Wooster In Israel And Palestine
Wooster In Israel And Palestine
Jerusalem
Spring 2012 and March 9 - 23, 2012
In Wooster, we will approach the Israel/Palestine conflict from the presumption that this is a conflict of two national movements, each with its own narrative, and that any resolution requires understanding that reality. In the weeks prior to our departure we will survey the history of the conflict, noting salient points and questions to bear in mind during the trip. Upon our return we will spend the remainder of the semester concentrating on issues of nationalism and identity and their role in the conflict; details of the current dimensions of the conflict, whatever those are in Spring 2012; and proposals for resolving the conflict.
In Israel and Palestine, the study trip has been arranged to complement our course by the Interreligious Coordinating Committee in Israel. The portion of the itinerary in Palestine is organized by the International Center of Bethlehem. A scholar-in-residence from the ICCI or the ICB will accompany us at all times. We will also learn from outside experts and from meetings with local individuals and groups. The various sites we visit will provide the avenues to deepen our understanding of the issues.
Academics
HIST 228: Wooster in Israel and Palestine - Histories in Conflict
This course offers a unique opportunity to merge classroom discussion with in-country experience in Israel and Palestine. The course surveys the history of the conflict in the light of the core difficulty - that the parties involved understand the conflict through widely divergent narratives of how history is constructed. The spring break trip to Israel and Palestine, an integral part of the course, introduces students first-hand to the complexity of the conflict through site visits, meetings with individuals and groups, and guest lectures.
Itinerary
(The itinerary is subject to change)
Part I: On-Campus Seminar
Students must enroll in the Spring 2012 seminar class in order to participate in the off-campus experience. This seminar will meet twice a week. The class will include required readings, class discussion, lectures, films and videos, and other appropriate resources.
Part II: Off-Campus Experience
Day 1 - Friday 3/9
We will fly from Cleveland to Tel Aviv as a group.
Day 2 - Saturday 3/10
Arrive, Ben Gurion International airport. Orientation. Overnight: Tel Aviv/Jaffa
Day 3 - Sunday 3/11
Two Tales in One City: Two Narrative Tour of Jaffa, Independence Hall, Tel Aviv. Guest lecture: Introduction to the many conflicts and their interrelationship. Overnight: Tel Aviv/Jaffa
Day 4 - Monday 3/12
Giv'at Haviva Seminar on Palestinian citizens of Israel and tour of the "Triangle". Unit on Jewish-Arab relations (in Haifa, Acco or Galilee). Overnight: North
Day 5 - Tuesday 3/13
Bir'am or other destroyed Arab village. Guest lecture: Life under missile fire, Qiryat Shemonah. Golan Heights. Overnight: North
Day 6 - Wednesday 3/14
Safed - traditional Jewish communities of the Land of Israel. Rosh Pina - the first Aliya. Kinneret - the Kibbutz and the second Aliya. Overnight: North
Day 7 - Thursday 3/15
Christian holy site (eg Capernaum). Jordan River (ecology unit). Ascend to Jerusalem via West Bank/Samaria. Visit Ma'aleh Adumim (settler speaker). Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 8 - Friday 3/16
The City of David and Silwan. Ophel excavations and Western Wall. Guest lecture: The Haram a-Sherif as a jewel of Palestinian heritage. Sheikh Jarrah (if relevant). Sabbath worship at synagogue. Home hospitality with Jewish families (dinner). Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 9 - Saturday 3/17
Free morning. Early Muslim neighborhoods outside the walled city. Jewish Jerusalem in the 19th and 20th centuries. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 10 - Sunday 3/18
Temple Mount/Haram a-Sherif. Christian worship. Via Dolorosa and Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 11 - Monday 3/19
Wadi Fukhin hike with Friends of the Earth - Middle East. Bethlehem. Overnight: home hospitality in Bethlehem
Day 12 - Tuesday 3/20
Jerusalem: East and West. The separation barrier. Coexistence school (Yad B'Yad School). Meet with Jerusalem Interreligious Young Adult Council. Dinner with Jerusalem Interreligious Young Adult Council. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 13 - Wednesday 3/21
Yad Vashem: The Holocaust and Israeli society. Mt. Herzl: Shrine of Israel's civil religion and Jewish peoplehood. Final dinner. Overnight: Jerusalem
Day 14 - Thursday 3/22
IDF or Foreign Ministry presentation. Concluding Jerusalem walk. Travel to airport for evening departure.
Day 15 - Friday 3/23
Arrive in Ohio
Part III: On-Campus Seminar
We will meet for the balance of the semester to integrate our time in Israel and Palestine into our learning. The course continues to meet twice a week.
Application Procedures
Participation in Wooster in Israel and Palestine is by application only. Please use your Novell password to log into the application form. We regret that this class is not open to first year students.
The deadline for applications is Friday September 30, 2011, at 4 pm.
Interviews will take place on a rolling basis, so once you have submitted your application you will be contacted to arrange an interview time.
Students will be notified of their acceptance into the program by Monday, October 10, 2011.
Once you have been accepted into the program you will need to submit the following additional documents:
All applicants must enroll in HIST 228: Israel/Palestine - Histories in Conflict in spring 2012. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 at the time of application, and must be in good social standing. Pre-requisites: none. Counts towards the major/minor in History, International Relations and Religious Studies. One and one-quarter credits.
Fees and Billing
The total cost for the Wooster in Israel and Palestine trip will be approximately $4,000 (subject to change). This fee includes, round trip airfare, bus between campus and the airport, mandatory insurance, all lodging and transportation in-country, all fees for site visits and guest lecturers, and two meals per day. (Meals on your own are a chance to explore the area, and local dining is quite inexpensive.) Financial assistance may be available. A $500 non-refundable deposit will be due on October 28, 2011 (Oct 21, for the class of 2012), to hold your space.
Please note: Wooster in Israel & Palestine is located in a very volatile part of the world. To maintain the safety of everyone in the program, the College of Wooster will evaluate the political situation in the area just prior to departure. We reserve the right to cancel the off-campus portion of the class if the region is deemed too unstable for safe travel. In this instance, we will attempt to refund as much of the program fee as possible, but applicants should be aware that the $500 deposit, due on Oct 28 (or Oct 21 for seniors) will not be refunded.
Security
We take your security very seriously. You will be as safe on this trip as you would be on any other college trip. Hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world visit this area every year. Our itinerary avoids all areas where tensions are high. Walking in Jerusalem is safe as long as you use the same common sense as you would in any unfamiliar city.
Contact Information
Please contact Dr. Joan Friedman (History/Religious Studies) or the Office of Off Campus Studies for more information.