International Travel
You are responsible for your international flight. Mitchell Hamline School of Law has no responsibility for such arrangements. Airfares can vary greatly. Make your travel plans early to take advantage of advance purchase options. The airport is Ben Gurion International Airport. Students must arrive on December 31, 2023. If you would like Professor Press to meet you at the airport to give you guidance on transporting to the housing, you must arrive mid-morning to late afternoon.
Passports and Visas
Passports are required for travel to the Holy Land and are the responsibility of each student. Contact the nearest State Department Office or access information on the State Department website (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html) for further information. Plan ahead and get your passport early!
U.S. citizens are not required to present a visa upon entrance into the Holy Land for a short course of study. However, you may be asked to present your letter of acceptance to the program, along with your round trip ticket, to customs officials upon arrival.
If you are a national of a country that Israel defines as a visa national country, you may require prior entry clearance. The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website has more information on visas. Students in need of prior entry clearance are responsible for applying for their own visas.
Make a copy of your passport and keep it in a separate place in the event that you lose the original. If your passport is lost of stolen, you must appear in person to get a replacement.
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The U.S. Embassy, Jerusalem
Gershon Agron Street 18
Jerusalem 9419003
Phone: +972-2-622-7230 M–F 8 am–4:30 pm
USConGenJerusalem@state.gov
Read the Jerusalem U.S. Consulate’s policy on lost or stolen passports
Course Requirements
Students must attend all class sessions, participate actively, and complete the reading assignments. At the conclusion of the course, students seeking credits must complete the exam and a reflective assignment. To earn a third credit, students will submit a written paper* by February 12, 2024. Grades will be based upon class participation and the preparation of the written work. There are no prerequisites for this course and there is no mandatory grading curve. The acceptance of any credit or grade for these courses by any school other than Mitchell Hamline is subject to approval by the student’s home school.
It is unlikely that participation in a foreign program may be used to accelerate graduation. Students interested in acceleration should seek clarification at their home schools in light of ABA Standard 304, Interpretation 304-4.
* The extra paper option cannot be used to satisfy the long paper requirement for Mitchell Hamline students.
Facilities
From the first 4 days of the program, class will meet in a classroom on the Mount Scopus Campus of Hebrew University. During the later part of the program, students will spend 3 days attending meetings with peacemakers, visit legal institutions and tour for context. On the last day of the program, class will meet in a classroom at the Zefat Academic College.
Administrative offices for the program are in the Boyer Building of the Rothberg International School. Mitchell Hamline and the Rothberg International School of Hebrew University have cooperated in providing this program since its inception as a summer program in 1994. The city of Jerusalem and the facilities at Hebrew University are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Housing
Housing in double or triple rooms is included in the fees (you may request roommates and student requests will be accommodated as we are able, on a first-come, first-served basis). Roommate requests are due by November 1, 2023.
From December 31, 2023 to January 7, 2024, students will be housed at the Student Apartments on the Mount Scopus Campus of Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Each student apartment has two or three private sleeping rooms, along with a shared kitchen, TV area, bathroom, and shower.
On January 7 – 8, students will stay at the Nes Ammim Hotel in Akko (or one of similar quality), on January 8 – 9, students will stay at the Emily Hotel in Tiberias (or one of similar quality); and on January 9 – 1o, students will stay in Tel Aviv or Ramat Gan at Grand Beach Hotel (or one of similar quality). Please note that for the dates of January 7-10, housing will include breakfast and all hotel rooms will be double occupancy, with an option for a single room at an additional cost.
For an additional fee, and on a first-come, first-served basis, a limited number of single rooms will be available at the hotels for January 7-10. If you are interested in securing a single room for these three days, indicate your interest in the appropriate space on the program application. Once we have confirmation of the total additional cost for a single room, we will contact interested students in the order the requests were received, until all available single rooms are taken. As with all of the fees, a refund on the single housing option is not possible after the November 1 program drop deadline, after which point no refund for any fees will be made.
Food
Jerusalem, Acco, Tzfat and Tel Aviv all offer a wide variety of dining opportunities and price ranges. Food is available at the cafeterias on the Hebrew University campus. The nearby Dan Jerusalem Hotel remains open during Shabbat.
Program Cancellation
Mitchell Hamline School of Law reserves the right to alter or cancel the J-term Study Abroad Program for insufficient enrollment or if exceptional circumstances such as natural disaster, war, political unrest, pandemic related issues, or similar emergency occurs. The program may be cancelled if fewer than 15 students enroll or Mitchell Hamline determines the safety and security concerns in the area are not conducive to the program. Cancellation or material alteration will be promptly communicated to applicants.
In the event of program cancellation, all tuition and fees will be refunded. If a student requests, the director will use best efforts to make arrangements for the student to attend a similar program. In the event of material program alteration, any student wishing to cancel must send a letter of declaration within seven days of notification to request a full refund of tuition and fees. All money advanced by the student will be refunded within 20 days after the date of cancellation/receipt of student declaration. Mitchell Hamline will not provide refunds for enrolled students who choose not to participate unless the program is cancelled or there is substantial change to the current travel warning.
Health
Health Insurance is included in the program fees.
U.S. State Department Travel Information
As of the most recent update of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs website (October 5, 2022), the United States Department of State has a current travel warning for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. “Terrorist groups and lone-wolf terrorists continue plotting possible attacks in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Violence can occur in Jerusalem and the West Bank without warning.”
U.S. State Department Travel Advisories
Each participant should carefully assess the State Department Alerts and Warnings prior to enrollment. Each student must individually choose whether to undertake the risk of travel to the region and by enrolling agrees to assume all liability associated with the travel risk.
Also prior to travel, participants should check out the CDC Health Information for Travel to Israel website for pertinent health information.
Currency
The currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Visa, MasterCard and American Express are widely accepted; visitors with other cards should check with their credit card companies in advance. Foreign currency can be exchanged at bureaux de change and large hotels, however better exchange rates are likely to be found via ATM machines or at banks. Travelers cheques are accepted in all areas frequented by tourists.
Weather
The weather in the Holy Land during the winter is very unpredictable. Some winters are mild and sunny, while some are severe and overcast. Temperatures range in the 50’s-60’s F in most places, but in the 40’s in Jerusalem and the Galilee hills – where it can be very cold at night. It is the rainy season so you should expect some rain.
What to Pack
Travel light! Students can dress casually for class and meetings with peacemakers, but may want to have a nice outfit for visits to places of worship. For visits to religious sites, you will generally be expected to have your head, shoulders and knees covered (which you will want to do anyway because you can expect that the weather will be cool). Luggage requirements for all airlines have become very strict. You should check with your particular airline regarding its luggage restrictions. Penalties for oversized or overweight luggage can be steep. Be warned that airlines have the authority to refuse to carry luggage that does not meet their regulations.
Non-discrimination Policy
Please note: Mitchell Hamline School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status in its education and employment programs or activities.