GREENEVILLE – An Israeli tour guide with extensive knowledge of his country will give a talk about the Holy Land during an upcoming visit to Tusculum University.
Dr. Scott Hummel, left, and Mishi Neubach stand in front of the Tusculum Arch in 2022.
Mishi Neubach will present “Encountering Israel with an Israeli” Thursday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. in the Dr. Nancy B. Moody Lecture Hall inside the Meen Center. His talk will be followed by a question-and-answer session and an opportunity to speak with him. The event is free, and no registration is necessary.
This will be Neubach’s second presentation at Tusculum, with the first coming in 2022. His talk then was about the modern state of Israel.
“We are delighted to have Mishi share his insights about Israel again with the community,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “I am fortunate Mishi is a longtime friend and have always appreciated our conversations and the breadth and depth of helpful information he imparts. The community will benefit greatly from his lecture at Tusculum.”
In addition to serving as a tour guide for more than 40 years, Neubach has been a teacher and soldier. His background includes serving in the Six-Day and Yom Kippur wars as an Israeli soldier. His graduate studies focused on the apostle Paul.
Dr. Hummel and Neubach studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Dr. Hummel received a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship, which funded his year of graduate studies in Israel.
For more than 25 years, Dr. Hummel has worked closely with Neubach to develop and lead study abroad trips to Israel, Greece, Egypt, Turkey and Italy. Neubach has also led many pilgrimages a year for dozens of churches for decades.
As part of the Feb. 19 event, attendees will learn about the opportunity to travel to Israel for 12 days on a trip Dr. Hummel is organizing for summer 2027. The community and Tusculum family members are invited to participate. Dr. Hummel has led trips to the Holy Land in 2022 and 2023 since he has been Tusculum’s president.
The audience will also hear about the ability to excavate for three weeks at Tel Lachish in Israel that summer and earn three to six credits from the Hebrew University. Tel Lachish is the site where the ruins of the ancient Canaanite and Judean cities of Lachish are located. Dr. Yosef “Yossi” Garfinkel is the lead archaeologist at Tel Lachish. Dr. Garfinkel has presented two archaeological presentations at Tusculum.
Three recent Tusculum graduates – David Bowlin, Hughston Burnheimer and Eirik Dahlgren – participated in excavation work at Tel Lachish in 2023.
“Israel is a fascinating country with its extensive connections to the Bible and world history,” Dr. Hummel said. “We encourage people who have never been to the Holy Land to consider making that pilgrimage and further developing their faith. It will enrich their lives considerably.”
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.