8A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 11, 2002 LOCAL/STATE Islamic, Judaic studies enjoy increased interest Lawn work By Margaret Engoren Daily Sta Reporter Middle East turmoil and Afghan cave missions seem to have increased students' interests in Islamic and Judaic studies. Enrollment figures for Islamic and Judaic studies courses have increased, and in some cases doubled, since last year. "We are excited for new students, but are also sad- dened because we felt the region was important far before recent events," said Alexander Knysh, chairman of the Near Eastern studies department and professor of Islamic studies at the University. "We are saddened by the. fact that these interests are generated by such terri- ble events." This year is not the first in which students have shown increased interest in Islamic and Judaic studies courses. "During the Iranian hostage crisis, there also occurred an increased interest in these sort of issues, but it later leveled out again," history Prof. Michael Bonner said. "I think the present interest will last because these problems are not going to go away. Even if things now begin to go well, the Middle East and North Africa are going to be very present for us for the rest of our lives," he added. In response to increased student interest, the depart- ment of Near Eastern studies created new courses and increased the number of seats in others. Introduction to Arab Culture and Language has 85 students this semes- ter; compared to 63 last Winter. Modern Middle East History has 48 students, compared to 29 last Winter. Introduction to Arab Literature and Translation had 26 students in Fall 2001, compared to 11 in Fall 2000. People of the Middle East had 73 students this Fall, compared to 65 last Fall. In addition to larger classes, the department has also created new courses and altered the content of others. "A new course on classical Persian poetry will be offered next Fall in response to increased student inter- est," Knysh said. "Also, the contents of older courses have been altered to address more recent developments in the area ... In my class, I have added two more lectures on mod- ern Islam and modern Islamic movements in different parts of the Muslim world. I address the ideological assumptions and their institutional organizations. I think my colleagues are doing the same," he added. The department of Near Eastern studies has recently approved minors for the field. "Our department now has more majors and more minors. The minor was just approved by the college so it is new to us and I think it will attract a fair amount of students," Knysh said. "I think it will be attractive to students who cannot commit themselves to a double major, yet are interested in the subject." Islamic and Judaic studies have always attracted stu- dents. "During the 1998-1999 school year, 144 BA degrees were awarded to students who had at least 15 credit hours of Middle East and North African studies, so many students come to the department and take a class or two," Bonner said. Richard Wallace, a kinesiology sophomore, is taking a Judaic studies course for the first time next Fall. "I've never taken one before, but I decided to take the history of Judaism next semester because I heard it was a good course about the topic," said Wallace. "I want to learn about my roots and earn a better under- standing of the people." 0 01 LSA sophomore afternoon. PATRICK JONES/Daily Kim Carfore reads a book in between classes on the lawn in front of the Dennison Building yesterday Trips to Israel deferred as violence in region rages 0 By Leslie Ward Daily Staff Reporter Fast Turnaround Copyright Compliant Distance Learning Sp Free Pick-up and Delivery Quality Control ecialists Over 14 Years Experience Call 741-9669 r . r C - _- As the conflicts in Israel continue to escalate, even a free trip there is becoming a hard sell. Birthright Israel, which provides free 10-day trips to Israel for young Jewish people, has been forced to make adjustments to their program in order to keep their participant numbers up. "We've taken 27,000 people in the last two years," Birthright Israel spokesman Joe Wagner said. "We want to continue with the success of the program." The U.S. State Department issued a warning last Tuesday to all Americans living in Jerusalem and urged Americans to defer travel to Israel. Dependants of diplomats have also been encouraged to return to America. "The potential for further terrorist acts remains high," the State Department's warning said. "The situation in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza remains extremely volatile with con- tinuing terrorist attacks, confrontations and clashes." Despite the current warnings, Birthright Israel is still plan- ning on continuing with its spring and summer trips. "We are monitoring the situation in Israel on a daily basis very carefully" Wagner said. "People have to realize that there are five million people in Israel getting up every day and going to work. Life is going on even in the midst of all the turmoil." Birthright Israel has stepped up its recruiting process to encourage people to make the trip by sending representa- tives to colleges nationwide and sending letters to rabbis asking them to urge members of their congregations to participate. "We realize it is a personal decision that parents and stu- dents need to make on an individual basis. If anyone decides that the situation is not safe enough, that is their choice to make," Wagner said. Last Tuesday, the University of California recalled its stu- dents studying abroad in Israel and put the fall academic pro- gram on hold. Twenty-eight of the university's students had already abandoned their studies there. "When we have students studying abroad, the top priority of (the university) is those students' safety," California spokesman Hanan Eisenman said. "We felt that the safety situ- ation would be best if students were called home." Most California students who return from Israel will enter an independent study situation in which they will be able to complete their course work from their foreign university. Eisenman emphasized that UC is only putting their Israel pro- gram on hold while safety issues continue. "We're not abandoning our program in Israel whatsoever. California felt that in this case, the escalating violence made this a prudent decision," he said. Grad A Ntes" anarbrS grdeaot.s- -Sww .radanot soCOYEN R Present The Hansen-Wessner Memorial Lecture Series " " Businessthics in Skeptical Times With James A. Baker, III Former U.S. Secretary of State Monitor Noel Tichy Professor of Organizational Behavior and Director of the Global Leadership Program Respondents C.K.Prahalad Professor of Business Administration and Professor of Corporate Strategy and International Business Bob Knowling Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Internet Access Technology < *Friday, April 12, 2002 -%=- -3:00 pm Hale Auditorium 701 Tappan Ann Arbor, MI Oil contaminates Detroit River DETROIT (AP) - More than 500 gallons of oil spilled into the Detroit River and its Rouge River tributary, the U.S. Coast Guard said yesterday. It was unclear if more than one spill occurred. Recreational boats were asked to avoid a 13-mile stretch of the lower Detroit River between the mouth of the Rouge River and Celeron Island, Lt. Cmdr. Brian Hall said. Com- mercial vessels were asked to travel slowly to disturb the oil as little as possible, he said. The Coast Guard also advised people to avoid walking on the Detroit River shore in Michigan or Ontario from the Rouge River mouth to Lake Erie, said Petty Officer Adam Wine. The oil has contaminated both U.S. and Canadian waters, Wine said. Investigators have traced oil to a storm drain on the Rouge River but do not know its source or composition, Wine said. About 1 mile of the Rouge River, which flows eastward into the Detroit River at Detroit's southern border, was closed to all ship traffic yesterday afternoon. Three commer- cial vessels were indefinitely docked, Hall said. The oil was not believed to be near municipal water intakes, Hall said. Boaters were warned to avoid the water. The spill in the Rouge River was reported Tuesday. Wine said it was a heavy petroleum product, possibly waste oil. U $10 Rush Tickets on sal the day of the performa before a weekend even Office. 50% Rush Tickets on sa 90 minutes before thee Performance Hall Box 0 e 10 am - 5 pm ance or the Friday t at the UMS Ticket le beginning event at the Office. Wayne Shorter Quartet After 40 years of touring with Art Blakey, Miles Davis, the 70s jazz-rock band Weather Report, and most recently Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter tours for the first time as the leader of an all-acoustic group. Se / /'1 H' jIJ Les Musiciens du Louvre Anne Sofie von Otter mezzo-soprano Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter joins Les Musiciens du Louvre, a French chamber orchestra U