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Ya'ari is associate editor of the Jerusalem Report and author of several books on the Middle East, including "Israel's Lebanon War" and "Intifada," both of which he co-authored with Ze'ev Schiff.

He won the Israeli Broadcasting Award for his coverage of the Persian Gulf War, the Sokolov Prize for his coverage of the Lebanon War and the award of the Israeli Press Editors-in-Chief for coverage of the peace process with Egypt.

Known for his in-depth knowledge of Middle East issues, Ya'ari has interviewed President Clinton, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Israel's political leaders.

Ya'ari has covered the Middle East since 1968 when he served as assistant coordinator for the Israel Defense Ministry in the Occupied Territories.

Sprinzak is a leading expert on Israeli domestic politics, religious extremism and terrorism. A professor of political science at Hebrew University, he received a doctorate from Yale University, and taught at Georgetown University and at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.

His book, "The Ascendance of Israel's Radical Right," won Israel's 1992 Michael Landau Prize for the best political science book on Israel and the Middle East.

Sprinzak is a popular radio and TV commentator in Israel, the United States and Europe, and has contributed pieces to the New York Times and the Washington Post.

At 10 a.m. Jan. 27, Sprinzak will discuss "From Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu: 50 Years of Jewish Politics" at Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.

Sprinzak will present a second lecture that day on "The Politics of Religious Extremism in the Middle East" at 7 p.m. at Scott's Restaurant, 1333 N. California Blvd., Walnut Creek.

The daytime program, which includes lunch, also will feature a musical salute to Israel at 1 p.m. at Temple Isaiah, with mezzo-soprano Sylvie Braitman, who performs French cabaret music, klezmer and Yiddish song traditions.

A grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay is sponsoring the two Israeli speakers.

The Contra Costa Kallah (Hebrew for "a large assembly of students") is a creative collaboration of the many synagogues and Jewish organizations serving Central Contra Costa County.

Said Contra Costa Kallah chair Martha Ann Wishnev, "While many of the `Israel at 50' events will be festive in nature and celebrate 50 years of Israeli accomplishments, the Kallah will look at some of the very pressing challenges still facing the Jewish state."

Advance registration is $18 for the Jan. 27 daytime program, which includes lunch, and $10 for the evening lecture; the Feb. 25 lecture is $5.

Admission at the door is $25 for the Jan. 27 daytime program; $15 for the evening lecture and $7 for the Feb. 25 lecture.

For information, call Riva Gambert at the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay, (510) 839-2900, ext. 253.