Between Rome and Jerusalem - the pilot program

In Spring 2023 the Rome Global Gateway, in partnership with the Jerusalem Global Gateway, co-sponsored a co-curricular excursion to Jerusalem for a group of 11 Rome Study Abroad students.

The students prepared for the trip by attending two mandatory lectures while still in Rome; one led by Elena Dini, Senior Program Manager of the John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue hosted at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. During her presentation, Dini focused on the history, culture and religions of Jerusalem and Israel.

The second one presented by Father Riccardo Lufrani, LUMSA Adjunct Professor of Theology and Theology of Techno-sciences STD, University of Fribourg (Switzerland) who focused on Rome and Jerusalem from a theological point of view.

The group, escorted by Jim Schwarten, Students Program Advisor, and Prof. Chiara Sbordoni departed from Rome and landed in Jerusalem where it met with Boaz Leberman, student and residential life manager at the Jerusalem Global Gateway, as well as local staff and students.

“The idea of creating this pilot program came through a conversation between Silvia Dall’Olio, director of the Rome Global Gateway and I,” comments Leberman. “The proximity to Bethlehem and the old city, allows to create a program full and culturally enriching for Rome and Jerusalem students in order for them to learn about different religions and people that lived here.”

The program balanced the cultural, religious and social aspects providing tours of Bethlehem and the Old City as well as giving the time to meet with the people that were guiding the tours, all from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. 

The Rome - Jerusalem program was organized by the Rome and the Jerusalem Global Gateways and co-sponsored by Notre Dame International.