An online class offered by Tel Aviv University has emerged as a highly popular choice for non-Israeli students, especially in Arab countries. According to the university, more than 20,000 students from over 155 countries, some of which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, have enrolled in a course titled, "Arab-Islamic History: From Tribes to Empires."
Among them are 318 students from Pakistan, 301 from Turkey, 205 from Indonesia, 109 from the United Arab Emirates, and 86 from Egypt.
The course is ranked among the top 50 online courses in the world by Class Central, one of the world's most recognized online learning platforms.
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The course is taught by Professor Miriam Shefer-Mossensohn of the Department of Middle Eastern and African History. "Enrollment in the course has increased greatly, as many young people are at home and use their time to enrich their knowledge," she said.
"The course resonates with many Muslim students because it presents the history of Islam without religiosity," she explained.
"In Pakistan, the course is considered to be one of the best about Islamic history. I taught this course in person for years, and usually, several dozen students enrolled each year, most of them Israeli, of course. When the course became digital, it opened up many more opportunities. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that it generated great interest among Muslim students from all over the world. Many of them said they were surprised how much a Jewish and Israeli woman captivated them and taught them about the history of their people."
In a thank you letter at the end of the course, one of the Syrian students wrote, "I rediscovered my roots thanks to this course. I am a Syrian Muslim, and I wanted to learn more about our history. "From Tribes to Empires" – what a fitting name for the beautiful journey our nation has gone through.
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