Last week, a group of Smith Soc members from across the country embarked on a weeklong trek to Israel. Over the course of the trip, members unraveled how Israel became the Startup Nation—meeting with representatives from venture capital, startups, government, and the media, including the Jerusalem Post. Members toured Old City Jerusalem and met with the former chief scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Economy. The group also visited JVP, a prominent venture capital firm, and Mobileye, a leading autonomous vehicle company.

In our newsletter this summer, we shared books recommended by Brian C. Anderson, City Journal editor and host of City Journal's 10 Blocks Podcast. In an August episode with Manhattan Institute executive vice president Vanessa Mendoza, Anderson shared a list of seven books that range from Adam Smith to V.S. Naipaul.

As a project of the Manhattan Institute—a leading public policy think tank based in New York City—the Adam Smith Society is able to promote thoughtful discussion on economics, public policy, and business through our MBA and professional chapters, exclusive opportunities, and global network.

In a new video created by the Chicago Boot Review, ethicist and Chicago Booth professor John Paul Rollert examines Adam Smith's use of the "invisible hand" as both a phrase and a theme in his writing. Watch below to find out how many times Adam Smith actually included "invisible hand" across his works. 

The Adam Smith Society's second event in the Smith Soc Treks series was held from November 17-19, 2016 in Boca Raton, Florida. This Trek's focus was the historical and philosophical debate of "Capitalism vs. Socialism" and discussion was driven by our reader, What Adam Smith Knew: Moral Lessons on Capitalism from Its Greatest Champions and Fiercest Opponents.

Our chapter at the MIT Sloan School of Management welcomed two speakers to a salon dinner on November 14.

The Smith Soc chapter at the UVA Darden School of Business hosted John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Markets, on March 22nd. Mackey spoke on the concept of "Conscious Capitalism," which he has written and spoken about extensively.

The Adam Smith Society chapter at the SMU Cox School of Business held its first event last Thursday evening. After dinner and a warm introduction from Professor Bob Lawson, the Independent Institute's Dwight Lee spoke to the assembled members about Adam Smith and the Morality of Markets.

Smith Soc served as a sponsor for an Intelligence Squared US debate on campus free speech, debating the proposition "Free Speech is Threatened on Campus." The debate was held the evening of March 1st at Yale University at the Yale Repertory Theatre, in New Haven, Connecticut.