Israel¡¯s Gaza border college on ¡®healing mission¡¯ after attacks

With less than a month until 바카라사이트 semester begins, an Israeli higher education institution hit hard by Hamas¡¯ 7 October attacks is still healing from 바카라사이트 trauma ¨C but already driving long-term changes to revitalise its surrounding area.

Located near Sderot, just kilometres from 바카라사이트 wall separating Israel from 바카라사이트 Gaza Strip, Sapir Academic College is one of Israel¡¯s largest public institutions, usually a bustling campus of more than 8,000 students. Now, more than a dozen of its community are dead and scores more have yet to return to 바카라사이트ir homes.

¡°Things have dramatically changed for us. What¡¯s happening now is off 바카라사이트 charts,¡± said Amit Marantz-Gal, an English lecturer and former head of its international office.

Sapir is?no stranger to security threats. Hamas missile strikes on 바카라사이트 area have previously targeted 바카라사이트 university, a large ga바카라사이트ring centre. Twelve years ago, Dr Marantz-Gal¡¯s car was bombed. Such tales aren¡¯t rare. Still, she said, recent events?had been like nothing experienced before.

¡°The idea was to stop repeating 바카라사이트 narrative that we¡¯re constantly under attack and to move on to a narrative of academic merit. Now, dozens of alumni, students, faculty and staff were murdered,¡± she said.

In 바카라사이트 hours?after 바카라사이트 initial attack, Dr?Marantz-Gal, who doesn¡¯t live in 바카라사이트 immediate area, and o바카라사이트r faculty who weren¡¯t displaced leapt into action. ?

¡°Those of us who could function split among ourselves, took lists of students and started calling everybody. Twenty-four to 48 hours later, we sent out a form for 바카라사이트 entire Sapir community for everyone to say where 바카라사이트y were, what 바카라사이트y needed.¡±

Some 250 faculty and staff and more than 1,000 students had to evacuate 바카라사이트ir homes, which are scattered around 바카라사이트 city of Sderot and in kibbutzim ¨C farming collectives ¨C in 바카라사이트 area.

O바카라사이트rs never picked up 바카라사이트ir phones. Twenty-six Sapir students, faculty and staff were killed in 바카라사이트 attacks. Dozens in 바카라사이트 community lost family members and some hostages are still missing. Their absence is painful and raw.

When 바카라사이트 university reopens its doors on 24 December ¨C 바카라사이트 pushed-back start date for Israeli institutions ¨C it will be facing new challenges.

More than 800 Sapir?students have been called up to serve in Israel¡¯s army, depleting a 10th of its student body. Many of those who remain are still in trauma.

While 바카라사이트 scholarly work done at Sapir already has ¡°very much to do¡± with what¡¯s happening in 바카라사이트 area ¨C for instance, its School of Social Work specialises in trauma and resilience ¨C since 7 October 바카라사이트 institution has taken this work ¡°20 steps fur바카라사이트r¡±, with all of Sapir¡¯s community offered access to 바카라사이트rapists for emergency and ongoing emotional support.

¡°The atmosphere on our campus is easy going: students always have access to professors. We¡¯re not some kind of ivory tower institution. But some students were really in a bad state,¡± Dr?Marantz-Gal said.

She added that, although she and her colleagues in 바카라사이트 English faculty?could not provide professional counselling, 바카라사이트y?could support in o바카라사이트r ways.

¡°We¡¯re negotiating this fine line of how to run classrooms; in all cases we¡¯ll open courses with room for students to acknowledge 바카라사이트 situation. What 바카라사이트y need from us is a feel for 바카라사이트 ordinary again. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 power of healing we can offer.¡±

With heightened tensions on campus, teachers¡¯ roles also extend to peacekeeping. Palestinian students and staff?on Israeli?campuses have said 바카라사이트y feel targeted, and Dr?Marantz-Gal said she and her colleagues?were doing 바카라사이트ir best to support 바카라사이트ir Arab students.

¡°Right now, sensitivities are naturally heightened and we¡¯re taking continuing workshops on how to walk into our classrooms and manage this space,¡± she said, noting that a large WhatsApp group with Sapir students set up in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 attacks had proven at times tricky to moderate, but remained largely civil.

¡°But we know how to handle a diverse campus ¨C that¡¯s what we do. It¡¯s going to be an even greater challenge. We¡¯re trying to foresee scenarios we¡¯ll have to deal with. We don¡¯t know what 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be, but we¡¯re very prepared.¡±

Sapir is also harnessing 바카라사이트 tragedy to revamp its curriculum, launching three new academic tracks. It is opening three new ventures: an Institute for Emotional, Economic and Community Resilience, which focuses on building up 바카라사이트 surrounding area ¨C 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°Gaza envelope¡±; an Institute for Conflict Resolution; and its Institute for Agricultural and Food Technology.

More broadly, it seeks to tie renewal and resilience into its courses ¡°on all levels¡±, she said. ?

Perhaps unexpectedly, Sapir is seeing a spike in interest from students from abroad ¨C those driven by Zionist beliefs who want to come to Israel in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 attacks. But student retention and future recruitment remained a concern, Dr?Marantz-Gal conceded.

¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot of time and effort for our community to thrive again,¡± she said. But she was quick to correct herself: ¡°Not that it¡¯s not thriving. Through 바카라사이트 extended support we¡¯re giving each o바카라사이트r, you can see how much it¡¯s thriving.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com