Wrighton tours Israel with Mayor Slay
By: Elizabeth Lewis
Issue date: 1/27/06
Section: News
Chancellor Wrighton (center) recently travelled to Israel with a delegation led by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay (fifth from left). Wrighton toured the country and visited study abroad students and alumni.
Chancellor Wrighton, accompanied by Mayor Francis Slay, Dean Edward Macias, and other University colleagues, recently traveled to Israel in an event hosted by the Jewish Federation. While there, they explored potential opportunities for further educational collaborations between Washington University and Israel.
"Among the institutions we visited were Technion, Hebrew University, the Interdisciplinary Center, and the Weizmann Institute of Science," said Wrighton.
Wrighton also hosted a dinner that explained the recent progress of the University for the alumni and students who were studying abroad in Israel.
Those representing Washington University in the delegation took the trip primarily because of the University's interest in expanding its international ties.
"Our University is interested in expanding its international impact in education, research, and service," said Wrighton. "We have been very active in Asia and have developed new programs such as the Executive MBA Program we offer jointly with Fudan University. Our new McDonnell International Scholars Academy has an initial focus in Asia."
Although the University has made progress in Asia, no new definite plans have been made yet concerning the University's collaboration with institutions in Israel, based on this trip.
"Our visit to Israel may lead to new opportunities for study abroad and collaborative education and research, but no decisions regarding these opportunities have been made," said Wrighton.
Although the trip did not lead to any specific plans, the delegation was successful in laying the foundation for future ties with academic institutions in Israel, according to Wrighton.
"The most important accomplishment was to have face-to-face meetings with academic leaders of key Israeli institutions and to learn directly from them about their strengths and areas of potential partnership," said Wrighton.
The University already has close ties with Israel - it has its largest study abroad program for undergraduates at Hebrew University and has a small collaborative partnership in social work there as well, explained Wrighton.
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Several students have taken trips to Israel and agree that it would be a great accomplishment to have more opportunities for collaboration with this important country. Rabbi Hershey Novack led a trip over winter break called Mayanot birthright Israel, a free trip for students who meet the eligibility requirements. Novack led four groups of students in this program.
"They had the opportunity to experience Israel in the fullest manner," said Novack. "There was jeep-riding through a swamp in Golan Heights to camel-riding in the south in the Negev Desert. We went from visiting the Western Wall to visiting Hebrew University in Jerusalem."
Justin Wohlstadter, a freshman who was in one of the groups Novack hosted, said the trip made him want to return to Israel.
"It was an amazing trip," said Wohlstadter. "The most gratifying part was to see all of the places mentioned in the Bible. [The trip] definitely gave me enough of a taste to want to go back."
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Rabbi Novack thought that the chancellor's trip to Israel was beneficial.
"It is nice to know that Washington University is seeking opportunities that benefit the University's mission as well as towards the advancement of science in this important part of the world," said Novack.
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Source: Student Life, January 27, 2006. Full article available at www.studlife.com