 "Photo: John Gilchrist")
Pausing from his duties as the UT System's top official, Chancellor Mark Yudof managed a much smaller audience Monday night, sharing stories of his experiences on a recent trip to Israel.
His trip entailed encouraging universities to strengthen ties with the country through educational relationships.
Yudof visited Israel last July with a group of 10 other university presidents and chancellors as a part of the University Presidents Seminar, organized by the American Jewish Committee's Project Interchange. He spoke at the Texas Hillel Topfer Center for Jewish Life to about 15 community members on Monday.
Yudof said the idea of this program was to sensitize American university leaders who had never been to Israel to issues involving the two nations. During its trip, the group visited prominent universities, met with Palestinian, Bedouin and Israeli leaders and visited historical sites throughout the country.
"I think it blew them away that Israel was a very safe and stable country. They were surprised that we were not surrounded by soldiers everywhere we went," Yudof said.
A longtime supporter of Israel, Yudof stressed the importance of maintaining strong academic relations with the country.
"Academics can keep a dialogue going even when governments can't get along," he said.
In light of this trip, Yudof said he hopes students will have more opportunities to study abroad in Israel.
"Study abroad is extremely important. It doesn't matter where students study. It is important for them to learn that everyone doesn't look like you do, doesn't think like you and doesn't act like you do," Yudof said.
Israel is on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's travel warning list of unstable regions due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many American universities are thus apprehensive toward approving trips, Yudof said.
Students also stressed the importance of building strong academic ties to Israel.
"Israel has an incredibly high concentration of those in higher education and produces much research, literature and technology that benefits us as students directly," said Dexter Weiss, political chairman of Texans for Israel, a student organization that provides a venue for students who want to expand their understanding of Israel.
Texans for Israel said they thought the chancellor's trip was very important for UT.
"It is important for leaders, such as the chancellor, to go to Israel as a way to say 'it is OK to support the country and to encourage dialogue about the conflict in the area,'" said English junior Frankie Shulkin.
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