The threat of instability in the Middle East will no longer deter Georgetown students from studying in Israel beginning this summer. Terrorism provoked the Office of International Programs to cancel the program in 2000 due to a Department of State travel warning to United States citizens.
Available programs will include opportunities for students to live with a family or in a dormitory. Students may spend a summer, semester or year studying at Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University or the University of Haifa.
According to Jewish Student Association President Benjamin Bixby (SFS ‘05), most classes will be taught in English. Students who have demonstrated proficiency in Hebrew will be able to enroll in classes taught in the language
This follows the direct matriculation model that applies to most of Georgetown’s study abroad programs.
Bixby and Georgetown Israel Alliance President Matt Singer (SFS ‘07) both emphasized the extent to which the Israel study abroad option will benefit the Georgetown community. Bixby said that Israeli universities are renowned for their programs in science, international affairs and Middle Eastern studies.
“Israel is an excellent place to study history and theology on-site, and it’s the only place in the Middle East where students can explore Middle Eastern Studies in a democracy-a country where they’re free to inquire and express themselves,” he said.
Bixby also said that the opportunity to study in Israel will provide further incentive for Jewish students to attend Georgetown.
“In the past, we have lost accepted Jewish prospective students to our peer universities that had already been allowing their students to study in Israel and had already been offering Jewish studies,” he said. “Georgetown just became a more exciting place to be Jewish or to study Jewish civilization.”
Singer said that students of all religious faiths have expressed interest in participating in the program.
“There is the prospect for all three monotheistic faiths to greatly benefit from time spent in Israel,” he said. “And so far, I am excited to hear the Georgetown response.”
Danielle Dray (CAS ‘07) said she plans to spend her first semester of next year in Israel where she will continue her pre-medical studies.
“Studying in Israel has been a life-long dream for me and my parents,” she said.
