For some Ohio University students, summer vacation didn’t just mean spending time with their family and catching up with old friends; instead, these students used the summer months to study abroad without having to sacrifice a semester of classes in Athens.
Six students traveled to Israel from June 18 to July 19 for a study abroad opportunity at Tel Aviv University, sponsored by Hillel and OU Education Abroad.
The idea of staying home all summer didn’t appeal to Seth Schwartz, so when Hillel’s director Rabbi Danielle Leshaw mentioned the study abroad trip, he was interested.
“I wanted to do something out of the ordinary,” said Schwartz, a sophomore studying accounting. “I was turned on to the idea of traveling to a different country.”
Being Jewish, Schwartz also felt that it was important to go to Israel at least once in his life.
“Going to Jerusalem was really big for me,” he said. “And since I have a Catholic mother, it was important to me to see the different sides of the city.”
And while Israel is best known as a destination for those with a religious connection, the spiritual call wasn’t the only one that was answered.
An interest in counter-terrorism and learning about the Middle East prompted Greg Lary’s curiosity for studying in Israel.
“(Americans) deal a lot with the Middle East, so I thought it would be beneficial to learn about the culture,” said Lary, a senior studying political science. “It’s also like going back into history.”
Studying abroad at Tel Aviv wasn’t the only option available for those who wanted to travel to Israel.
Philip Ganson, a junior studying political science, traveled to Israel through Hasbara Fellowships, the largest Israel education and activism program for North American students.
Ganson grew up in a Zionistic family and his older brother moved to Israel in 2010, both of which encouraged him to learn how to help Israel.
“The program helps you try to bring Israel to a better light in the media,” he said. “We got to see how Israel really is.”
Fifteen students also went to Ljubljana, Slovenia, for a six-week summer missionary trip with Cru.
“I figured I could do something that was a smarter investment for me,” said Tyler Bloniak, a sophomore studying exercise physiology. “I wanted to build into my faith.”
These types of trips are important to help American students see the world outside their country, Schwartz said.
“As Americans, we are so caught up in what we do, and we don’t know what’s going on in the world,” he said. “I won’t forget this summer.”
