Dudu Amitai, director of Yad Yaari at Givat Haviva discussing the unique collection of Arabic language newspapers recently digitized with the help of UNESCO funding with Intensive Arabic Semester students

 

Even after a few hours of walking around the Givat Haviva campus, Intensive Arabic Semester students still did not get to see a great deal of what can be found in the various departments, exhibition halls and archives of the 1949 founded institute in Wadi Ara.

Although the IAS program is under the joint auspices of MASA and Givat Haviva, students are based in the nearby Hashomer Hatzair kibbutz of Barkai where they reside and attend classes in spoken Arabic, Arab history, Middle Eastern studies, Israel studies in the context of Arab relations, Hebrew and much more.

During the recent visit to the campus students learned about the story of Haviva Reik – after whom the campus is named – whilst sitting around the memorial unveiled in her honor in November, 2009 – the 65^th anniversary since her death.  They also visited the Art Center and Peace Gallery, viewed the Peace Tree project of 2003 on the main lawn as well as the Peace Pole situated between the old and new buildings of the Peace Library, and were taken around one of the main exhibitions of Moreshet, The Mordechai Anielewicz Holocaust Study and Research Center situated on campus.

 

Some of the Intensive Arabic Semester students with program director Hilit Ben-Zvi (back row right) and Uri Barel (back row left) logistics and financial director - at the memorial to Haviva Reik in Givat Haviva and at

THE GIVAT HAVIVA ART CENTER AND PEACE GALLERY

 

  

 

Students view the ‘Drishat Shalom’ postcard exhibition and center, Yaacov Guterman designed postcard for peace and right: exhibition of art work of a local artist from Harish who paints areas of the local forest under threat of being uprooted in order to build homes for ultra-orthodox families slated to live in the area.  The students met with Art Center director Etti Amram and teachers assistant Mitzi Alper, the latter a member of Kibbutz Barkai – the home away from home for the IAS students.

 

 

IAS students view a ceramics class of Givat Haviva Art Center and Peace Gallery in full swing and below:

Visiting one of the Moreshet Center’s exhibition halls with guide Noam

 

 

 

Continued under article headed:  MOSHE FLINKER: JEWISH TEEN HOLOCAUST VICTIM WHO STUDIED ARABIC

 

Text & photos: Lydia Aisenberg