Anyone know of Chardal/Charedi academics at Heb U?

yaelinIN

Sat, Nov 19 2011, 6:48 pm

My husband is possibly being offered a position in the Federman School of Public Policy at Heb U. I don't think they know yet that he is Yeshivish/Chardal. Does anyone know of anyone in any part of Heb U that is chardal/charedi? Is it even possible for a person like my husband to survive/thrive in such an environment? We are open-minded but I know the gap between secular (academic) and the religious person in the US is bad and I know the gap is larger in Israel...

Second, the salary offered so far is $2,500 a month. Is this even possible for a family of six? I am relatively thrifty but I know things are very different in Israel. I would want to live someplace like Ramot/Har Nof/Givat Shaul in a 4 room apartment. I don't need a car (but I wouldn't say no if it was truly possible).

Thanks for your help!
Yael

grace413

Sat, Nov 19 2011, 7:06 pm

I know there are DL people at the University but I don't know if there are any Chardal/Charedi.

That salary is approx. 8700 shekel a month - gross. Don't know exactly what take home would be but to me it sounds very tight for a family of 6 that would be renting.

But far be it from me to discourage people from coming to Israel. Things will also be different if you are coming as olim or with a work visa.

Good Luck

Peanut2

Sun, Nov 20 2011, 2:05 pm

It would probably be easier to find yeshivish/chardal academics by contacting other academics you know IRL.
I can try to ask around. I know they exist.
What are you worried about? Just how he will be perceived and how it will affect him in the department, tenure, etc, or do you have other concerns?
I think it's easier in certain fields, but what can you do.

With that salary I would think you'd need to a)look for cheaper areas to live in and b) look for more sources of income. It's unfortunately very common in Israel for professors to teach in many places just because they have to. If you are making aliyah the first year might be okay financially. After that, he would need to look for opportunities pretty much anywhere: other universities, programs for foreign students, the Shalem Center? The university pretty much assumes that ypu're getting another salary to supplement your income.

imab

Sun, Nov 20 2011, 2:23 pm

I'm doing a doctorate at Hebrew U I'm in the biomedical dept, but there are not lots of charedim, yeshivish guys. There is one charedi prof I know. There are definitely charedi students.There are a lot of dati leumi people, spreading the whole gamut. Are you worried about him not having friends, being attacked, being laughed at??
In my dept channuka party my prof lights the candles every year. People know he's religious, but he has close connections to a lot of ppl in the dept and is well respected.
Sometimes when I eat in our departmental lunchroom I am THE datiah and I get crazy questions and sometimes rude ones, but I have friends and can get my work done.
In terms of a salary, that's probably a starting salary, there are a lot of bonuses at a university, but he can probably supplement his income at a lot of the michlalot (private colleges). Feel free to PM me!

freidasima

Sun, Nov 20 2011, 2:46 pm

There are some foreign chardali-yeshivish types but they are few and far between from what I know.
The salary doesn't sound like a normal university salary though, what position was he offered? What level? Because even beginning levels of full time teaching staff are usually higher than that (the salaries are the same in every university and are public knowledge)...

amother

Sun, Nov 20 2011, 2:50 pm

freidasima wrote:

I work in the Council for Higher Education here in Israel and can give you info about levels and salaries in the universities.
Let me know if you want me to PM you.

Good luck.

Gsanmb

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 10:26 am

Yael, I can only tell you my own experiences when I was doing post doctoral work at Hebrew U. in the poli sci department. Granted it was about 15 years ago, but things don't change so very much.

I was respected, but I was an outlier. In political science (and other social sciences I'm sure) being a religious person (dati) at Hebrew U. is definitely extraordinary, in the sense it's very rare. I did not encounter outright hostility (well, occasionally) but there was definitely a vibe-beneath-the-surface of being a tolerated outsider.

There was a guy in the Rothberg School who was datil le'umi. Mordechai Nisan -- not sure if he has an appointment in the regular department or is even still around.

I know a bunch of people at Bar Ilan and in some other places (think tanks) who are dati le'umi and can connect you with them if you'd like, just for more info and insight. PM or email me if you want.

What a great opportunity, though!

Frankly, being a female, religious (albeit dati le'umi), pro-Israel professor/Ph.D. in political science -- I am very used to being an outsider in many ways. I don't let it bother me and my work gains me the respect I deserve (also, I am very pleasant and polite, but firm if needed, in professional and social situations where I am challenged).

Kol tuv!
Nicole

yaelinIN

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 10:55 am

Thanks Nicole -- I forgot that's how I met you! Wink

It doesn't matter anyways -- the position's salary was too small for us to make it happily. They wouldn't even hear of budging.

We'll continue to enjoy Maryland this year and perhaps Japan next and then.....

freidasima

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 11:36 am

Nicole do you still teach political science? Where? I assume not in EY...it must be very difficult to be pro Israel and frum on American campuses. I have friends teaching psychology all over and at least that isn't that politicized (although the fights over the DSM 5 are definitely splitting the field...) in the sense you mean!

yaelinIN

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 12:40 pm

freidasima wrote:

FS, whether a frum, pro-Israel professor has a problem in the US is a function of where the campus is located, the type of faculty, staff and student the college/uni has more than anything else.

My DH has never had any problem with being outwardly religious -- he wears a kippah, eats only kosher food, and keeps Shabbos. Everyone knows he is a rabbi (as well as a professor) and we invite people openly to events on campus. He doesn't put it on his CV (resume) because the rabbi-ing isn't relevant to his paying job and it is true, there are anti-semites (Jewish and non-Jewish) out there. He was very clear about his feelings on a campus with a significant international Muslim population.

There aren't tons of frum people in PoliSci though. They get together for a kosher get-together at teh American Poli Sci meetings...

Gsanmb

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 4:23 pm

Yael, that's true.

However, I *also* focus on Middle East politics etc. -- which makes me even more of an outlier. So I tend to encounter significantly more hostility than the average (if there is such a thing) frum, pro-Israel political scientist academic (and probably the lot of us could count each other on two hands, at least in the U.S.).

Right now I'm doing adjunct college teaching work and teaching some high school on the side. I also publish articles and have a book in process. We just moved and I don't have a full time position yet.

yaelinIN

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 4:36 pm

Yeah, Daniel says he wouldn't touch Middle Eastern politics with a ten foot pole! Wink

I find it funny that he is consulting with USAID on anti-terrorism in the Middle East/Africa this year. Have you ever thought of trying a AAAS Fellowship to get back in the Silver Spring area?

Gsanmb

Mon, Dec 05 2011, 7:53 pm

Ha, yes...I have a number of opportunities I could take advantage of if I were to come back to Silver Spring. Unfortunately the same does not go for dh....the job he just took now is by far our best situation yet and we really need to stabilize things (esp for the kids) for a while.

Silver Spring was my favorite community out of all the places we've lived so far...I would come back in a heartbeat. So much to offer in so many ways, and just about the best place for me professionally...sigh.