M.A. in Israel Studies (June 2017)
B.A. from Middle East University, Jordan
“For the rest of my life, I will be indebted to Hebrew University’s Rothberg International School for the opportunity it has given me. This year has been nothing short of a miracle. Who would’ve imagined the shy girl with the overprotective parents in Amman would against all odds get to spend a year in Jerusalem and earn a degree in Israel Studies. Simply said, I’m the luckiest woman on earth. In my professors, I found out that I had potential, that I could actually do something with my life, with my studies, that I should never settle for less than the very best I can achieve. I found in them caring father and mother figures.
“I am extremely satisfied with my program. I hope this doesn’t sound cheesy, but I mean it. Looking back at my statement of purpose, this program has been able to cover the points I am interested in learning about. I do appreciate the effort the professors have gone through.
“My favorite classes were of course Politics in Israel (Rahat), Arms Control in the Middle East (Barak), Israel’s Defense Policy (Barak), and Palestinians Under Occupation (Rosenfeld). These are purely personal choices. I have a strong interest in politics and security studies. These professors were able to satisfy a student hungry to learn and make sense of the subjects at hand, and were very helpful.
“Classes I’m grateful for are History of the Holocaust (Kangisser) and Religion in Israel (Engleberg). As someone who has never studied the Holocaust and had no background on Judaism, these classes to me were foundational, and essential for me for a well-rounded study of Israeli society as a whole.
“One class I was surprised I really enjoyed was Music in Israel (Sermer). I went to the first class on a whim. I took music theory back in high school. This class made me feel nostalgic. Most importantly, it was a relief to take this class. My summer classes were too politically heavy, and this class was a much-needed relief. It presented a twist on studying the rifts in Israeli society.
“Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for this year. Thank you for the great knowledge you have given me. Thank you for this unforgettable experience. Thank you for allowing a Jordanian woman to call Israel her home for a year.”
