New Summer Institute in Israel to Create Cross

Cultural Dialogue

Contact: Alicia Post • Program Coordinator • Faculty Fellowship Summer Institute in Israel • 646-459-3796 • info@FF2Israel.org 

June 16, 2008 -- New York, NY -- More than 20 scholars from universities around the world are leaving today for The Faculty Fellowship Summer Institute in Israel, a competitive academic fellowship for university and college faculty members.

Sponsored by  Media Watch International along with Jewish National Fund (JNF) and Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, the two-week program seeks to link scholars from diverse disciplines with their Israeli counterparts at major institutions. The participants -- who come from the U.S., Italy, Korea, Great Britain, and Canada -- will also meet with professionals involved in government, industry, education, media and other sectors to understand the many facets of Israel’s evolving national and international policies. The participants will gain a deeper awareness of the many challenges faced by the country and the creativity, spirit and ingenuity that Israelis bring to tackling these issues.

The program will highlight several key categories:       

• Academic Exchange, Networking and Collaboration
• History
• Society
• Economy
• Politics, Diplomacy and the Media
• Culture
• Science and Technology
• Law, Democracy, and Human Rights

“This is not a mission to Israel,” said program coordinator Alicia Post. “Rather it is an opportunity for participants to be hosted by peer academics on their campuses in Israel. They will meet with other distinguished faculty from leading Israeli institutions to participate in a cross-cultural dialogue on professional and intellectual issues of, or related to, their specific respective disciplines. What distinguishes this program is the expectation that participants will leave the fellowship with a true sense of how academic life exists in a region that is so often the subject of academic debate. Fellows will have the opportunity to propose and discuss with Israeli counterparts the development of independent and collaborative research in their disciplines. The program provides its participants with the opportunity to prepare and present their work to Israeli students and faculty and walk away with a better understanding of Israeli perspectives.”

For information, please contact Alicia Post at info@FF2Israel.org or 646- 459-3796 or visit http://www.ff2israel.org/.

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JEWISH NATIONAL FUND (JNF) began in 1901 as a dream and vision to reestablish a homeland in Israel for Jewish people everywhere. Jews the world over collected coins in iconic JNF Blue Boxes, purchasing land and planting trees until ultimately, their dream of a Jewish homeland was a reality. JNF gives all generations of Jews a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people.

JNF embodies both heart and action; our work is varied in scope but singular in benefit. We strive to bring an enhanced quality of life to all of Israel’s residents, and translate these advancements to the world beyond. JNF is greening the desert with millions of trees, building thousands of parks, creating new communities and cities for generations of Israelis to call home, bolstering Israel’s water supply, helping develop innovative arid-agriculture techniques, and educating both young and old about the founding and importance of Israel and Zionism.

JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and United Nations NGO, which continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers.

For more information on JNF, call 888-JNF-0099 or visit www.jnf.org.