From Our International Mailbag - May 2009
By International Department
June 10, 2009
According to many of the emails we receive in the International Department, it seems that for many people the Givat Haviva component during their visit to Israel leaves a deep impression.
From their comments, many of the oversee visitors are grateful to have had the opportunity to visit a campus encouraging dialogue between Arab and Jewish Israeli citizens; offering the possibility for them to also meet and speak not only with the dedicated educators involved in the educational projects, but also with 'the people on the street' when out and about on the International Department's popular tours of the region.
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Joe David, a student from the United States, spent half a day with some other 30 North American students on a short study trip to Israel. They visited Givat Haviva on a particularly hot day, with almost no visibility when out on tour.
Joe emailed the following: "I learned a great deal in a few short hours. The lecturer put across so much material in 90 minutes, and I came out with my head burning. I didn't feel it was an hour and half though – it just flew by. She spoke about different periods of history from the Arab perspective, gave facts and figures I'd never heard before. She told about her personal encounters – emphasized there is no black and white in all of this. I guess that's what I was looking for.
"The tour to the village that was divided by the Green Line (Barta'a) was such an eye opener about so many different topics, Arab Israelis, Palestinians – security issues – so much. Thank you for making me want to know more, and realizing just how little I knew before. -Joe David".
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A Las Vegas synagogue congregation with their Rabbi, Felipe Goodman, made a tour of the Amir Mountain range, Katzir and Barta'a village while on a visit to our area.
Group member and Las Vegas attorney, Carol Zucker emailed the following: "I was on Rabbi Goodman's tour a couple of weeks ago, and I would very much enjoy reading the articles you mentioned whilst you showed us the intricacies of the 'narrow waistline' of Israel. You provided us with some interesting insight, even for those of us who have been to Israel many times. -Thanks, Carol."
The articles are on their way through cyberspace.
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Professor Zohar Raviv is Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at Oberlin College, Ohio, and recently accompanied a group of folks who are members of The Institute of Jewish Knowledge and Learning (Florida) to Israel.
Professor Raviv, who is no stranger to Givat Haviva, having brought a number of groups in the past, wrote to us:
"It was an expected pleasure to see everybody again, and, obviously, to see you at work! I hope that our relationship continues to deepen in time and affect positive change on as many people as possible.
"The Institute of Jewish Knowledge and Learning members visited Givat Haviva in April for a full day seminar led by Lydia Aisenberg. The seminar and the field trip not only opened their eyes to the complexity of the Arab-Israeli reality, but also assisted in their appreciation of mutual tolerance and the need to understand different narratives of Israel.
"Lydia lead the group through serious questions and managed to contextualize issues that otherwise remain perplexing for people who rely on the media alone.
"This was an essential part of the trip's success, as well as a motivation to study further and teach others. -Blessings, Zohar."
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Lisa Bork is one of the team making up the German organization Yad Achat, a group of young professionals who have taken upon themselves to be involved in anti-racism education and also to bring Germans and Israelis to a meeting point, both in Israel and Germany.
Lisa and three of her colleagues recently paid a visit to Givat Haviva in order to see what goes on and to meet with folks involved with the projects.
They also heard about the program offered by the International Department and participated in a lengthy tour of Wadi Ara, the Dotan Valley and Barta'a to see if suitable for some groups they plan to bring to Israel in the near future.
In her email Lisa states: "Thanks for the great guided tour. We all felt very sorry that we did not plan more time for this, but we know better for the next time! We hope to see you in Israel when we come with our next group. -Yours, Lisa."
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So, just a few interesting emails – now we must answer them.
L'hitraot,