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BRIEFS
court system along with his
skills in public administration
to get results for his people.
He also focused on some
of the problems of fully
integrating Arab women into
Israel’s increasingly modern
economy. All in all, it was
quite fascinating.”
As popular as the Mishpatim
program has become just two
years out of the gate, Professor
Schwartz noted the extensive
subsidy provided by the Canadian
Friends of the Hebrew University in
2011 along with the recent support
from the Province of Manitoba
in 2012 has been absolutely
essential to the program. “Typically
a program like this would cost a
student two to three times what
they’re currently paying.”
The intent of the program is that it
remains fully accessible,” Professor
Schwartz underscores. “We have
had a cross section of students of
fairly limited financial means and
demographically diverse students
including many Aboriginal
students. But in order to ensure the
program’s long-term viability, it has
to remain financially accessible.”
With each year the organizational
process is becoming more
streamlined as Schwartz
relies on established contacts
and resources from Hebrew
University. “This year we initiated
organized field trips that
included visits to Haifa Tel Aviv,
the En Geri oasis and Masada.
Along with the scheduled trips,
students were given frequent
free days and weekends to
explore their surroundings
on their own. “This was done
very deliberately as part of
the educational experience
especially for many students
who were experiencing their
first time out of North America,”
says Professor Schwartz
“There’s much to be learned by
having free time and actually
experiencing talking to people
in the streets, interacting with
them and witnessing their world.
I think that combination of
structured educational programs,
some structured field trips and
some free time worked out very
well this time around.”
View from The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem Campus
Looking ahead, Professor
Schwartz sees maintaining
Mishpatim as a signature
program of the University of
Manitoba, “something that’s
part of our own identity
where we continue to play
a leading role in its design
and delivery. The intent
is for it to be increasingly
accessible to students from
other law schools across
Canada starting first in the
Prairies and then to Western
Canada with an incremental
approach towards the goal of
national accessibility.”
For more information
Contact Professor Bryan Schwartz email,
bryanpschwartz@gmail.com or phone
204-474-6142
2012 Mishpatim Course participants
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, FACULTY OF LAW robsonhall.ca 50