The ban to study abroad in Israel was lifted last week after a Division of International Programs Abroad meeting.

The ban, set after security warnings by the U.S. Department of State, was lifted due to a more secure Israel and the interest from Syracuse University students, said Daisy Fried, DIPA’s director of summer programs.

DIPA plans to begin actively enrolling students to study abroad in Israel for the fall 2006 semester, Fried said.

‘I think this decision to reestablish ties with Israel will definitely benefit students here for years to come,’ said Carly Mangel, a junior international relations major.

During the spring, Mangel and Harris Sokoloff, a junior engineering and computer science major, presented a proposal to Jon Booth, deputy director of DIPA, to reinstate its study abroad program in Israel.

Before meeting with him, DIPA never considered reinstating the program.

‘After a long wait, the proposal went through the necessary people, including the vice chancellor and then to the chancellor, who finally gave her approval,’ Mangel said.

What separates Israel from other study abroad programs is its varied topography, Fried said.

‘Israel is long and narrow, with different climates in different areas,’ she said. ‘From the lush, green valleys of Galilee to the dry desert of Beersheva, Israel has a lot to offer.’

Once the enrollment process begins, SU will try contacting the schools it dealt with previously, Fried said.

‘Initially, DIPA will reconnect with the universities where we sent students in the past: Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Ben Gurion University in Beersheva,’ she said.

At Tel Aviv University, students will encounter a more contemporary culture, reside with a mostly Jewish population and have more opportunities to speak Hebrew, said Julie Cooper, a political science professor.

‘Tel Aviv is also a more secular city than Jerusalem and not as diverse,’ Cooper said.

Hebrew University is located in a more religious city with more Americans, and everyone speaks English, Cooper said.

Although it’s not as big of a risk to live in Israel anymore, Ken Frieden, professor of Judaic studies, said studying at Hebrew University is the least safe of the three locations.

‘The school is located on Mount Scopus in East Jerusalem, the part of the city that Palestinians claim rights to,’ he said.

Some students said they would not let fear deter them from studying abroad in Israel.

‘As far as safety goes, not once did I feel unsafe in Israel,’ said Mangel, who traveled to Israel in 2004. ‘I’m a strong believer in living life to the fullest. Living in fear certainly does not get you anywhere.’

At Ben Gurion University, students may feel isolated, because the school is located in the Beersheva Desert, Frieden said.

‘In my opinion, Ben Gurion University is not the best choice, unless you’re into desert life,’ Frieden said.

Israel would benefit students of many majors, including archaeology, art history, political science and literature, he said.

‘The country is also multicultural, blending Ethiopians, North Africans, Ukrainians and the Polish,’ Frieden said.

Mangel said she is grateful the university brought the study abroad program back to Israel, although she will not have the opportunity to go.

‘If I didn’t have only a year and a half left here at SU, I would definitely go abroad to Israel through DIPA, now that the program is reinstated,’ she said.

Published on October 20, 2005 at 12:00 pm