Israel Study Abroad: 2014
“Israel was a newcomer in the family of nations, born of trauma and upheaval, and constantly threatened with marginality. The Israelites developed a counteridentity and a counternarrative: they were different from the other nations in the region, because they enjoyed a unique relationship with their god, Yahweh.”—Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation
The nation of Israel is a historical miracle. The story of Israel is a snake path through over 3,000 years, winding through the heart of the human story. The story of Israel is really the story of us all: the underdog story. We all have felt, no matter where we are in life now, at one point or another, lost and beyond redemption. Israel’s story is a Cinderella story: it is a story filled with immense hope. I invite you, on behalf of St. Petersburg College, to travel with us in the summer of 2014 on a journey of self-discovery and challenging yet rewarding academic studies. You will learn about the country of Israel, the story of the Hebrews from their roots in ancient Mesopotamia to Egypt and back to Canaan, the Promised Land, their incredible rise to power under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, their division into two kingdoms, the role of the Hebrew prophets, the writing of the Hebrew Bible, and their interactions with the surrounding Middle-Eastern and Western civilizations amongst other topics. We will be focusing on the story of Israel in particular for our HUM 2950 and REL 2955 sections, which are for students looking to get extra college credit and who have already taken a Humanities or Religion class. We will also be looking at Israel’s story alongside the stories of other civilizations both east and west in HUM 2270 and REL 2300, which are for students who need their Humanities/Religion Gen. Ed class. Each course is 3 credit hours. There are small differences between the classes, but they all share many things in common (see the syllabi on our website: www.spcollege.edu/israel). All of these classes will contain only students travelling to Israel and the classes will all meet together. The class sizes will be very small.
My name is Michael Jahosky, and I am the lead instructor for the Israel 2014 Study Abroad Program which has also been put together with my co-lead faculty, Dr. Chuck Jones; we are both professors at St. Petersburg College Gibbs Campus in the Humanities and Fine Arts Department. I cannot stress how valuable this trip will be to you, especially since St. Petersburg College will be offering 12 students who meet our qualifications (see our syllabi) $1,500 scholarships to be put to use for this trip!
I have travelled widely throughout Europe since I was very young and have lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for 2.5 years during the 1990’s, and Dr. Jones has travelled extensively as well, so you are in excellent hands! A personal testimony for studying abroad: in 2006, I participated in a UF Study Abroad Program in Rome, Italy where I lived and studied there for 6 weeks! There, I was able to enhance my degrees in History and Humanities and discover my passion for teaching in the Humanities where I pursued a Master’s degree at the University of South Florida; I also met my best friend and wife, Sarah there, so who knows, you may even fall in love (though that shouldn’t be the only reason you apply)! You will create special friendships and memories and will enrich your resume for your career; I cannot tell you how valuable travel and study abroad experience is in today’s working world. Please take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and apply now!
Please contact me for more information:
Michael Jahosky at Jahosky.Michael@spcollege.edu or 727-341-4276 or stop by my office in HS 125 on the Gibbs Campus.