Last November, alongside colleagues from diverse backgrounds, we wrote to the MIT community acknowledging the pain so many were experiencing in light of tragic events in the Middle East. We pledged to work together to build a better future for MIT, in which we “strengthen the bonds of friendship and collegiality that cut across political, ethnic, and religious differences.” The intervening months have been difficult, both at MIT and around the world. On campus, many students and staff have felt harassed and isolated due to their identity or beliefs. Our diverse faculty group launched several initiatives throughout the year to try and address these challenges. MIT supported weekly lunch gatherings of the affected communities, and efforts were made to bring students with opposing views together for dialog. In the process, we formed new bonds of respect and friendship that we hope can help guide MIT into the future. The new academic year will undoubtedly bring with it new challenges. Yet, we remain committed to the vision we laid out last fall.
Last year, the two of us, together with several colleagues, also traveled to Israel to hear first-hand the stories of people directly affected by the crisis. We spoke to Jews, Muslims, Christians and Druze, who helped us understand the many different ways these communities suffered since October. We were inspired by their stories of resilience and their abilities to live, work and study together alongside disagreements. One common theme emerged from these conversations. When asked what we can do to help, the heads of the Israeli universities, a leader of the southern branch of the Islamic party of Israel, and a prominent Bedouin Arab professor all called on us to help members of their communities deepen their ties with MIT and other leading US universities. As we reflected on those discussions, we recognized the benefits that would come from forging closer connections between MIT and scientists working in the region. We saw an opportunity to bring exceptional scientists of all backgrounds from Israel to MIT, to enrich the intellectual environment at MIT by creating new partners in research and entrepreneurship. Israelis of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds will also enrich the social fabric of MIT, bringing perspectives on the conflict that are rarely heard on our campus. Personal interactions between MIT community members and Israelis will also help to humanize a diverse society, and can contribute to reducing tensions on campus.
Inspired by our meetings in Israel and by MIT programs such as GMAF, MISTI, and MEET, we recently launched MIT-Kalaniyot[1]. This faculty-led initiative has two mutually reinforcing goals: strengthening the MIT campus community and deepening academic ties with Israeli researchers, including Jews, Arabs, and other minorities. MIT-Kalaniyot will support postdoctoral and sabbatical visitors from Israel selected for their academic abilities and their potential to contribute to the MIT community. By bringing the brightest minds from Israel to collaborate on cutting-edge research, Kalaniyot will enrich our campus and the broader academic world, supporting the MIT mission through education, research, and entrepreneurship.
We believe that programs like Kalaniyot can help foster an environment of learning, respect, and mutual appreciation. Of course, MIT-Kalaniyot alone will not solve all the challenges that the crisis has created for our MIT community and for scholars living in the Middle East. We therefore stand in support of our peers as they develop complementary and collaborative faculty-led initiatives for other communities in the Middle East and North Africa. We believe that by focusing on our shared values we can contribute to positive change both on campus and ultimately around the world.
In November we pledged to “vigorously pursue the MIT mission: to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind.” We hope to continue doing that this year through Kalaniyot and other positive campus initiatives and invite all interested colleagues to join us on this mission.
[1] The program is named after a flower (Anemone coronaria) that blooms in the south of Israel following winter rains, marking the rejuvenation of the desert.
