Ever want to spend the summer in a desert? If so, you're in luck, because beginning in the summer of 2001, Dartmouth students will likely be able to participate in the brand new Arabic and Hebrew Language Study Abroad Plus program to Israel.
The program, sponsored by the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Literatures, will take place at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Organizers, who have been working on the project for more than a year, noted the fact that most other language departments at Dartmouth already have off-campus study programs in place as well as the importance of such programs in improving a student's language skills as reasons for creating the Jerusalem program.
Until now, both the Hebrew and Arabic programs have been prevented from instituting off-campus programs by their small size. The combined LSA+ will most likely be about the size of a normal, single department program, accommodating around 15 students.
However, planning for the program is currently on hold pending budgetary approval from the College.
Hebrew professor Lewis Glinert said, "We're in a position where the deans have not yet given us the financial go ahead. Until that happens, we can't sign everything on the dotted line with Jerusalem."
Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Humanities Barry Scherr said such approval is not yet entirely certain and depends on finding funding, either through a budgetary increase or using funding normally designated for another program.
Students participating in the LSA+ will receive credit for Arabic or Hebrew 22 and 23 for classes taken at the local university, as well as AMELL 11.
Taught by the Dartmouth faculty member on the program, AMELL 11 will be called "Jerusalem: Vision and Reality," and will examine the city's role in Jewish, Arabic and Western culture, according to Glinert.
In addition students will be encouraged to go beyond their class work and take part in some of the educational opportunities provided by the location, which Glinert called a "cultural gold mine."
Like other summer term off-campus programs, the new study program will satisfy the summer residence requirement for those students eligible for the program having completed Hebrew or Arabic 3 with a grade of B- or better.
President of Dartmouth Hillel Nicki Leiser '02 expressed excitement about the creation of an off-campus program for students of Arabic and Hebrew and said that she personally was hoping to go.
"I think it's wonderful that Dartmouth is finally offering a program to Israel," she said. "I think it's important that we have a Dartmouth program that will give students a chance to study Hebrew and Arabic."
Professor of Arabic Hussein Kadhim, the faculty member in charge of the Arabic portion of the program, could not be reached for comment.
