DALLAS — Students, staff and alumni from Dallas Baptist University were scheduled to leave Israel on the same day Hamas launched attacks in the southern part of the country. But the group of 18 wanted everyone to know they are safe and their departure is only delayed, as they leave with a newfound modern understanding of the age-old conflict.
"I would want everybody to know that we are safe and we are far away from where the major part of this conflict is taking place," said Jay Harley, VP of Student Affairs at DBU.
DBU has a longstanding working relationship with Nazareth Baptist School, in the far northern part of Israel. Even so, Harley says the tension is palpable.
"The attitude around here is very similar to the attitude and the demeanor and the feeling of 9/11, 2001," he said. "Everybody was nervous what's going to happen next. Is this over? Schools are canceled, businesses are closed. It's always unnerving whenever you hear the (air raid) sirens," he said.
Harley says the group is in a secure hotel and their canceled Saturday flights are being rescheduled. Several members of the group were able to board flights out of the country Monday, and the rest are bound for Dubai on Tuesday.
"And I think we should be praying for people on all different sides of this, because whenever war occurs, it's always people, like children and elderly that often get caught up in this with the worst of experience and are hurt or injured, traumatized," said Harley.
"Their lives have been dramatically disrupted now," he said of their counterparts in Nazareth and other parts of Israel. "And they'll have to regroup from that and determine best next steps forward and how to live in this new reality."
Each year DBU students visit Israel, touring Biblical and historic sites and studying with their Israeli counterparts as part of the university's global studies program.
“Our thoughts and prayers have remained with our group and for this evolving conflict in Israel,” DBU President Dr. Adam Wright said. “We are praying our team home and have remained in constant contact with appropriate officials within the United States government regarding the safe return of our group.”