by Tamara Lawson Schuster, Consortium Director
Our Partnership’s Academic Delegation to Youngstown, Indianapolis, and Des Moines: Greetings from Youngstown, OH, where we’re at the end of the second full day (Tuesday) of the Western Galilee College (WGC) Academic Delegation. The first day was spent just across the Ohio border at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA, a day rich with greetings from old friends —they’ve been connected to the WGC since 2012, having brought academics and students to the WGC and to Partnership programs with the WGC in Budapest. Meetings, lectures, and a campus tour brought the delegation face to face with administrators, students, and faculty, all of whom were eager to learn updates from Israel, about the WGC academics’ areas of study and the college's approach to a shared society (Arabs & Jews) student body, and began talks to plan for future connections between the two schools. Day two brought the delegation to the Youngstown Jewish Federation campus for a presentation to Jewish community professionals and lay leaders and a tour of their active campus (the preschool, the day school, the art gallery, etc.). In the afternoon, we headed to Youngstown State University where Professor Nissim Ben-David (WGC President) and Mr. Yossi Segal (WGC Board Chair) presented to a political science class on the US Presidency where the questions posed by the professor were "Why is the American presidential election of importance to Israel?" and "What do Israelis see as the implications of our decision?" The students' questions following the presentation were thoughtful and impressive. One student was especially moved and stayed after class to express her appreciation for opening her eyes to the real story of what's going on with the Israel-Gaza war. The evening found the delegation back at the Youngstown JFED campus where their Jewish Film Festival was hosting a showing of Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre. Professor Ben-David and Mr. Segal were asked to open the showing by telling their personal stories of October 7 followed by Q & A with the audience. Tomorrow (Wednesday) we have an early start as we make our way to Indianapolis.
The delegation continued the journey last Wednesday, making our way to Indianapolis where the itinerary was filled with college/university and Jewish community meetings, presentations, and classroom visits. The first stop was Purdue Hillel for a panel and meet and greet with students and community members of West Lafayette, IN. The next day started with a ‘brunch and learn’ with JFED and Jewish community professionals and donors where the core discussion was around Dr. Chen Ryder’s presentation of the growing PTSD challenges in the Western Galilee due to the ongoing war, and the planned PTSD center at the Western Galilee College. Next was a trip to Bloomington IN and Indiana University where the delegation was invited to speak to Professor Gunther Jikeli’s class, “Israel on Social Media: Perceptions, Misperceptions and Controversies.” Additionally, Dr. Jikeli convened a meeting with 25+ IU ‘Faculty and Staff for Israel’ where opportunities to collaborate between IU professors/programs and the WGC were discussed. The evening concluded in conversation with students, staff, and board members at IU Hillel.
Early Friday morning, Shiri Erlich and I visited Hasten Hebrew Academy, a community day school that participates in Twinning with WG schools, and we were given a tour of their student-designed and -led Holocaust Museum, wow! The unique Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library was the venue for a moderated lunch discussion with an audience of local professors and Jewish community leaders, followed by an unplanned stop at the Indiana Statehouse with P2G leader and Indianapolis resident, Michelle Korin, which led to a serendipitous guided tour for the delegation. Concluding the busy week, the delegation was treated to a relaxing and delicious Shabbat dinner at the home of Indianapolis JFED president Helen Goldstein and her spouse Asaf Goldstein.
After a much-needed unprogrammed Shabbat, the delegation made the drive to the final stop on the trip, Des Moines IA. The delegation was met by their hosts at the Iowa Holocaust Memorial on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol. The one full day in Iowa was rich with meetings and presentations. At Drake University, the delegation was welcomed by Annique Kiel, Executive Director of Global Engagement, who laid out the steps to explore school-to-school partnerships, and Terrance Pendleton, Associate Provost, Campus Equity and Inclusion. Next was a meeting on campus with Iowa State Representative and former U.S. Congressman David Young, who serves as the inaugural Practitioner in Residence at the Ron and Jane Olson Institute for Public Democracy at Drake. A 50’s style diner was the venue for lunch with Drake Hillel students. The afternoon found the delegation in Ames, IA at Iowa State University to give a public panel, “Challenges & Opportunities of a Shared Society College” followed by a reception, both facilitated by Dr. Christina Gish Hill, an ISU professor and member of the Des Moines Jewish community. The final events of the delegation's whirlwind visit were a tour of Caspe Terrace, the Des Moines JFED campus, including the Iowa Jewish History Museum, followed by dinner and a panel presentation with 30+ Jewish community leaders in attendance.
If you’ve made it this far reading the trip journal, you know that the nine days were long and full, the learning deep, and the connections made were many. We look forward to hearing from our friends at Western Galilee College of the initiatives and partnerships they develop with the six colleges and universities visited in our Partnership cities during their U.S. travels.
A huge todah rabah/thank you to the Youngstown, Indianapolis, and Des Moines Federations and their point people for this delegation, Melissa Bateman, Ashley Flaumenhaft, and Benjamin Brodkey, respectively. The itineraries they put together in cooperation with Shiri Erlich, P2G WG Academia Committee Coordinator, and the warm hospitality they shared opened many doors to future opportunities for the Western Galilee College and our Partnership.
Interested in Academia Committee engagement opportunities?
Contact Shiri ShiriE@jafi.org
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