Studying Abroad in the Holy Land

It feels surreal, sitting on the plane three hours away from Ben Gurion Airport. It’s about to be midnight, and tomorrow I will officially call myself a student of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.  The university’s name certainly has a ring to it, and a history I’m eager to learn more about…more than the little I know (how its Mt. Scopus campus was restored following the 6 Day War). The same Mt. Scopus Campus that I will call home for the next four and a half months- the city of Jerusalem! How did I become a Junior so quickly?

The time indeed has gone by quickly- my first footsteps in Israel (circa July 2010) as a young Zionist do not seem so distant- yet I find myself returning for my sixth trip.

I have five semesters of studies at Colgate under my belt, with my major and minor declared and more and more of an idea of my post-graduation self. I travel to Jerusalem this time with a sense of permanence: I will be a Jerusalemite. I will have an apartment to call my own, a refrigerator to store my own hummus! 

This flight’s mentality is quite different then the last time I headed East. It was only four weeks ago that I participated on AIPAC’s annual Advanced Advocacy trip, a seven-day intensive trip to Israel for a handful of college students. There could not have been a better pre-game to this semester abroad than the AIPAC experience. For seven days, I lived and breathed the complexities and beauties that make up the Israeli land, history, and society. I found myself disagreeing with Israeli speakers at times while agreeing with Palestinians, learning much about myself and the world around me. I am fortunate to have had a few weeks at home to recuperate, only to now return back to Israel a more learned American Jew.

(Campaign season in Israel, with Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni) 

I am more than excited for what this next chapter has in store me- from experiencing the Jewish holidays in the holy land to venturing off on hikes with new friends. I will miss all that makes Colgate great (sorry Hamilton weather- you will not be getting a postcard) and am eager to hear about my peers’ successes in the coming months. Hopefully I will find time to write blog posts here and there. And hopefully me balancing all the calls from family members to remain safe in the Middle East coupled with my desire to experience new and exciting things will translate into enjoyable postings, pictures, and postcards (if you’re lucky) for you

(Yossi Klein Halevi, author of Like Dreamers)