Following the recent war between Israel and Lebanon, four WJ students will have the opportunity to travel to Hod HaSharon, Israel and study in an English-speaking school for eight weeks.

The students will attend the Alexander Muss Institute and have the ability to complete any of the courses they are currently taking in WJ. The program, which is available to the WJ students any of the next three quarters, or during the summer, offers two types of classes. The first is a core class which gives students English and History credits. The second class is called a sequential class which provides a tutor to teach any subject being taught in America.

The core class in history is very different than a typical history class at WJ. The students will mainly focus on the history of Israel. As part of the class, they will travel around Israel visiting different biblical sites in chronological order.

Despite the war that escalated rapidly and then came to a sudden halt in the summer, students traveling to Israel believe that it is safe.

“I think it’s safe enough to travel there, but you still have to be cautious of what’s going on around you,” said junior Yonatan Lautman, who returned to his birthplace on Nov. 28.

Junior Ashley Lessans, who will be attending fourth quarter, agrees with Lautman in saying that the trip is not dangerous.

“I am not scared at all about the violence going on in Israel,” said Lessans.

Lessans said that she has complete trust in the program to keep them out of harm’s way.

“HSI [High School in Israel] uses private transportation and we stay on a private campus,” said Lessans. “The people who plan our programs really make sure that everything we do is safe.”

Junior Maya Gottlieb, who will attend the school for the rest of the second quarter, also believes that she will be safe.

“We have guards and people who carry guns that go everywhere with us, basically I am going to be safer in school there than I am in school here,” said Gottlieb.

The director of admissions for Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Phyllis Solomon, reasserts this belief that the school keeps the students safe.

“Our number one concern is safety and security,” said Solomon. “We make sure that we call in to the government everyday to make sure we take the right route and we have to have approved where we go.”

During the war in the summer, students at the Muss Institute were not allowed to travel to the northern part of Israel. According to Solomon, similar restrictions will be put in place if necessary.

“There are times when there is a place we can’t go, but right now we’re pretty open in visiting everywhere that’s on our schedule” said Solomon. “We always are reviewing our situation to make sure our safety and security is up to par.”

Lessans was disappointed when her scheduled trip to Israel last summer was cancelled due to the war. Now, she has the chance to go to Israel for the first time and is not worried about the violence.

“I think it will be an amazing experience and I look forward to learning more about my heritage,” said Lessans.

Lautman has not returned to the place of his birth in eight years. His desire to return allows him to not worry about the dangers of the fighting in the Middle East either.

“I’m going one way or another,” said Lautman. “If I die there, it would be all worth it.”