The Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies promotes the study of the history, culture and society of Israel as a modern Jewish and democratic state. It sponsors courses for students of all backgrounds, conducts innovative research and brings leading scholars, policymakers and artists to UCLA for public programs and performances. Originally founded in 2005 as the UCLA Israel Studies Program, the Nazarian Center was established in 2010 as the first full-fledged Israel Studies center on the West Coast and one of four in the nation that are named and endowed. Located in Los Angeles, which boasts the second-largest Jewish and Israeli communities in the United States, the Center is a premier source of scholarship and education about Israel.