NatCon Sparks Debate: Avital Levi on Nationalism, Liberalism, and Israel

What did the NatCon conference in Jerusalem reveal about the future of nationalism, liberalism, and the relationship between Israel and the West?

In this episode of *Conversations That Matter*, Jon Harris speaks with Dr. Avital Levi, director of educational programs at the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem, about her presentation at the National Conservatism Conference and the controversies surrounding the event.

Dr. Levi explains why liberal individualism struggles to sustain social cohesion, why nations need shared histories and traditions, and how the biblical account of nationhood offers an alternative to both radical individualism and political universalism. The conversation explores the relationship between family, nation, religion, and political order, as well as the influence of liberal ideas on Israeli society.

Jon and Dr. Levi also discuss the debate surrounding Israel's relationship with the United States, the controversy over public figures such as Tucker Carlson, accusations of antisemitism, and the importance of evaluating international alliances in light of both moral principles and national interests.

Finally, they consider the future of Christian influence in the West and why the recovery of a shared Christian inheritance matters for the political and cultural health of Western nations.

**Topics include:**

- The NatCon conference in Jerusalem

- Liberalism and the social contract

- National identity, family, and shared traditions

- Biblical nationhood and the Tower of Babel

- Israel, nationalism, and immigration

- Tucker Carlson and the debate over antisemitism