The Occupational Therapy Department Bids Farewell to Ms. Barbara Lavin

26 September 2007

The Faculty and students of the Occupational Therapy Program held a farewell reception for Ms. Barbara Lavin on Friday, 7 September 2007 as she is completing a ten year commitment at Bethlehem University and is returning to her native New Zealand.  

For the past 10 years, besides being an exceptional teacher, Barbara has also shared her administrative and leadership skills with the Bethlehem University community and the people of Palestine.  Among the many successes of Barbara’s work has been the graduation of four cohorts of Occupational Therapists and the establishment of Occupational Therapy units in various hospitals and other institutions across the West Bank, thus providing graduates with employment opportunities and the Palestinian society with the needed services of Occupational Therapists.

With Ms. Lavin’s leadership and the support of Occupational Therapists and funders from Norway, Ireland, Australia, and Jerusalem the first cohort of ten students from Gaza to study Occupational Therapy which began more than 4 years ago will soon graduate from Bethlehem University – even though they have not yet been physically on the campus of Bethlehem University!  Due to the travel restrictions imposed on these students and all persons in Gaza by the Israeli military authorities, for the past four years these ten students from Gaza have not received permission from the Israeli authorities to come to Bethlehem University to study.  However, since the need for the professional services of Occupational Therapists is so great in Gaza, the faculty and administration of Bethlehem University were delighted to have the professional legal assistance of Gisha, a Center for the Legal Protection of Freedom of Movement, to attempt all legal means through the Israeli courts to secure the permissions of these students to come to Bethlehem for their studies.  All during these four years of legal battles, the faculty and administration also sought creative means through teleconferences and personal visits to Gaza to continue to educate these students.  Even though the Israeli High Court has ruled against the petition for these students to come to Bethlehem University, they will soon graduate – thanks to the tremendous support and dedication of Ms Barbara Lavin and so many supporters.

The Occupational Therapy Program was first established and funded by The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through The Norwegian Association for Occupational Therapist (NETF), and the Development Cooperation Ireland in 1997.  Since this time, and with the added expenses incurred in dealing with the with the difficulties imposed by the Israeli military authorities on our students from Gaza, additional funders from Ireland, Australia and Jerusalem have made the difference – thanks to the initiative of the Sisters of Sion at Ecce Homo in Jerusalem. 

With the return of Barbara Lavin to her native New Zealand, the Occupational Therapy program at Bethlehem University is now continuing under the leadership of Ms. Nelly Husari and the University is seeking funding opportunities to support the program into the future.