The application for the Jerusalem Summer Program 2010 has closed.  Applicants please check back as more details are posted about the program.

Location

Notre Dame's Jerusalem Summer Program is located at the Ecumenical Institute for Theological Studies at Tantur, on a hilltop on the road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. From almost every point on the Tantur Ridge there is a magnificent view of beautiful and historic sights. Close by, to the south, are the church spires of Bethlehem and the Muslim minarets of other Arab villages. To the north spreads the great city of Jerusalem, its Old City walls only a 10-minute drive away. To the east a jumble of hills falls off into the Jordan Valley. On a clear day, it is possible to see below them the Dead Sea and, beyond that, the mountains of Moab in present-day Jordan. In the other direction, a superhighway leads to the coastal plain, Tel Aviv, Jaffa and the

Ben-Gurion International Airport, barely an hour's drive from the Institute. The Institute has residential wings to accommodate both mid-career scholars and graduate and undergraduate students, up to a total of about 100 people. There is a library that contains close to 50,000 volumes and receives several hundred periodicals. The collections are strongest in theology, church history and related fields, but there are also useful holdings that deal with the social, cultural and political conditions of the region. Other facilities include a lecture hall, seminar rooms, a dining room, a chapel, and common rooms.

Program of Study

The Jerusalem Summer Program will take place from mid-May to early July, 2010.  Since the Program is small (approximately 10 to 15 students), all students will earn the same six credit hours.  Examples of courses to be offered include:  Middle Eastern History, Religion & Culture; International Relations and the Arab/Israel Conflict; and Holy Land Geography and Archaeology.  The Program will also include introductory language instruction in Hebrew and Arabic.  As part of the academic program, students may visit the Galilee, Haifa, Jericho, Beer-Sheba, Acre, and various archaeological and religious sites in Israel and the West Bank, accompanied by the Faculty Director and On-Site Director. 

Leadership for 2010 is still being confirmed. Plans will be similar to the 2009 program.  In 2009, Professor Patrick Gaffney, CSC, Associate Professor of Anthropology, served as Faculty Director for the Program, and as the primary professor for the courses offered.  Courses may also include lectures by professors from Israeli and Palestinian universities. On-Site Director, Stephen Steinbeiser, JD , supervised the Notre Dame Jerusalem Summer Program and provided for the particular needs of undergraduates, as well as acted as liaison between the University of Notre Dame and Tantur Ecumenical Institute.  Katherine Hennessey Steinbeiser, PhD, served as the On-Site Student Services Coordinator.  Students will live in apartments and participate in most meals at Tantur.  The Faculty Director and On-Site Director will also be in residence for the duration of the Program.

Eligibility for the Program

The program in Jerusalem is open to qualified students of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College. (Due to the limited size of the program, preference will be given to qualified Notre Dame students.)   Students should have sophomore standing or above, with a recommended GPA of at least a 2.75 on the 4.0 scale.  Students must demonstrate adaptability to new situations, desire and proper motivation for international residence and study, and be free of serious moral or social problems.  Participants will be chosen by a selection committee for the Office of International Studies, which will include the Jerusalem Summer Program Faculty Director.  Decisions will be based on a series of essays, academic and rector references, and personal interviews.  Due to the limited size of the program, preference will be given to Notre Dame students.   Applications are due November 15, 2009.  Go to: http://www.nd.edu/~ois/Apply/Apply.html to begin your application.

Safety and Security

The safety of the JSP students, faculty, and staff is the greatest priority for the Office of International Studies.  The United States State Department issued a travel warning regarding Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.  The University of Notre Dame made the decision to suspend its Jerusalem Semester Program in 2000 due to escalating violence at the beginning of the Second Intifada.  However, by Summer 2009, the political situation had changed significantly in Jerusalem, and the Program put in place measures to address security issues designed to minimize risk and maximum opportunities for student learning.  In Summer 2009, the program ran successfully without security difficulties. The University of Notre Dame will continue to monitor the situation on the ground and suspend the program if conditions warrant such a decision.

Students will arrive and depart Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv together.  After proper introduction and orientation, students may be allowed to travel throughout Jerusalem and Bethlehem independently, dependent on daily security information.  All other excursions will require supervision by Program staff.  Travel to Gaza will be be prohibited.

Additional Information

There is much more we can tell you — about this location, vibrant religious, cultural and recreational life of this community ... about the student housing, transportation, health care and much, much more. It is, after all, the details that make this program so appealing. Interested? Just click here for additional information or contact Liz Murdock LaFortune, at 574-631-7251.

PHOTOS FROM SUMMER 2009