Graduating from the Battle Field

Student takes Bachelor's Degree Final Exam on the Front Lines

David Ankori, a JCT student was conscripted on Simchat Torah, with just one exam left to complete his computer science studies. “I was supposed to take my last exam in July, but I was called up for reserve duty, and a special date was set for me after Succot,” Ankori recounts. “When I was called up on October 7, I was a bit stressed about what would happen to my degree and professional progress. I was worried that everything would be postponed after the war, and then I'd have to retake the course,” he recalled.

Yair Goldstein, his lecturer at JCT, refused to accept the situation as it stood. “David had found a job in high tech, and the lack of eligibility for his degree could delay his starting work. Since the exam covers theoretical parts summarizing various subjects learned throughout the degree, there was an option to conduct it orally.” Goldstein informed Ankori that if he couldn't make it to the exam, the exam would come to him. “We agreed to meet somewhere in the field, and meanwhile I studied for the exam using my smartphone between shifts,” Ankori explains.

Goldstein, who himself was called up on reserve duty and currently serves in Judea and Samaria, used a vacation day to compose a special exam paper for Ankori. “I printed it, put it in a folder, and headed to the base,” he says. Goldstein administered the exam and, on its conclusion, informed Ankori that he had passed it successfully. “Yair was amazing,” Ankori says excitedly. “He doesn't compromise in terms of the academic level and obligations, but on the other hand, he always finds a way to accommodate the students.”

At JCT, Ankori's story is not an isolated case. When the war broke out, a comprehensive effort was undertaken by the center's administration, led by the Rector, Prof. Dan Buchnik, in collaboration with faculty and department heads, to make accommodation for conscripts and those affected by the war. Moreover, it was decided that academic staff would serve as mentors to assist students and for first-year students, instructional and teaching videos were created. Additionally, a group of outstanding students will help the freshmen start the academic year, which is expected to commence on December 24.

“The academic year was supposed to start almost two months ago, but due to the situation, many students, a significant number of whom are conscripted for combat, are in uncertainty,” notes Prof. Buchnik. “Accordingly, we constructed a plan for economic, emotional and academic benefits that incorporates the academic and professional requirements with the challenges the war has created for the students.”