Five years ago, sensing a strategic opportunity, the political echelon of Israel turned to the Council for Higher Education and asked it to develop a relationship with Chinese and Indian academics, with the goal of deepening ties between these countries and Israel. In response, the CHE launched a number of joint scholarships to offer places at Israeli universities for advanced research students.
Five years later, the relationship with Indian students is flourishing while that with China is not as successful as some had hoped. One of the major factors seems to be the vast cultural gap between secular China and religiously-rooted Israel. While many Chinese students are now studying at Israeli universities, they are often bewildered by life outside the lab and classroom. They lack even rudimentary knowledge about the Bible and the history of the Jewish people.
To close that cultural gap, the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, generously supported by the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation of Los Angeles, CA, has launched a week-long pilot “Introduction to Israel” program for Chinese students. While the curriculum touches on science and innovation, it is focused on providing the religious, historical, cultural and sociological background that Chinese students are often missing.
“The relationship between China and Israel is growing in importance,” says John Fishel, director of the Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation. “A decision by the Government of Israel to create scholarship for students from China to study in Israeli universities is a reflection of the increasing opportunities for long term ties.
“The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation has a long time interest in strengthening mutual understanding between Israel and the People’s Republic of China. It believes that not only having the opportunity to study in Israel but to also get to know the land and people of Israel will hopefully result in meaningful relationships over the long term for these Chinese students,” he says.
With an impressive enrollment of 42 students, The Glazer-BGU Israel Studies Seminar for Chinese Students pilot, which recently took place, is getting off to a promising start.
There is a carefully thought out progression to the curriculum explains Academic Director Dr. Aryeh Tepper. The week started by celebrating the Sabbath together, where the Biblical origins and connection to the Land of Israel and religious holidays were discussed. Rabbi Dr. Sharon Shalom spoke to them on his experiences making Aliya from Ethiopia by himself at age nine.
“Most Chinese know nothing about the Bible,” says Tepper.
Zheng Xiaoxing concurs, “Even the [Chinese] Christians do not know the Jewish Bible.” Zheng is studying in the international MBA program at Bar-Ilan University and is an Israel-Asia Leaders Fellow.
The subsequent lessons cover the modern Zionist movement in Europe, Aliya from Arab and Islamic countries, absorption of Jews in the Negev, before focusing on to the democratic side of Israel, the Declaration of Independence, scientific innovation and Israeli culture. Along the way, the students visited the Negev, Tel Aviv and wrapped up in Jerusalem on the eve of Passover.
It is clear that the students have been fascinated by the history and modern culture they have learned.
Ning is studying for his BA in civil and environmental engineering at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa explains, “I am interested in the history and culture of other peoples and it is an opportunity to travel to southern Israel,” Ning explained. He mentioned that David Ben-Gurion and Theodor Herzl’s lives and ideas had impressed him.
Lei Ye is also studying for his international MBA at Bar-Ilan. “This program has opened my mind and view to a totally strange world but very meaningful and worthwhile. Most of us would like to know more.
“It is amazing and unbelievable how the Jewish people were recalled and came together to build a new country based on religious values and to recover Hebrew,” he enthused nearby David Ben-Gurion’s Kibbutz Sede Boqer home.
“After seven months in Israel, I understand bits and pieces of the country. The Israel-Asia Leaders Fellowship offers a background about politics and business, but this is different. The focus is on religion, roots, culture and provides me with another approach to understanding Israel,” Zheng elaborated while visiting the main library in Dimona. “This is a pilot program and I am always willing to join a pilot to give feedback,” she continued. “In general, this is a very good platform to get us to talk about these issues
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