Twelve American university students have arrived from Egypt to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, joining the growing modern-day exodus from Egypt to Israel. Five other students fled to Haifa University last week for a safe haven from Egyptian riots.
The new arrivals are from Allegheny, Vanderbilt, Michigan State and Princeton universities as well as UCLA and the University of California at Berkeley, Santa Barbara and San Diego.
The students' ordeal in Egypt did not go to waste. "The various courses taught by top academics of the Hebrew University will enable the students to put their personal experience in Egypt and in Israel within a broader academic framework," said Prof. Mimi Ajzenstadt, provost of The Rothberg International School.
"When they heard what was happening in Egypt, some colleges, such as the University of California, reached out to us," Hebrew University official Jonathan Kaplan told Israel National News.
Simultaneously, Hebrew University reached out to partner schools and suggested that "if they needed assistance, we would be happy to help out," added Kaplan, Director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies at the Rothberg International School on Jerusalem.
He said that the university is providing a special orientation to assist the students' transition to the Jerusalem campus.
"We are grateful to the staff at the Hebrew University for being so responsive to our request to enroll two Princeton students at the Hebrew University, where the students can continue to study Arabic and Middle East issues at this important time in the region," said Nancy Kanach, director of the Office of International Programs at Princeton University.