Special Semester in Israel Grants for those affected by Katrina
Just as schools across the country are opening their doors to college students from the New Orleans area, so has Israel:
All students whose academic studies are on hold following the Hurricane Katrina disaster are invited to spend the semester or academic year in Israel NOW. The Jewish Agency and MASA – the Gateway to Israel Programs partnership between the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel – have created a special coalition of Israeli Universities and Hillel – the Foundation for Jewish Campus Life, to enable these students to immediately continue their studies. Five major Israeli universities have accelerated and simplified their acceptance procedures for all students in need. All Jewish students accepted into these Overseas Studies Programs are eligible for MASA scholarships. MASA is working on arranging a special grant to cover plane fare to Israel and partial tuition costs. A special immediate Hebrew Ulpan at the universities will be created, with the help of MASA. We expect credits to be transferable.
Please distribute this information to your constituents and out to the community to assist these students in their time of need. All interested students should contact Rachel Brown, Israel Programs Coordinator at 212-339-6903 or e-mail at: rachelbr //at// jazo.org.il and/or masainfo //at// masaisrael.org.
Note: There is currently no further information about this initiative available online.
[Update] Please publicize that Hebrew University in Jerusalem is offering full tuition scholarships for students affected by the hurricane. The semester begins on October 9 so there is still time to register and make travel arrangements. Interested students are asked to contact Aviva Kremer at ugrad//at//hebrewu.edu as soon as possible.
Consistently hobbyists are drawn back to Zionist hate sheets because they really honestly are the panicked exposition of the worst logic available in English. Often, other people don’t believe this, which is not too surprising because the kind of things you find are not really believable: however, this, a Jewish Jerry Falwell, ought to disgust as surely as this generous gesture by Jewish educational groups in the post reassures. The next time you see people mentioning hysteria and simply can not believe they could be describing anyone but themselves, you have this to recall. (American moron show host and possible murderer Joe Scarborough also blamed disengagement for Katrina).
man, that’s what all the frummies here were saying all shabbat long. this man is hardly unique in his assessment.
The offer on the part of these organizations is certainly generous, but the cynic in me fears that this is the perfect opportunity for those ingenious Jewish leaders who brought us Birthright to now convince unwitting Jews to adopt politically conservative (and ultimately destructive) approaches to Israel. Besides, if Jews want to go to Israel they are always welcome; why tie educational solidarity in response to Katrina to travel to and residence in the Holy Land? Especially since it would be cheaper for Hillel and perhaps more convenient for Jewish students to study at US schools such as BU or NYU for the semester, rather than halfway across the world in Israel.
there are the leaders who attempt to alleviate pain and suffering by offering aid and sustinence to those in need; and there are the naysayers who carp, critique, politicize,and catcall. who would you rather have as your leader, rudi guilliani or the mayor of no? who is more likely to lead you to safety and away from danger? its interesting to see who gets us to the future v. those who ae mired in the past.
“And to lead this nation to a responsibility era, a president himself must be responsible” (George W. Bush, Aug. 3, 2000).