Egypt-Israel experience challenges, inspires students

It all started in December 2007 when Dr. Tal Shehata, an Egyptian with more than 30 years experience in international education, approached Dr. Edy Kaufman, an Israeli Senior Researcher at the University's Center for International Development and Conflict Management. Shehata's proposal was to create a study abroad program that would allow students to visit both Egypt and Israel in order to experience first-hand the cultural and religious barriers that exist in the Middle East, and discuss how to break them.

Led by an Egyptian and an Israeli, the trip would be the first of its kind.

"It was a challenge I was ready to meet," Kaufman said. "I don't know of any other program in the U.S. that is putting together Israel and Egypt, dealing with the same issues."

Not long after the two international conflict experts joined forces, the trip became a reality for 12 students. Starting on May 28, the participants spent 10 days in Egypt and 10 days in Israel as they participated in a program titled "Intercultural Communications and Religious Conflicts." The study abroad session also served as a three-credit government and politics course.

The travelers spent the first half of their journey in Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt, where they explored numerous religious and historic points of significance, including a synagogue in Cairo.

"The idea to put them in a lecture hall is not very appealing to me," Kaufman said. "This kind of learning can't be done with the best professor here in College Park."

Experiential education was at the heart of the program, and though the students attended lectures in the morning, they spent their afternoons and nights out wandering the unfamiliar city streets and viewing historical icons that most people only see in books and on television.

During their stay in Egypt, Kaufman asked the students to write about cultural differences they observed between Egyptians and Americans. When the group moved on to Israel, Kaufman expected the participants to delve deeper into the subject, this time examining why the cultures differed so greatly.

"It was a wonderful laboratory for us to deal with the conflicts," Kaufman said.

"Cross-cultural dialog is the only way that anyone is going to get rid of their misconceived perceptions of the other side," said program participant Jennifer Young, a senior history major who studies conflict resolution.

While the travelers toured Israel, they stayed at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies and spent time visiting holy sites for Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

"I can't stress how much I loved Jerusalem," Young said. "I was really impressed by the diversity. It really is a city that belongs to the whole world."

Luli Amde, a junior mathematics and economics major, originally signed up for the trip because she wanted to visit Egypt, but was surprised by what Israel had to offer.

"I had no idea what it was going to be like," she said. "I didn't expect Israel to be as modernized as it was."

Of course, the unexpected is to be expected while traveling abroad, and Kaufman said the group dealt with their share of unforeseen circumstances.

"We anticipated issues and we dealt with it well," he said. "If the situation was problematic, our students dealt with it very creatively and with a lot of solidarity."

Now that Kaufman and Shehata have led their first group of students through Egypt and Israel, they are planning on opening up next summer's trip to 18 students. However, Kaufman said that the number of participants will always be capped off at a select number, so that the tight-knit group will be able to make the most out of their time abroad.

"This kind of experience stays forever," Kaufman said. "They live it everyday.