Cover Story
Special
Occasion?
But What's Normal?
Israers universities are quiet, in contrast to
violence across the country.
Kathryn Dianos
Come view the
Spring Collection now
at Scott Gregory.
DON COHEN
Special to the Jewish News
T
lectures given in their larger courses
and offers special tutoring at no extra
cost to students. In addition, because
students have less time between school
and the military to earn an income,
there are scholarships for students who
serve more than 30 days.
pings are so normal in Israel,
jokes Yitzhak Apeloig, presi-
dent of the Technion-Israel
Institute of Technology in Haifa, that
his university staff went on strike
postponing the start of the school year
Normal, But ...
by a month.
In general, life in Haifa also is nor-
But adapting to the ongoing terror-
mal.
•
ism is more difficult than adapting to
"Events are not cancelled, though
the strikes that often paralyze the pub-
there are less people in the malls,
lic sector. Israeli resilience certainly
comes in handy.
Apeloig says. "The effect on Haifa is
smaller than other major
"It's a serious situation,
but life is like normal,"
cities because the reduction
says Apeloig, who was in
in tourism affects us less"
because most tourist
Detroit last week to meet
groups don't visit the city.
with the local Technion
Israel's economic problems
Society and other sup-
have affected the city's bur-
porters.
geoning high-tech industry
The sharp divisions
across the political spec-
more than the violence.
A chemist by training,
trum, and between Arabs
and Jews, have not affect-
Apeloig observes that his
professional colleagues
ed university life, as was
feared, he said. •
who have been to Israel
previously have not
"The campus and the
Yitzhak Ap eloig
.dormitories are very quiet
changed their travel plans,
but those who have never
- at Technion, and there
been to Israel have can-
haven't been serious prob-
celled trips.
lems at any Israeli univer-
Apeloig appreciates the
sity," Apeloig says.
support of the American
Campus security, which is
government for Israel's efforts to stop
always tight with all visitors passing
the violence, and recognizes the
through checkpoints, is about the
importance of American Jewish politi-
same.
cal activity,. But he doesn't hesitate to
But events have affected students
say what's most needed from
and faculty deeply, he says. For exam-
American Jews
"Come see us.
ple, a faculty member was the father
"It is very important we don't have
of one of the six soldiers killed at a
a feeling of being left alone," he says
roadblock the previous week. An
and notes with pride that 40 foreign
administrator has been assigned to
members of the Technion board
deal with such tragedies that touch
attended a recent meeting.
campus.
"Everyone is involved on a daily
Special programs also have been
basis, but if you didn't hear the news
instituted to deal with the longer
you wouldn't notice any dramatic
terms of mlluim, the yearly military
service that each Israeli maintains after changes," Apeloig says.
But when he learns of an attack in
they finish full-time army service.
Jerusalem, he reaches for a phone to
Known as "Israel's MIT" for its
check on his daughter who lives
advanced technological training,
there.
Technion has a large number of male
"Everybody reaches for their cell
military officers as students. They
phones and the system goes down for
have to serve terms that now are often
a while. There is one hour of big wor-
more than a month, and they no
ries before you find out everything is
longer can be deferred to the summer.
OK." ❑
In response, Technion now films
"
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