helped develop the next generation of scholars in the field of Israel Studies.


Widely recognized as a leading public scholar, Dr. Fish advises universities, foundations, policymakers, and Jewish communal organizations on issues related to Israel Studies, Israel education, contemporary antisemitism, and the intersection in higher education. Her work is distinguished by its commitment to rigorous scholarship and its application to some of the most pressing challenges facing educational institutions today. 

Contact Rachel Fish