Majoring in Aliyah: Yes we can (stop talking about Obama)

Two weeks have passed since the elections in the United States, but here on campus, it seems like they were only yesterday. Yes, Obamania has hit Bar-Ilan University with a vengeance.

Granted, the president-elect's policies will affect Israel, but Israelis seem to have a fascination with American politics that transcends their own national interests. It seemed that people cared more about Obama-McCain than the municipal elections that took place in Israel a week later. Even if Israel proclaims itself to be the fifty-first state, this is a bit much.

Election-mania began sometime last year, when intense coverage of the primaries hit the Israeli press. Apparently, to many Israelis, being American qualifies me as an expert on the subject, because nearly every day someone would ask my opinion. What's with this Mitt Romney guy? Why isn't Giuliani campaigning at all? Does Obama have a chance against Hillary? I would answer as well as I could, based on the American newspapers and blogs I read, although it turns out that my answers were not the most accurate. For better or for worse, not one of my predictions came true. There goes my expert status!

When the new semester began, a mere two days before The Big Day, everyone was talking about the elections. Actually, to be more precise, everyone was talking about Obama. At this point, it wasn't just my Israeli friends, trying to figure out what these elections are all about. By now, they knew everything from Levi Johnston's sport of choice to Malia Obama's favorite food. (Hockey and ice cream, for those who aren't up-to-date.)

Professors made sure that any students who didn't know, found out. Not a class went by in which Obama - not McCain, not Palin, not Biden, just Obama - wasn't discussed. Whether you support Obama or not, it would be difficult to accept the outpouring of admiration from every lecturer and T.A. Granted, I study political science and communications, so the topic is relevant. However, I think this has gone a little too far.

There are other examples that professors can use. Other politicians have blogs - they only need to open JPost.com to see a few examples. Other politicians have facebook and have made YouTube videos, including Israeli politicians, which are always more relevant in an Israeli university. David Axelrod did not invent the text message, either. Election season is over in America, but it's just getting started in Israel - Why can't we talk about that instead?

My roommate told me about a lecturer who talked about "change" in class. She pointed out that the simple fact of Obama's election represents a change; he is the first African-American to be elected president of the United States, and that cannot be argued with. The only problem is that the professor went on to hail Obama's revolutionary policies and the changes Obama is making in American society.

"Doesn't that remain to be seen?" one student inquired.

"Good point," was the professor's reply. It seemed that she had been defeated...but in a dramatic turn of events, she bounced back! The professor continued with her praise, undisturbed by the considerations of empirical research or objectivity that her students had learned were an integral part of academia.

This week, in one of my classes, I learned about "non-verbal communications." The T.A. leading the discussion played a segment of the famous Nixon-Kennedy debate. He mentioned all of the well-known contrasts: Nixon's suit was pale and blended in with the background, while Kennedy's dark suit stood out. Nixon was sweaty, stiff and clearly nervous; Kennedy was confident and collected. If you ask me, the first example sufficed in conveying the point.

Then, the T.A. put on a clip from one of the McCain-Obama debates. He pointed out the way the candidates moved. Obama was smooth, his gestures broad and presidential, while McCain was stiff and mostly immobile. The T.A. showed how Obama moved his hands when appropriate, while McCain mainly kept his hands by his sides.

"You know," I interjected, "McCain was injured in Vietnam. He couldn't make broad hand gestures, even if he wanted to."

The T.A. blushed, stuttered, and moved on to the next clip.