Dr. David Mendelsohn (on the right) with friends from Montreal
Howard Chackowicz and Isa Tousignant at the Mei Ami
vantage point overlooking the city of Umm-el-Fahm.
Visiting a friend working at Givat Haviva proved to be the right thing at the right time for linguistics expert Dr. David Mendelsohn who hails from Montreal.
Not only did that visit turn out to be a very interesting and thought provoking day for David but also for the staff of the International Department. Within a short time David was caught in the net of challenges set forth when dealing with Givat Haviva’s basket of educational programs for groups from abroad dealing with Jewish-Arab relations and other subjects.
So, we welcome Dr. Mendelsohn to the International Department at Givat Haviva and wish him and his family the best of success in their settling down in Israel.
Just about to complete a 3-year academic project for the Trudeau Foundation, David was offered a number of academic posts but the former Canadian wrestling champion and coach (who also has two masters degrees under his belt) was tempted to team up with the International Department at Givat Haviva instead.
David has already put his head down behind an International Department desk and working hard to market the new and innovative MASA to the EAST program for the study of Arabic and general Middle East studies due to start in January 2009 at Givat Haviva.
Holding a Ph.D. Classics/Linquistics from Concordia University, an M.A. Archaeology/Linguistics and Honours B.A. in Classical Studies also from Concordia University, Dr. David Mendelsohn speaks English, French, German, Hebrew, Arabic and wait for it – Mohican!
Howard, Isa and David inspect the Peace Pole on campus at Givat Haviva
(good place to practice one’s Mohican David)!
Presently visiting family in North America and also paying calls at universities where there may be an interest in the MASA to the EAST program, a full interview with Dr. Mendelsohn is on the cards for the International Departments spot on the web in the near future.
Prior to traveling abroad, David welcomed to of his closest friends from back home in Montreal who were visiting Israel. Naturally he brought them to Givat Haviva a few times and we now there are 2 more folks in Montreal who know a great deal more about Givat Haviva. It was a pleasure to take the couple around our campus and the immediate region where we are situated, Wadi Ara, Dotan Valley, Amir Mountain range and the northern most part of the West Bank and talk to locals.
David’s friends - Howard Chackowicz and his wife Isa Tousignant - are both involved in the world of art – Howard a cartoonist and Isa the Arts and Culture Editor of the magazine ‘Hour.’
The couple was very impressed by the Arts Center and Peace Gallery at Givat Haviva and spent some time looking around and meeting staff members Etti Amram, the director of the center, and accomplished ceramicist and art teacher Avner Zinger.
Isa Tousignant, Arts and Culture Editor of ‘Hour’ magazine in Canada chatting with
Givat Haviva Arts Center ceramicist and teacher Avner Zinger
Upon their return to Montreal Howard and Isa emailed the following comments:
HOWARD: “Seeing Givat Haviva campus and getting to meet some of the great people working there made for a very special trip to Israel.
The International Department staff provided a special tour that allowed us to see parts of Israel that visitors, even Israelis, don’t normally see. This kind of exposure and contact is exactly what’s needed to promote understanding and peace, not only in the Middle East, but globally.”
ISA commented “that though floating in the Dead Sea is a hard experience to top, no trip to Israel is complete without a comprehensive tour like the one we were given by Givat Haviva. We visited Arab villages as well as Jewish settlements, crossed the Green Line and interviewed people on both sides of the security fence, all of which provided us with an enriching experience – not to mention a measured viewpoint on this beautiful country’s complex makeup.”
April, 2008
By: Lydia Aisenberg
