MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN GO OUT IN THE MIDDAY SUN AT THE ANCIENT TEL MEGIDDO
Archaeologist and linguist Dr. David Mendelsohn meeting with Lady and Lord Allenby of Megiddo and Norma Franklyn, coordinator of the 111-member dig at ancient Tel Megiddo and right: reconnecting with colleagues Hilit Ben Zvi and Uri Barel of the International Department, Givat Haviva
After a year of living and working in Hamburg, Germany, Dr. David Mendelsohn and his family are back in town - just in time for David to take over teaching the Middle East studies component of the 5-month MASA-Givat Haviva International Department program, the Intensive Arabic Semester.
With two successful 5-month programs under their belt, the staff of the International Department and IAS was delighted to welcome David back on board the innovative program, the third group beginning their educational and cultural journey of a different kind in the middle of July, 2010.
An archaeologist, linguist and former Canadian wrestling champion, David is definitely a man of many talents, all of which much appreciated by his Givat Haviva colleagues who are looking forward to once more working with him.
With his interest in archaeology piqued, David accompanied staff member and journalist Lydia Aisenberg to ancient Tel Megiddo in the Wadi Ara area where 111 overseas academics, students and just folks who like to dig up some of the past are working in almost intolerable heat on four separate areas on site.
Lord Allenby of Megiddo was visiting with wife Lady Sara at the same time and British born dig coordinator Norma Franklyn of Tel Aviv university made the introductions between David, Lydia and Lord and Lady Allenby, patrons of the dig.
With the midday sun beating mercilessly as they stood in the center of the enormous site one couldn’t help thinking of the saying: “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.”
However on the serious side…
“Standing on a tel built upon many layers of civilization and that has witnessed at least three major battles, the earliest of which dates to the 15th century BCE and the last as recent as in the 1900s, is inspiring in its own right,” said David.
“However, being at the site with Lord Allenby is especially poignant as it was his uncle, the previous Lord Allenby, who was victorious over the Ottomans in the last battle fought here – and this is really powerful,” he added.
Over the next 5 months the Intensive Arabic Semester students will be discovering as they study the past and present with David and the rest of the teaching staff, that the State of Israel holds many a surprise for those seeking to deepen their knowledge about the region and the International Department will be doing their best to make it an unforgettable experience as they work with Jewish and Arab partners in Kibbutz Barkai, where the students live and study, and in the nearby Arab Muslim village of Kfar Kara, where the students will be undertaking work in the community.
July, 2010
