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Aliza Shenhar, president of Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel, left,
who signed a memorandum of understanding with Oakland University's presi-
LOOK WHAT THE
NEW NEIGHBOR
HAS TO OFFER.
dent, Gary Russi, poses with Russi and Oakland alumnus Robert Schostak, who
was instrumental in facilitating the agreement.
Academic from page A14
their academic colleagues.
"None of us had been there before said
C. Michelle Piskulich, associate dean of
OU's College of Arts and Sciences.
"Over and over again, each of us said
we wanted to stay longer. There was so
much to see, so much to absorb!"
None of the OU administrators is
Jewish and, with the university's Judaic
Studies program still in its earliest stages,
they were eager to gain a greater under-
standing of the Jewish experience and the
centrality of Israel.
Representing the Detroit Jewish com-
munity on the trip were Robert and
Nancy Schostak of Bloomfield Hills,
both longtime Federation volunteers
and committee chairs with experience
leading both adult and teen missions to
Israel. In addition, Robert Schostak, a
1978 OU graduate, heads the community
steering committee for the university's
Judaic Studies program and is among the
program's major financial supporters.
Schostak also was the catalyst for the
Israel trip.
"He wanted us to have the Israel expe-
rience in order for us to form a [Judaic
studies] program that was going to be
dynamic, that is going to start dialogue
between different religions and really
change the university' said Susan Davies
Goepp, OU's vice president for university
relations and executive director of the
Oakland University Foundation.
"It has changed all of us. We kept say-
ing — at least I did — this has been life
changing because we saw things through
a new lens. It was spiritual, intellectual,
political, social and fun."
Robert Schostak has been on more
than 20 Israel trips, and called this one
"by far and without exception, the most
incredibly executed and best itinerary I've
participated
The trip started with a talk by Dr. Raviv
Schwartz, a political historian, titled
"Placing Modern Israel in an Historical
and Contemporary Perspective."
"Our itinerary kind of followed that
history, "Schostak said, "with a mixture
of historical sites with modern times.
For first-timers, and even for us who've
been there dozens of times, you could not
have gotten a better understanding of the
purpose, the place, the vision, the mission
of Israel."
Leading the OU tour around Israel
was Schostak's aunt, Lee Berlman, an
experienced Israeli tour guide. She was
able to point out sites of religious inter-
est to Christians as well as Jews — and
impressed everyone with her ability to
cite chapter and verse in the Christian
bible.
The opportunity to meet students and
other Israelis was another highlight of the
trip, said Moudgil. At Ono College, they
spoke with several students of Ethiopian
descent, including Yelim, who had been
a 6-month-old with malaria when she
was airlifted to Israel through Operation
Moses.
Now 24 years old, Yelim is a law student
who speaks perfect English.
"She called herself a miracle Moudgil
said. "This speaks to a larger issue. Israel
is a place that can transform someone
who was almost dead — from a place
where there are no sewers, no running
water, no Internet — to a successful attor-
ney in one generation."
At Max Stern College, he asked Nadim,
an Israeli Arab student, how she felt being
surrounded by Jewish students.
"She said she had plenty of Jewish
friends; they treated her well, she had no
fear or any intimidation," he reported.
"People at that college had a level of
comfort we don't hear about. She couldn't
speak about what happened outside, but,
in that environment, she was comfortable;
she had Jewish friends.'
The mission of Federation's Partnership
2000 program is to connect local
people with Israel, said Amy Neistein,
Federation's associate director of Israel
and Overseas Services.
"We also want to connect the dots
between our academic institutions and
Israel;' she said. "Short of going to Israel,
you don't get it."
Said Moudgil, "This was a short trip,
but very fulfilling. I can't wait to go
back."
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1391490
May 15 • 2008
A15