Shalom! Seniors in Dr. Tuvia Book’s elective visited the Israeli Consulate in Midtown Manhattan earlier this week.

Students heard from Jackie Retig, Director of Academic Affairs, Galit Peleg, Consul for Public Diplomacy, and Shimon Mercer-Wood, Consul for Media Affairs. They spoke about their respective areas of focus: Israel advocacy and engagement on college campuses, changing Israel’s reputation in the eyes of the world and the relationship Israel has with Western media. Hannah Loffman ‘16 said, “After listening to Shimon, I have a newfound appreciation for the power of the media and the way ideas can be communicated to the masses.”

Yossi Giller ‘16 said, “Each session was very informative, and I feel like a lot of things we learned will come in handy during next year, when many of us will be studying and living in Israel.”

Students also enjoyed delicious Israeli snacks in between thought-provoking sessions.

“This trip gave context to the things we’re learning about in Dr. Book’s class in a real-world setting,” said Liana Chesir ‘16.