Program Details

Summer 2010, I will be participating in two study abroad programs through Michigan State University's Office of Study Abroad.  The programs run back-to-back and are led by Jewish Studies faculty I have known for a while.
I will start with a two-week exploration of natural resource sustainability and development, traveling throughout the country.  I'll then settle down at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem for two courses, one on Israeli Politics and Society and the other on the Emergence of the Modern Jewish State.
Over the summer, I'll be exploring interfaith peace work going on in Jerusalem.  I'll look at what kind of work groups are doing and what kind of people are involved.  This research will be used to help inform my capstone paper for the Peace and Justice Studies Specialization, written in conjunction with the Anthropology Capstone Course I'll be taking at Michigan State this fall.
The summer promises to be an exciting one!


A few details about my study abroad programs, taken from their descriptions on the MSU Office of Study Abroad website:


For the Green Israel Program:
What's this program about?
This study abroad program is designed to take advantage of experiential/service learning opportunities in Israel focused on sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
Students in this program will spend about two weeks learning about nature, culture and environmental sustainability in Israel. Specifically, students will learn about environmental policy, natural resource management, and more broadly examine the intersection of culture, politics and the environment in the Israeli context.
The program incorporates study/work with Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Tel-Hai College and Keren Kayemet LeIsrael-the Jewish National Fund in the Upper Galilee, and possibly in the Negev.
MSU students will learn about ancient and modern Israel and have hands on experiences including research assistance on reforestation projects, water quality projects, biological surveys, and ecotourism at Lake Hula Reserve.

Where will I live?
Students will be housed at guest houses of Tel-Hai College (approximately seven days), a kibbutz near Jerusalem (6 days). The program might also include a short stay (2 days) at guest houses near Be’er Sheva where the program concludes.
After meeting in Jerusalem on the first day, the program begins. After the Jerusalem portion of the program, the group will travel together on a charter bus from Jerusalem, to and around the Upper Galilee, and finally to the Negev. Students can take a train or sherut (group van) from Beer Sheva to the airport or make other plans at the conclusion of the program. Students are also encouraged to continue their study in Israel through the MSU Jewish Studies study abroad program in Jerusalem, which will begin shortly after the conclusion of the Green Israel program.


For the Hebrew University Coursework:
What's this program about?
MSU’s Jewish Studies Summer Program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem offers students the opportunity to earn eight credits in the arts and humanities or social sciences while living and studying in Jerusalem. The program is designed for students interested in learning first-hand about the history, politics, society, and culture of Israel. Students at other colleges and universities are also welcome to apply through MSU for credits to be transferred to their home institutions.


What can I study?
There are two required four-credit courses, the first a lecture course including other participants in the Rothberg School’s Israel Studies Institute, while the second is limited to members of the MSU program and consists of a seminar with study tours.
The Emergence of the Modern State of Israel (David Mendelsson)
The course will survey ideological, political and social developments in the Jewish community in Palestine (Yishuv), from the beginnings of political Zionism to the contemporary State of Israel. Topics include the evolution of the Zionist idea; the notion of the New Jew, political developments during the Yishuv period; the struggle for the State; social, ethnic and religious schisms; the evolution of the Arab-Israel conflict, the peace process and the intifada. The influence of these issues on Israeli collective identity will be examined. Meets M, T, W, Th mornings; also S half- or full-day excursions. (Counts as IAH 211D Area Studies and Multicultural Civilizations: The Middle East—Focus on Israel, or as MC 290: The Making of Modern Israel.)
Israeli Politics and Society (Yael Aronoff)
This course focuses on Israeli politics, political cultures, and society and investigates the relationship between society and social and ethnic cleavages, culture and politics, political institutions and parties, and democracy and the Jewish nature of the state. We will also be assessing the influence of these on Israel’s foreign policy. The course aims to give students an understanding of the historic political and cultural transformations Israel has undergone. We will take advantage of our location by meeting with representatives of different Israeli social movements and hearing from Israeli academics, as well as visiting the Israeli Knesset, High Court, and Think Tanks. We will also be visiting a variety of places of historical, cultural, and political significance throughout the country. Students will participate in seminar discussions and write research papers in preparation for our simulation of mock Israeli elections. Meets M, T, W, Th afternoons. (Counts as ISS 330B: Asia: Social Science Perspectives {pending approval}, or MC 391: Special Topics—Israeli Society and Culture)
Extracurricular activities
While the academic demands of the Program are rigorous, activities outside the classroom are also an integral part of the study abroad experience and the courses themselves will include considerable on-site learning. The Hebrew University campus is a short taxi ride from the heart of Jerusalem. Students will have opportunities to meet other students from around the world as well as from Israel at Rothberg lectures, events, and activities. Students are strongly encouraged to make use of free time on weekends to travel around the country.