Reflections on My Time at Hebrew University
By Shauna Brail, Toronto
In 1990-1991, I spent the year studying at Hebrew University. It wasn’t actually my first choice as I had wanted to go to Australia. However, because the school year there runs on a different calendar than ours, it was not feasible. Upon reflection, the decision to study at Hebrew U was clearly the right one.
I often say that my one year at Hebrew University influenced my commitment to Judaism more than the many years I spent in Jewish day school in Toronto. It was a truly transformative year, characterized by the start of lifelong friendships, a new appreciation of family after living so far away, a unique learning experience and an opportunity to spend an extended period living in Jerusalem.
While at Hebrew U, I took a course with Canadian economist Professor Harvey Lithwick, who had moved to Israel. For a course assignment, I interviewed the mayor of Netanya, which at the time was a much sleepier place than it is today. I recall being very excited by this opportunity. It was this course, and Harvey’s passion for cities, that helped solidify my decision to pursue a Master’s in urban planning following my undergraduate degree.
Nearly 30 years later, I have returned to Israel many times with my husband and our family. In 2016, I brought a group of University of Toronto students for a study tour organized with the help of Hebrew University’s Professor Emily Silverman and the Urban Clinic. My year at Hebrew University was neither my first nor last trip to Israel. However, it was and continues to be a year that powerfully shapes my view of the role that Israel and Jerusalem play in the world, and my commitment to continued support for a place I love.
- Shauna Brail, PhD, is Associate Professor and Director of the Urban Studies Program, and Associate Director, Partnerships and Outreach, School of Cities at the University of Toronto